Zoology and Conservation Biology Research Guide

• Smithsonian's National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute
• Smithsonian Resources
• Animal Care
• Conservation Biology
• Organizations and Associations
  • Animal Care, Health, and Welfare
  • Conservation Biology

Welcome to the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives' Zoology and Conservation Biology Research Guide.  This is a select list of mostly freely-available resources for students, teachers, and researchers to learn about how our Smithsonian veterinarians, curators, keepers, and technicians fulfill their important roles. Please feel free to Contact Us with with suggestions for additional resources or with questions.

The Smithsonian's National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute

• National Zoological Park (NZP): Website for the Smithsonian's National Zoological Park, located in Washington, D.C., and home to more than 2,400 animals across 376 different species.
• Smithsonian's Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI): Website for SCBI, featuring information on animal conservation efforts being undertaken, such as the Migratory Bird Center and Virginia Working Landscapes. 
• National Zoological Park Library: Library located on the grounds of the Smithsonian's National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute. 

Smithsonian Resources

• Databases for Science Research: List of science research databases from the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. Many offer free access, while others require users to be onsite at a Smithsonian branch library or have Smithsonian network access.
• Biodiversity Heritage Library: Online library featuring open access legacy literature from the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives and a consortium of natural history and botanical libraries.
• Encyclopedia of Life: Based on the idea of a "webpage for every species", this multilingual resource provides multimedia information about a large subsection of life on Earth.
• Integrated Taxonomic Information System: Taxonomic database searchable by scientific and common names. Maintained through a partnership of Canadian, Mexican, and U.S. federal agencies, including the Smithsonian.

Animal Care

• Animal Welfare (U.S. Department of Agriculture): Homepage for the animal welfare programs provided by the USDA, including the Center for Animal Welfare and Animal Care Emergency Programs.
• Approved Animal Drug Products (Federal Drug Administration): Public list, known as the "Green List", of all drug products approved by the FDA for safe and effective use in animals.
• Merck Veterinary Manual: Searchable collection of veterinary guides, manuals, and other resources for food-producing, companion, laboratory, and exotic animals.

Conservation Biology

• Red List of Endangered Species: Searchable database from the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Provides information and analysis on the status, trends, and threats to species.
• Global Invasive Species Database: Database of alien and invasive species, with information about lifecycle, habitat, impact, and management.
• Conservation research in the African rain forests: PDF of the Wildlife Conservation Society's technical handbook for creating, managing, maintaining, and disseminating African rain forest research, in areas such as sampling, specimen collection, and population studies.
• Traffic: Website featuring analysis and research of wildlife trade and related crimes from The Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network.
• Elephant Database: Features interactive maps of known ranges of African elephants based on data from African Elephant Status Reports, provided by the IUCN SSC African Elephant Specialist Group (AfESG).
• Cranes: Their Biology, Husbandry, and Conservation: Free online book from the U.S. Geological Survey about cranes and their conservation. 

Organizations and Associations

Animal Care, Health, and Welfare

General

• National Wildlife Health Center (United States Geological Survey): Housed within the Department of the Interior, the USGS is an excellent resource for animal mortality data and event reporting.
• Shape of Enrichment: Quarterly publication for animal trainers.
• Wildlife Disease Association: International organization dedicated to the dissemination of information on wild animal diseases and health.
• AGRICOLA: Freely available citation database from the US Department of Agriculture of agricultural publications and resources, including animal sciences, environmental sciences, and veterinary sciences.
• Zoonotic Diseases:  Contains information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans (i.e., zoonoses).

Veterinary

• American Association of Zoo Veterinarians: Professional organization concerned with the welfare and conservation of zoo animals and wildlife species. Publishes the Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine (subscription required).
• American College of Zoological Medicine: Specialty board in zoological veterinary medicine founded to increase research benefitting wildlife.
• American Veterinary Medical Association: Accredits thirty schools of veterinary medicine within the United States and publishes the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Journal of Veterinary Research.
• American Animal Hospital Association: Sole accrediting body for small animal hospitals in the United States and Canada. Hosts the Pet Microchip Lookup database.

Veterinary (Specialty)

• American College of Veterinary Pathology: concerned with disease diagnosis, drug development, and research, the ACVP also manages certifying exams in veterinary anatomic or clinical pathology. Training programs are offered around the country at partner universities, as are student chapters that provide mentoring and scholarship opportunities.
• Association of Zoo Veterinary Technicians: Started in 1981, the AZVT works to increase the visibility of veterinary technicians’ contributions to medicine and research, as well as advocate for improved professional standards.
• Association of Avian Veterinarians: To further their cause, the AAV contains resources for setting up an avian-friendly practice, as well as providing members with access to ongoing research studies and their publication, the Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery Subscription.
• Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians: Resource for professionals and owners alike. Publishes the Journal of Herpetological Medicine and Surgery (now a part of BioOne Complete, a subscription-based, full-text biological/ecological/environmental database).
• National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America: Though not zoo/wildlife specific, the NAVTA still offers useful resources for veterinary technicians, including the NAVTA Journal (membership required).

