Breeding Programmes in the Aquarium
ZSL London Zoo Aquarium has many breeding programmes in place, these are part of our conservation efforts, and are linked with projects around the world.
Here at ZSL London Zoo Aquarium, we are focused on the conservation of endangered fish, and as part of this we have started and maintain a variety of different breeding programmes.
The Aquarium breeding programmes focus on fish that can be colony managed in captivity over time. Many of the species are extremely rare, and some are even classified as extinct in the wild by the World Conservation Union, IUCN.
Seahorses
During 2010, ZSL's Aquarium have focused on its short-snouted seahorse (Hippocampus hippocampus) breeding programme (with 918 babies born!) and looking forward to 2011-2012 the focus is shifting towards the long-snouted seahorse (Hippocampus guttulatus). Both of these species can be found in the UK, including the River Thames! They are also both threatened in the wild.
Their reproductive strategy – including pair bonding and male pregnancy – is extraordinary in the animal kingdom. Most importantly, seahorses are representative of global threats to marine life: overfishing, bycatch (non-target fisheries) and habitat degradation and loss.
Goodeidae
One key group being focused on in the Aquarium is the Mexican livebearers from the family Goodeidae or Splitfins. This particular group is confined to Mexico and many species are threatened with extinction in the very near future.
The Aquarists at ZSL London Zoo have been maintaining colonies of eight different species, three of which are officially classed as extinct in the wild, for many years. ZSL has joined forces with other British Zoos, as well as universities in Mexico, in the aim of securing populations of priority species, and carrying out research into issues such as disease in order to help prevent the extinction of these unique fish.
ZSL is currently investigating the possibilities of re-introducing some of these species to the wild in Mexico, but this is still ‘in the works’ and whether it is possible or not is still a long way off!
In Hall Three of the Aquarium you can take a look into our Conservation Breeding Room, where you can see the Goodeid colonies, which are being carefully monitored by the Aquarists.
Killifish
Another essential part of the Aquarium's breeding programmes is the ongoing Killifish breeding programme including three species of Pupfish which are already classified as extinct in the wild. Our Killifish breeding programme focuses on species from Greece, Turkey and Madagascar. You can see many of these freshwater species in Hall One of the Aquarium
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