New Species360 solution helps zoo, aquarium, and wildlife veterinarians manage biological samples for species care and conservation

MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Every day, zoos, aquariums, and wildlife institutions worldwide collect and save animal samples such as blood, serum, and tissue, against future needs. Whether that future need is for genetic analysis, managing populations, fighting disease, or conducting research, it is critical to know exactly what sample types have been stored, how they are being preserved, and where the material is located.

Today, nonprofit Species360 introduced a cloud-based solution that helps veterinary teams and researchers track biological samples and the history of the animal they represent. Sample Storage is a new module within the Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) and is immediately accessible by more than 1,200 zoos, aquariums, wildlife refuges, and research centers that comprise the Species360 member community.

"Millions of unique samples are at the core of our ability to care for and save individual animals and species, now and far into the future. ZIMS vastly improves how the zoo, aquarium, and wildlife communities manage sample resources worldwide," said Paul Calle, Chief Veterinarian and Vice President for Health Programs, Wildlife Conservation Society, and a member of the Species360 Board of Trustees.

Because Sample Storage is linked to animal husbandry and medical records already residing in ZIMS, it provides medical staff more insight to biological samples and the history of the animal they represent. Wildlife experts hope this contextual detail will help to support new discoveries.

"Philadelphia Zoo is home to more than 1,300 rare and endangered animals, and it is extremely important for us to participate in research and discovery to improve the care and conservation of these species. We expect ZIMS Sample Storage to make it a lot faster and easier to manage our samples, to share information across teams, and to support incoming research requests," said Jenna Heinze, CVT, Veterinary/Lab Technician, Philadelphia Zoo, and one of several Species360 members that provided feedback prior to this week's Sample Storage launch.

Open Access for Species360 Members
Sample Storage is immediately accessible by Species360 institutional members as part of ZIMS for Medical; there is no additional signup or cost required, and access is assigned to "Medical Administration" and "Veterinarian" staff upon login. It is the latest in a series of cloud-based solutions, including ZIMS for Studbooks, ZIMS for Aquatics, and ZIMS for Care and Welfare, introduced in recent years.

About Species360
Species360, a nonprofit NGO and global leader in wildlife care and conservation, mobilizes a network of more than 1,200 aquarium, zoo, university, research and governmental members on six continents on 99 countries to improve animal welfare and species conservation. Our members curate the Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS), the world's most comprehensive open database of knowledge on more than 22,000 species. ZIMS vastly increases what is known about thousands of species, and is instrumental in identifying sustainability strategies for many of the species assessed as vulnerable, endangered, and extinct in the wild. Read more about Species360 members' impact on conservation at https://conservation.species360.org/

Media Contact: Mary Ellen Amodeo / [email protected]

SOURCE Species360