Almost 1,000 zoo experts will be meeting in Leipzig over the next few days for the annual conference of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA). Nobel Prize winner Svante Pääbo, among others, is expected to attend the opening session on Wednesday.
In addition to association development, the meeting will mainly focus on professional exchange on European conservation breeding programs and opportunities for zoos to become even more involved in species conservation on site.
"It's a real working conference," said Jörg Junhold, Director of the host zoo Leipzig. There are around 2,000 European conservation breeding programs. "The aim is to ensure that species are managed professionally, that there is no inbreeding, that genetic diversity is preserved and that healthy animal populations are managed." The focus is particularly on big cats, elephants and great apes.
