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25.01.2022 ATC Committee member, Bianca, checking in with a training update from Zoos Victoria!

25.01.2022 Registrations FULL We are so excited about our 2 day workshop at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary! Join the waitlist by emailing [email protected]

23.01.2022 Love this way of weighing your animals. We did this with the killer whales as well. One postion somewhere around the exhibit and you could ask from wherever to get on the scale. Makes the scale behaviour a lot stronger as well!

23.01.2022 We're having an amazing first day at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary for our Animal Training Workshop!

23.01.2022 FINAL KEYNOTE ANNOUNCEMENT..... JIM MACKIE - ANIMAL TRAINING BEHAVIOUR OFFICER, THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON (ZSL), LONDON, ENGLAND Jim has worked at The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) for 21 years, becoming the first Animal Training and Behaviour Officer in 2012. Jim has overseen a shift in animal management whereby positive, science-based, training techniques have largely replaced traditional methods such as restraint during medical and husbandry procedures.... In 2015 ZSL was the recipient of a British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquaria (BIAZA) gold award for establishing a coherent, collection wide animal training programme for enhanced welfare. Jim helped form the BIAZA Animal Behaviour and Training Working Group, which he chairs, is a member of the EAZA Training Group and an EAZA Academy instructor specialising in the use of trained behaviour to maximise welfare potential in Zoos and aquaria. Jim regularly lectures, presents and provides workshops about Zoo animal behaviour both at home and abroad The ASZK Animal Training Community and Sea World - Gold Coast, Australia look forward to having Jim come out for the upcoming conference. The committee and Sea World are just finalising the finishing touches and are hoping to have registrations open in the next 1 - 2 weeks. Keep your eyes on our page for more details. Remember the dates: Saturday 31st October - OPTIONAL - Tim Sullivan's one day workshop Sat 31st Oct - EVENING - Conference Icebreaker Sun 1st Nov - Wed 4th Nov - Day 1 - Day 4 Conference Wed 4th Nov - EVENING - Conference Gala Thursday 5th Nov - OPTIONAL - Australia Zoo Visit All optional days will have a limited number of spaces available and will also be an additional cost

22.01.2022 Great example of the broader applications of animal training!

21.01.2022 We've installed a special mesh training wall at Melbourne Zoo so that our beautiful lion brothers can learn to take an active part in their own healthcare. From... checking the pads of their giant paws to administering medication in a safe and stress-free way, daily training sessions will not only help to keep our animals healthy but they also help keep the lions mentally stimulated and enriched. See more

21.01.2022 Fire season is here! Horse emergency recall training.

18.01.2022 The ATC Committee have been working hard to deliver a world class animal training conference for the region in November. With the ever-changing situation surrounding Covid-19 and current travel restrictions, we have decided to hold off on opening registrations for the next month. This will allow some time to see how things are progressing and make a more informed decision on the best way forward. Check back on this page soon for further updates. Meanwhile, stay safe and wash ...your hands! Geoff Brooks, Monarto Safari Park.

18.01.2022 WAIT! WHERES THE DOG? The Zoological Society of Londons horticulture team, with support from the animal care staff, trained this awesome recall-to-whistle beh...avior. This grazing herd supports ZSLs native biodiversity programme at Whipsnade Zoo, a site of special scientific interest. Cross-species and cross-department cooperation at its best. Congratulations ZSL Whipsnade Zoo! See more

17.01.2022 Whilst most of the birds are keeping cool from the scorching weather. Gus the Pelican continues to remain active in the heat! He loves his flight time . Rem...ember, most birds arent like Gus. Please keep your birds cool. Change drinking water at least three times a day in hot weather and offer lots of fresh foliage in enclosures. This will create a natural cooling system in your birds environment. Fresh foliage will trap cool air pockets in your birds environment and will help cool your birds body temperature. Mist foliage regularly to keep leaves hydrated (Use native plants to be safe. Do your research if your not plant savvy). This is a great short term solution during our Sydney water restrictions. Fresh food should be changed frequently and be sure to rinse your hands thoroughly before feeding any food. The sweat particles on our fingers can make our birds sick with thrush. Oral thrush can be contracted through poor hygiene and sweat. Please wash your hands frequently when handling your birds. Especially if your touching their beaks or offering food by hand. If you need help with your pet bird or wild birds during the heat please ask for advice. We are happy to help. Happy bird keeping everyone

