ShellShock - EAZA Turtle & Tortoise Campaign 2004/5

Die vierte "Conservation Campaign" des europäischen Zooverbandes EAZA widmet sich den Schildkröten und wurde am 22. September 2004 offiziell gestartet.

Elmar Meier präsentierte das Konzept des Internationalen Zentrums für Schildkrötenschutz auf der EAZA-Jahrestagung in Kolmarden und Roland Wirth schrieb das folgende Grußwort für die Informationsmappe der Kampagne.

ZGAP has been and continues to be a formal partner in the development and running of the International Center for Turtle Conservation (ICTC) at the Allwetterzoo Münster, Germany, which, at present, is the largest dedicated facility for the captive breeding of critically endangered Asian turtles in the EAZA community. Through this involvement we are very aware of the magnitude of the Asian (and increasingly global) turtle crisis and the threat unsustainable trade constitutes to the survival of a large number of turtle species and subspecies. Zoos have a unique potential to combine captive breeding, small population management, public awareness and fund raising with 'more traditional' field conservation approaches and thus help safe species form extinction which others may be inclined to give up.
The EAZA shellshock campaign has the potential to achieve just this. The campaign comes at a critical time and has our full cooperation and support.