Veterinary (International)

• British Veterinary Association: Non-profit dedicated to the education and careers of the United Kingdom’s veterinarians. Publishes Veterinary Record, In Practice, and Veterinary Record Case Reports (all require membership).
• British Veterinary Zoological Society: Special division of the BVA. Promotes the care and welfare of exotic pets, wildlife, and zoo animals.
• European Association of Zoo and Wildlife Veterinarians: Publishes the Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, a highly-regarded journal, and the Transmissible Diseases Handbook.

Conservation Biology

Domestic

• Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies: Representing its US state and federal agency members (as well as Canadian and non-profit entities), the AFWA petitions Congress and the executive branch to protect natural resources. Also provides research grants and leads conservation initiatives.
• Conservation International: Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, CI has a large footprint around the globe, creating research, executing field projects, and partnering with member governments.
• Conservation Management Institute (Virginia Tech University): Formerly a multi-state agency, CMI now provides comprehensive natural resource management services. CMI’s support helped create the Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas 2.
• Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust: To achieve its goal of keeping species from going extinct, the DWCT created the Durrell Index as a way to show the impact of conservation tools and methods.
• Earth Institute Center for Environmental Sustainability (Columbia University): Offers courses and degrees in conservation, environmental science, and sustainability.
• Institute for Conservation Research (San Diego Zoo): The Frozen Zoo collects and preserves genetic material of endangered species, as well as helping to identify animals illegally killed by poachers or trophy hunters. Databases like the Chromosome Atlas and Sperm Atlas offer one-of-a-kind research collections.
• Monterey Bay Aquarium: Concerned with ecology, husbandry, and population ecology.
• The Nature Conservancy: Offers tools for conservators, including Planting Healthy Air and Coastal Resilience.
• NatureServe: Collects, analyzes, and disseminates actionable biodiversity data. The Explorer database houses information on 70,000 animals, plants, and ecosystems, while NatureServe’s conservation tools cover a wide range of needs.
• Prairie Wildlife Research: promotes the conservation and reintroduction of prairie species within the US, partnering with federal and state agencies, universities, non-governmental organizations, and private landowners to further its mission.

International

• Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (Australia): Independent federal agency whose chief responsibility is scientific research. Data Access Portal includes Workspace, a software platform for scientific workflow.
• CONABIO (Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y uso de la Biodiversidad): Inter-ministerial commission designed to promote awareness of biodiversity in Mexico. Repository for creation and collation of ecological data, as well as administration of federal initiatives in conservation.
• Office International des Epizooties (World Organisation for Animal Health): Made up of 182 member states, the OiE’s main goal is the control and prevention of zoonotic disease. OiE developed the World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS) to process and disseminate data on animal diseases as quickly as possible.
• World Wildlife Fund for Nature: Science initiatives undertaken by the WWF, whose purpose is conservation of animals, ecology, and the environment.

Animal Specific

• Vertebrate Zoology Research Guide - Reptiles and Amphibians: Collection of links from the Vertebrate Zoology section of the Smithsonian Institution’s Natural and Physical Sciences Library.
• Vertebrate Zoology Research Guide - Birds: Collection of links from the Vertebrate Zoology section of the Smithsonian Institution’s Natural and Physical Sciences Library.
• Vertebrate Zoology Research Guide - Fishes: Collection of links from the Vertebrate Zoology section of the Smithsonian Institution’s Natural and Physical Sciences Library.
• Vertebrate Zoology Research Guide - Mammals and Marine Mammals: Collection of links from the Vertebrate Zoology section of the Smithsonian Institution’s Natural and Physical Sciences Library.

Zoo Associations and Consortia

• Association of Zoos and Aquariums – in addition to representing over 230 zoos and aquaria around the world, the AZA provides significant resources for education, conservation, and animal care and welfare. A key role of the AZA is institution accreditation, as well as providing data on species survival statistics.
• American Association of Zoo Keepers – networking and informational resource for professional zoo keepers. Publishes Animal Keepers’ Forum, found as full-text, searchable scans in Biodiversity Heritage Library.
• Association of Zoological Horticulture – professional, member organization that promotes the importance of horticulture in zoos, aquaria, and botanical gardens.
• European Association of Zoos and Aquaria – comprised of 340 member institutions across Europe and the Middle East. Operates the European Endangered Species Programme.

Advocacy Groups

• American Society of International Law - Wildlife Interest Group: primarily concerned with ecotourism and its impact on natural habitats and their denizens.
• Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ) – Nonprofit partner of Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park & Conservation Biology Institute.
• International Society for Anthrozoology – supports the scientific study of human-animal interactions (HAI).
• Zoological Society of London – for nearly two centuries, the ZSL has worked to conserve wildlife and their habitats. Reports on its activities can be found here.