Parliament House, Brisbane

Following the state election on 21 March 2009, the Premier announced a significant reform of the Queensland Public Service.

As of 26 March 2009, the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F) has become a key agency within the new Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI).

Biosecurity Queensland, formerly with DPI&F, is now administered by DEEDI. Biosecurity Queensland continues to be responsible for exhibited animals.

Biosecurity Queensland received 33 submissions in response to the Exhibited animals discussion paper. The majority of responses favoured a world’s best practice approach to the regulation of exhibited animals.

The policy framework is now being finalised.

Although no personal or identifying information will be published, a summary of the responses is planned to be available on the exhibited animals website for those who may be interested.

The exhibited animals team will commence another round of consultation with industry once the policy details have been formulated. This will provide you with another opportunity to comment on the proposed policy framework.

The exhibited animals team is buoyed by the encouraging support that it has been given - not only from the responses to the discussion paper but from the overall consultation with industry members. It has been invaluable.

The exhibited animals program is relatively new and is run from the Animal Welfare Unit of Biosecurity Queensland.

Our team is working hard to develop legislation, standards and guidelines, policy and communication, and resources such as a website, newsletter and templates for procedures and forms. Additionally, we are improving operating systems and customer assistance.

The exhibited animals team consists of Alexsis, Andrew and Desley with help from Greg, Maarit and Rick.

Alexsis is a permanent member of the team and works 100% on the exhibited animals program. Alexsis focuses on exotic animal permitting, development and documentation of operating systems, production of the newsletter, policy and website contributions.

Andrew is on loan from Invasive Plants and Animals until the end of June 2009 and works full-time on the exhibited animals program. Andrew oversees the exhibited animals program and is the first point of contact for wildlife demonstrators and new exhibitors and demonstrators.

Desley is the administrative member of this team. Desley is employed on a temporary contract and will remain with us until the end of June. Desley is applying administrative procedures and is the first point of contact for enquiries.

Greg is a permanent regional project leader for the Animal Welfare Unit. He is primarily involved in the coordination and development of the standards and guidelines and assists with policy development.

Maarit works permanently for the Legislative Support Unit of Biosecurity Queensland. Maarit’s role is to develop exhibited animal legislation.

Rick is the general manager of the Animal Welfare Unit.

Central bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps)

Biosecurity Queensland is contributing to national general standards for the exhibition of animals. National funding for taxon-specific standards is currently not available.

However, there will be Queensland taxon-specific standards developed for each of the major taxa and for mobile exhibitors, such as circuses and wildlife demonstrators.

Biosecurity Queensland will aim for consistency of taxon standards between fixed and mobile exhibitors - the basic welfare needs of animals do not differentiate with exhibitor type.

The Queensland taxon standards, the Queensland standards for mobile exhibitors and the national general standards will complement each other and have consistent formatting.

To progress taxon-specific standards, Biosecurity Queensland will form taxon technical groups. These groups will include a representative from the Australasian Regional Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria, Queensland, a representative from a relevant mobile exhibitor group (where appropriate) and two additional persons selected by Biosecurity Queensland.

All comments from previous consultations have been considered. Some have been earmarked as specific topics for discussion with technical groups.

Members of technical groups will receive the relevant draft taxon standards four weeks prior to a meeting. It is intended that members of technical groups will agree on the parameters that will be added to the draft standards. The resultant drafts will then go out for broader industry consultation.

A 12-year-old polar bear at San Diego Zoo died from an equine virus last July.

At the time the cause of death was unknown, but the molecular diagnostic laboratory of the zoo's Centre of Research for Endangered Species discovered that a variation of a herpes virus was to blame.

This virus is common in Grevy's zebras and other equines. Cloning and sequencing techniques were used to identify the virus' DNA.

This cross-species infection highlights the importance of biosecurity within zoos.

Bottenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and calf at Seaworld

Upcoming events

Australian Society of Zoo Keeping Annual Conference

This conference will be hosted by the Territory Wildlife Park and held at the Palms City Resort in Darwin. There is no theme for the conference.  For more information, visit the ASZK website.

9th International Conference on Environmental Enrichment

This conference will be hosted by Paignton Zoo Environmental Park in Torquay, Devon UK.

Recent events

Biosecurity Queensland was pleased to attend the annual conference of the Australasian Regional Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria hosted by Seaworld on March 22-26. The theme of the conference, Are we ready for X, Y and Z, provided Biosecurity Queensland with a greater understanding of factors affecting industry and how these may shape future direction.

The conference also provided Biosecurity Queensland with a chance to discuss the progression of the standards and guidelines and hear industry feedback.