16.01.2022 THIRD KEYNOTE ANNOUNCEMENT..... RICK HESTER - ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR PROGRAMS MANAGER, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, COLORADO SPRINGS, USA Rick Hester is the Animal Behaviour Programs Manager for Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado. He oversees all of the zoos behavioural programs; these include the zoos animal training for husbandry, medical and public show behaviours, enrichment, developing programs to replace problematic behaviour and the zoos formal animal welfare assessments.... He has worked at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo for 13 years. The majority of that time he was an animal keeper caring for various species of primates from marmosets to orang-utans. In 2015, under the guidance of Dr. Susan Friedman, he began studying behaviour analysis and its application with animals in human care. He is also a co-instructor for Dr. Friedmans Living and Learning with Animals course for animal behaviour professionals. The ASZK Animal Training Community and Sea World - Gold Coast, Australia look forward to having Rick come out for the upcoming conference. Keep your eyes peeled... another keynote announcement on Friday!!

16.01.2022 We have HUGE news!!!! The committee has been busily planning the 2020 AUSTRALASIAN ANIMAL TRAINING CONFERENCE!... The 2018 conference in Melbourne was big but we know the 2020 conference is going to be even BIGGER! SAVE THESE DATES: Conference: Sunday 1st Nov - Wednesday 4th Nov Optional days: One day workshop by one of our keynotes on Saturday 31st Oct Additional day trip to another zoo on Thursday 5th Nov The icebreaker for the conference will be held on the evening of the 31st October. Now who wants to guess the location???? What about the keynotes???? Watch this space for further announcements soon! We look forward to seeing you all at the 2020 conference!

15.01.2022 In light of current restrictions on travel and gatherings, the Animal Training Community committee have made the decision to postpone the 2020 Australasian Animal Training Conference at Sea World - Gold Coast, Australia. This decision has not been reached lightly, but is necessary to ensure the health of our community and to provide the world class gathering of animal training enthusiasts we have been planning! There will be more, specific information to follow, but keep spac...e in the calendar for the end of 2021. Until then, stay safe and WASH YOUR HANDS! Australasian Society of Zoo Keeping

15.01.2022 Ever wondered how we perform non-invasive, safe and participatory health checks on ostriches who can run away at 70km/h? Or do a full body check with the Africa...n Wild Dogs and a pride of deadly lions? Find out this week! We're taking you behind the scenes with our Werribee Open Range Zoo Animal Training Series and it's taking over our Facebook page for the week! To kick off the series, here is Animal Training Coordinator Kelly giving you the lowdown on some special training terms we use.

15.01.2022 SECOND KEYNOTE ANNOUNCEMENT..... TIM SULLIVAN - CURATOR of BEHAVIOURAL HUSBANDRY at Brookfield Zoo, CHICAGO, USA Tim has worked for the Chicago Zoological Society at Brookfield Zoo for the last 40 years. He spent the first half of his career as a keeper/trainer in the marine mammal department and later as a supervisor in the pachyderm department. ... It was here that he helped develop an elephant protected-contact behaviour management program and began teaching training to zoo staff. This experience led to his current role as the Zoo's Curator of Behavioural Husbandry. Tim's primary responsibilities are to manage the Zoos animal training and environmental enrichment programs developing the knowledge and skill of over 100 animal keepers. Tim also consults on behavioural husbandry at other zoological institutions and conducts international training workshops. Tim is currently on the instructor teams of the Association of Zoo and Aquariums (AZA) annual Animal Training Applications and Environmental Enrichment in Zoos and Aquariums courses. He is active in international training organisations and has been an officer on the board of directors of both the International Marine Animal Trainers Association and the Animal Behaviour Management Alliance; an organisation he co-founded. Tim will also be holding a pre-conference one day workshop on Saturday 31st October. This workshop is limited to only 30 participants. Details on this will be advertised shortly. The ASZK Animal Training Community and Sea World - Gold Coast, Australia look forward to having Tim come out for the upcoming conference. Keep your eyes peeled... another keynote announcement on Wednesday!!

13.01.2022 Well done to this new trainer Kayla Bennett from the National Zoo and Aquarium on teaching open mouth checks on a KANGAROO!! Kayla recently attended our beginner trainer workshop at Currumbin and is now off to a flying start with her zoo keeping career. We would love to see your open mouth check behaviours! How many species can this be taught to?

12.01.2022 DRUM ROLL PLEASE....... Last week we gave you the dates and it's time to hold on to your hats because today we are pleased to announce the location of the 2020 Australasian Animal Training Conference is..... S E A W O R L D on the GOLD COAST!!! ... Thats right! Pack your bags and your sunscreen because we are heading to the sunny Gold Coast! Sea World and the ATC are busy finalising all the details for the upcoming conference, which we know is going to be AMAZING! But in the mean time, who would you like to see as keynotes this year??? Want to have a guess who we have lined up? Stay tuned and we will announce our first keynote speaker in 2 days!! Remember the dates: Conference: Sun 1st Nov - Wed 4th Nov Optional one day workshop by a keynote: Sat 31st Oct Optional day visit to another facility: Thurs 5th Nov Cant wait to see you all there!!

12.01.2022 That's a wrap on our Animal Training Workshop at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary! Thank you to everyone who joined us and Currumbin for being such fabulous hosts! Keep an eye out for 2020's exciting plans!

12.01.2022 THIS IS BIG - AND BY BIG, WE MEAN, HUGE!!! FIRST KEYNOTE ANNOUNCEMENT..... DR. SUSAN FRIEDMAN - Behavior Works... Dr. Susan G. Friedman is a retired psychology professor from Utah State University who has pioneered the application of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) to zoo and companion animals. ABA, with its roots in human learning, offers a scientifically sound teaching technology and ethical standard that can improve the lives of all learners. Students from over 45 countries have participated in Susans online course, Living and Learning with Animals for Professionals. She has written chapters on learning and behaviour for five veterinary texts and her articles appear around the world in 14 languages. Susan has presented seminars nationally and internationally for a wide variety of zoos and professional organisations such as the Association of Avian Veterinarians, the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, and NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center. She has been nominated for the Media Award given by the International Association of Behavior Analysis for her efforts to disseminate to caregivers, veterinarians, animal trainers, and zookeepers the essential tools they need to empower and enrich the lives of the animals in their care. To help meet this goal, she welcomes you to downloading and disseminate the materials on her website, www.behaviorworks.org and welcomes people to visit her pocket-science page at facebook.com/behaviorworks. The ASZK Animal Training Community and Sea World - Gold Coast, Australia are thrilled to host Susan for the upcoming conference and we hope that you all can make it. Keep your eyes peeled, next keynote will be announced on Monday....

10.01.2022 REGISTRATION UPDATE Registrations will open at 10am EST, Friday 9th August. Link will be available here. Places will be limited!

09.01.2022 Anyone work with sugar gliders? Message below from Carlos Grau - contact directly at [email protected] if you can help! I am writing from a television production company in the UK called Plimsoll Productions. We are working on a new landmark documentary series which will focus entirely on the smaller species of our planet.... One episode in the series will explore the wildlife of Australia. I've been looking for possible sources of tame/trained Sugar Gliders in Victoria. What were looking for is to get some shots of them gliding from one tree to another, so the handler would have to be confident that their animals can do this outdoors in a natural environment. Although we would be working outdoors on location, we can fence the area with barriers off-screen. We wouldnt feature the handler in our film, as were only interested in documenting the animals behaviour, but we of course will follow the trainers recommendations at all times, as animal welfare is very important for us. Were planning on filming in February. Would this be something that anyone in this group could help us with? Any help or advice you are able to offer would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for your time and help. Please send private message for more details if interested. Thanks! Carlos

08.01.2022 Hey Training Community, how are you and your creatures spending your days? Let's see pictures!Hey Training Community, how are you and your creatures spending your days? Let's see pictures!

08.01.2022 Animal training is a big part of the role of a Zoo Keeper. Here Keeper Tarryn provides us with some insights into training Siamang Apes and why training is so beneficial for their health and well being. For more great videos visit www.taronga.org.au/tarongatv #tarongatv

08.01.2022 From presenting their paws to be checked to opening their mouth for a quick look, Melbourne Zoo's Snow Leopards are trained to take part in their own healthcare... - and it's incredible to see! Training animals is not only a stress-free way for keepers and vets to make sure Kang Ju is ok, it's also mentally stimulating for him. Have a burning question about a carnivore or ungulate? Ask us and the keepers will respond later in the week.

07.01.2022 REGISTRATIONS ARE FULL 2 day animal training workshop at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Join the waitlist by emailing [email protected]

06.01.2022 At Hamilton Zoo they have a couple Kea's living together. The trainer decided that he wanted to get more behavioural control over these magnificent animals. On his own he build a foundation so he is able to work the birds 1 on 1. Great work from the team at Hamilton Zoo NZ.

06.01.2022 We are looking for the host of the 2020 Australasian Animal Training Workshop! Do you think your facility could be the right fit? Send your submissions to [email protected]

06.01.2022 COMPETITION TIME! We have an incredible prize of 5 weeks of free TEC Talks from Natural Encounters, Inc.! To be considered, tag ASZK Animal Training Community in your post (along with your facility) or send it to us to share!... We look forward to seeing what you've been up to with your animals!

05.01.2022 There is still time to apply for this incredible opportunity!

05.01.2022 Cheetah are like your domestic cats in that they need annual vaccinations. To ensure this process it stress-free for the Cheetah, keepers work closely with each... animal (there is 18 Cheetah at Dubbo) to train them to accept a hand injection for these vaccinations. This is where the keeper and animal relationship is so important. Learn about the process from Cheetah Keeper Jordy.

04.01.2022 At our recent Animal Training Workshop we talked about cues and how, as our friend Wouter showcases, sometimes the cue is not always what we think it is!

04.01.2022 This tiny hurdle was once given to me by a then five-years-old MouseAgility fan. <3 Unfortunately, it turned out to be too small even for mice... but not for some of my other trainees. :)

03.01.2022 QUEENSLAND We are coming your way! Put this date aside and stay tuned for registration details!

02.01.2022 An evening with Ken Ramirez at Melbourne Zoo. Join animal training specialist, Ken Ramirez for a special seminar and Q&A focusing on problem-solving processes, animal training tools and case studies. Date: Tuesday 19 November... Location: Melbourne Zoo Time: 5.45 8.00pm Tickets are $50 or $45 for Zoo members. For more information and tickets, head here: zoo.org.au/ken-ramirez

02.01.2022 This could be you! - bit.ly/AZA_Course Apply now for this exclusive opportunity to attend the Animal Training Applications in Zoo & Aquarium Settings course run by AZA [Association of Zoos & Aquarium] in Denver, Colorado! * Current passport required [Valid until March 2020] and you must also be able to attain a ESTA visa to America [Small fee for you to pay online] - https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/... * See all the other information in the image attached to this post - & if you have any questions about absolutely anything please don't hesitate to ask ... you can leave in the comments below! We are super excited to be able to offer this in our region and are looking forward to hearing from you! Best Regards ASZK Animal Training Community [ATC] - Committee!

01.01.2022 Whoa! Check out this awesome view of some superb fairywrens going in for a snack - "fourth time lucky" according to Jan Wegener who captured this. Jan Wegener

01.01.2022 Thanks to Kelsey for sending this great video! Kelsey says: Watch and enjoy! In this video you will see a beautiful female Tasmanian devil named Topsy recalled BOH for a voluntary injection by our vet. Tiffany Stofmeel you have absolutely crushed it. In this field we are always looking for ways to improve our husbandry practices and I am so proud to have had you as part of my team! Hopefully this serves as inspiration for anyone who needs it! Topsy is indeed a GOOD GIRL heres to always celebrating our colleagues achievements! Credit: Wildlife Sydney Zoo