Species360

Species360
Formation1973; 51 years ago (1973)
TypeInternational not-for-profit organization
PurposeZoo and aquarium animal records database
Location
Region
Global
MethodMembership
Websitewww.species360.org Edit this at Wikidata

Species360 (formerly International Species Information System or ISIS), founded in 1974, is an international non-profit organization that maintains an online database of wild animals under human care.[1] As of 2023, the organization serves more than 1,300 zoos, aquariums and zoological associations on six continents and in 102 countries worldwide.[2] The organization provides its members with zoological data collection and management software called ZIMS—the Zoological Information Management System.[citation needed]

ZIMS project was a large global collaboration with 600 people contributing under the leadership of Nate Flesness, Executive Director of Species360 (1979–2009),[3] and Hassan Syed, CIO of Species360 (2003–2010).[4] The ZIMS database contains information on 22,000 species, 10 million animals, and 82 million medical records.[2] Members use the basic biologic information (age, sex, parentage, place of birth, circumstance of death, etc.) collected in the system to care for and manage their animal collections (including demographic and genetic management in many cases). It is also used for ex situ breeding programs and supporting conservation research and programs.

Since its foundation in 1973, the group has been a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) pursuing wild animal conservation goals. [citation needed] Species360 works in partnership with zoo associations around the world. [citation needed]

The organization has staff and representatives in Amsterdam and The Randstad (the Netherlands), Barcelona (Spain), Copenhagen and Odense (Denmark), Jerusalem (Israel), Bristol, London, and Paignton (UK), and across the United States (Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Texas, Wisconsin, Washington) with headquarters in Minnesota (US).

  1. ^ Flesness, N. R. (2003). "International Species Information System (ISIS): over 25 years of compiling global animal data to facilitate collection and population management". International Zoo Yearbook. 38 (1): 53–61. doi:10.1111/j.1748-1090.2003.tb02064.x.
  2. ^ a b "Fact Sheet & Logos". Species360. 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  3. ^ "Meet the Team - Species360".
  4. ^ "ISIS Newsletter". myemail.constantcontact.com. Retrieved 2 December 2018.