Trends in Reptile Holdings Across UK Zoos: Identification of the Factors Responsible for Declining Numbers of Venomous Snake.

ABSTRACT: Zoos are under increasing pressure to strategically manage their collections to maximize visitor attendance, financial income, and their contribution to conservation. As a result, the compositions of zoo collections are undergoing significant changes. Many zoos are keeping fewer species and prioritizing keeping large flagship animals that are more attractive to the public. To understand the effects these changes are having on captive reptile numbers, we have analyzed the trends in reptile holdings between 2003 and 2023 at UK zoos. Our findings show that despite an overall increase in reptile numbers in the period analyzed, there has been a dramatic decline in the number of venomous snakes held at UK zoos, and as a result, venomous snakes are being excluded from many of the conservation ben

SUBMITTER: Sparrow L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11624627 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature