Page 12 - Brookfield Zoo Chicago Annual_Report_2024

Supporting IUCN Zoo and Aquarium Radiology Database
and Species360 Data
In collaboration with six other leading The database is housed with
Brookfield Zoo Chicago was proud zoological institutions, Brookfield Brookfield Zoo Chicago and was
to be the only U.S. zoo to provide Zoo Chicago launched the Zoo conceived in 2021 by leading
support for a groundbreaking effort and Aquarium Radiology Database zoological institutions across
led by Species 360 and the Inter- (ZARD) on September 25, 2024. the U.S., including Brookfield Zoo
national Union for the Conservation The database is a digital repository Chicago, San Diego Zoo Wildlife
of Nature (IUCN) to combat global of diagnostic images that provides Alliance, Wildlife Conservation
biodiversity loss. veterinarians and radiologists with Society, Saint Louis Zoo, Disney’s
new, previously scarce reference Animals, Science and Environment,
Species360 is a global non-profit
material for scans on animals from Columbus Zoo and Aquarium,
organization that manages and aardvarks to white-bellied pangolins. and Denver Zoo Conservation
shares data recorded by more than Alliance. It is also supported by
1,300 conservation institutions The ZARD is accessible through board-certified radiologists from
worldwide, including zoos and a web-based user portal for zoo the Ohio State University College
aquariums. Similarly, IUCN’s Red List and wildlife professionals only, of Veterinary Medicine and multiple
of Threatened Species has long where users can search for images consulting services. The project
served as the global authority on based on species, age, sex, and body was made possible in part by
population status and conservation part. In the future, it will feature over the Institute of Museum and
efforts for endangered wildlife. 10,000 diagnostic images from Library Services.
In September 2024, Species 360 500 different species that are
and IUCN announced a partnership common across zoos and aquariums
to integrate their in situ and ex situ or under threat of extinction.
data to provide a more complete Each species will be represented Top: Radiograph of a white-bellied pangolin
image of species status in the by an equal distribution of male Middle: Members of the Zoo and
wild and in professional human and female animals at a range of Aquarium Radiology Database Steering
care, which will help to drive ages, and diagnostic images will Team, John Pauley, Dr. Chris Hanley,
worldwide conservation decisions be made anonymous to protect Dr. Joanna Webb, Dr. Sathya Chinnadurai,
Dr. Michael J. Adkesson, Dr. Jimmy Johnson,
and action. Brookfield Zoo patient identities.
and Dr. Eric Hostnik
Chicago’s financial contributions
As of 2024, 500 users have regis-
to the effort advance the Zoo’s
tered for the database, which now
commitment to conservation and
includes 1,000 individual radiograph
contribute to global strategies
images from 357 diagnostic studies
for population management.
on 66 species. The team expects
to reach its target goal of 10,000
images within the next one to two
years. The team is also planning
for the next phase of the database,
which would focus on pathology
seen on diagnostic image studies
within zoological species.

8 BROOKFIELD ZOO CHICAGO