Zoological InformationZoological Information

Start with a Book

There are very few books on a single species

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BOOKS

Geography is extremely important

And few long-term field studies of wild animals

The main classification categories are:

Species Douc Langur Loggerhead Shrike Cheetah Genus

Family Langurs Shrikes Cats / Felids

Order Primates Passerines Carnivores

Class Mammals Birds Mammals Phylum

Kingdom   Animals Animals Animals

IMPORTANCE OF SYSTEMATICS & TAXONOMY

IMPORTANCE OF GEOGRAPHY

Primates + Africa = guenons, colobus, mangabeys

Primates + Asia = macaques, gibbons, langurs

Primates + South America = howlers, capuchins, tamarins

Primates + Madagascar = lemurs, sifakas

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SEARCHING THE JOURNAL LITERATURE

Most scholarly, journal articles are indexed under an animal’s scientific name

There are a variety of jargon/terminology traps

You need to know the “basics” of “boolean” and how “controlled vocabularies” can help you

You may need to search a variety of databases

HAZARDS OF KEYWORD SEARCHING

Mountain zebras Plains zebras Burchell’s zebras

Zebra Finches Zebra Mussels

Zebra banding on Cuttlefish

Zebrafish

Hartmann’s zebras Grevy’s zebrasEquus zebra

Moose Elk Wapiti

Puma Cougar Mountain Lion Panther

Cervus canadensis

Puma concolor

IMPORTANCE OF SCIENTIFIC NAMES

Javalena Collared Peccary Wild Pig

Pecan tajacu

IMPORTANCE OF JARGONIMPORTANCE OF JARGON

Common “group” terms : Common “group” terms : wildfowl, hoofstock, carnivoreswildfowl, hoofstock, carnivores, ,

Unusual synonyms or equivalent terms:Unusual synonyms or equivalent terms:husbandry OR management OR enrichmenthusbandry OR management OR enrichmentneonate OR infant OR infancy OR newbornneonate OR infant OR infancy OR newbornnutrition OR diet* OR herbivor* OR foodnutrition OR diet* OR herbivor* OR foodbehavior OR behaviour OR ethogrambehavior OR behaviour OR ethogramrange OR distribution range OR distribution status OR populationstatus OR population

Order: Primates Family: Hominidae Genus: Gorilla

Species: Gorilla gorilla beringei (Virunga mountain gorilla)Species: Gorilla gorilla diehli (Cross River gorilla)Species: Gorilla gorilla gorilla (western lowland gorilla)Species: Gorilla gorilla graueri (eastern lowland gorilla)

Genus: Homo Species: Homo sapiens sapiens Species: Homo sapiens idaltu Species: Homo erectus Species: Homo ergaster

Genus: Pan Species: Pan paniscus (Congo-Zaire) Species: Pan troglodytes troglodytes Species: Pan troglodytes verus Species: Pan troglodytes vellerosus Species: Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii

Genus: Pongo Species: Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus (Borneo – NW Kalimatan) Species: Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii (Borneo – SW Kalimatan) Species: Pongo pygmaeus morio (Borneo – Sabah) Species: Pongo abelii (Sumatra)

IMPORTANCE OF TAXONOMY

ANIMALS PLANTS CONSERVATION ZOOS REFERENCE NEWS BOOKS & VIDEOS

A GUIDE TO ONSITE AND INTERNET RESOURCES

http://library.sandiegozoo.org

JOURNALS & DATABASES

SUBSCRIPTION DATABASES  Only available from within the Society Network        Academic Search Premier / EBSCO -- Search 5,000 journals FULL TEXT       Birds of North America Online -- 716 US & Canadian Bird Species FULL TEXT       BioOne -- Biological & environmental science journals from 2000 FULL TEXT       JSTOR -- Biological science journals FULL TEXT       WildPro -- Natural history, health & management of wild animals FULL TEXT       U.C. Davis Biological Electronic Databases -- Veterinary Staff only FULL TEXTFREE JOURNAL AND MAGAZINE ARTICLE DATABASES       African Elephant Bibliography -- Chebucto Community Net       African Elephant Database -- African Elephant Specialist Group       Bibliomania -- HerpLit Database with 50,000 citations dating from 1586       Biomed Central -- More than 170 peer-reviewed open access journals       Carnivore Ecology & Conservation E-Resources -- full text articles and dissertations       Elephant Bibliographic Database -- Elephant Care International       Federal Register -- Full text articles on North American Species       IUCN/Species Survival Commission Newsletters       Primate Lit -- Comprehensive Primate Center Database       PubMed -- National Library of Medicine - 11 million citations and abstracts       Rhino Resource Center -- Int'l Rhino Foundation & IUCN SSC       SORA - Searchable Ornithological Research Archive -- 7 major bird journals

DATABASES

PLANTS CONSERVATION ZOOS REFERENCE NEWS BOOKS & VIDEOS

A GUIDE TO ONSITE AND INTERNET RESOURCES

http://library.sandiegozoo.org

JOURNALS & DATABASESANIMALS

ANIMAL INFORMATION

 MAMMALSBIRDSREPTILES AND AMPHIBIANSINVERTEBRATESFACTSHEETSGENERAL INFORMATION - ALL SPECIES Animal Names -- group names, offspring etc. Intute -- U.K. gateway to the best Web resources eNature Fieldguides -- Includes "Ask-an-Expert" Encyclopedia of Life -- world's leading natural history institutions InfoNatura -- Animals of Latin America and the Caribbean Kimball's Biology Pages -- Comprehensive encyclopedia of terms National Biological Information Infrastructure -- U.S. Govt & Universities Tree of Life -- Multiple contributors - University of ArizonaANIMAL TRAINING / ENRICHMENT / HUSBANDRYANIMAL REGULATIONS & GUIDELINESTAXONOMIC INFORMATIONVETERINARY MEDICINE

QUALITY MAMMAL WEB SITES Animal Info -- A superior resource on endangered mammals Cat Species Accounts -- Excellent site from 1996 - no longer updated Elephant Encyclopedia -- authored by Zurich Zoo elephant keeper Elephant Information Repository Mammalian Species Factsheets -- Species Accounts by experts Primate Info Net -- Wisconsin Regional Primate Center Ultimate Ungulate -- Good general information on hoofstock ZipCode Zoo -- Find Animals in a geographic area of interest

TAXONOMIC INFORMATION Classification of Living Things -- A tutorial on taxonomy InfoNatura -- Animals of Latin America and the Caribbean ITIS - Integrated Taxonomic Information System – Excellent Resource - US, Canada and Mexican Governments Mammal Species of the World -- Wilson and Reeder

MAMMALS

BIRDS

QUALITY BIRD WEBSITES Avibase -- Bird Life Intl. - 10,000 species 22,000 subspecies Bird Banding Manual -- USGS Bird Life International -- Bird Links to the World Bird-On's Ornithological Dictionary Birds of North America Online -- 716 US & Canadian Bird Species (requires subscription) Chick Embryology -- University of Illinois Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology GRIN - Global Raptor Infomation Network -- Peregrin Fund The Hummingbird Web Site -- award-winning, comprehensive site SORA -- Searches 7 major bird journals and provides full text articles VIREO -- Visual Resources for Ornithology TAXONOMIC INFORMATION Avibase -- Bird Life Intl. - 10,000 species 22,000 subspecies ITIS - Integrated Taxonomic Information System -- Excellent Resource Tree of Life Web Project -- Various professional scientists and experts

REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS

QUALITY HERPETOLOGY WEB SITES Alligators, Crocodiles, Gharials -- Dr Adam Britton Amphibian Populations Task Force -- IUCN Amphibian Species of the World -- American Natural History Museum AmphibiaWeb -- Taxonomy, Range, Photographs, Declining Populations Aquatic Snakes -- Field Museum Bibliomania -- HerpLit Database with 50,000 citations dating from 1586 California and Baja Herpetology -- San Diego Natural History Museum California Coastal Reptiles & Amphibians -- USGS Salamanders, Frogs & Toads of North America -- USGS Seaturtle.org

TAXONOMIC INFORMATION AmphibiaWeb Amphibian Species of the World -- American Museum of Natural History Chelonian Taxonomy -- World Chelonian Trust Database for Reptile Taxonomy ITIS - Integrated Taxonomic Information System -- Excellent Resource

•Fact Summary•Taxonomy and Nomenclature•Distribution, Status and Habitat•Physical Characteristics•Behavior and Ecology•Diet and Feeding•Reproduction and Development•Pathology and Diseases•Managed Care•Population and Conservation Status•Bibliography•Web Resources

•Fact Summary•Taxonomy and Nomenclature•Distribution, Status and Habitat•Physical Characteristics•Behavior and Ecology•Diet and Feeding•Reproduction and Development•Pathology and Diseases•Managed Care•Population and Conservation Status•Bibliography•Web Resources

•Fact Summary•Taxonomy and Nomenclature•Distribution, Status and Habitat•Physical Characteristics•Behavior and Ecology•Diet and Feeding•Reproduction and Development•Pathology and Diseases•Managed Care•Population and Conservation Status•Bibliography•Web Resources

CONSERVATIONBOOKS & VIDEOS

A GUIDE TO ONSITE AND INTERNET RESOURCES

http://library.sandiegozoo.org

JOURNALS & DATABASES

ANIMALS PLANTS ZOOS REFERENCE NEWS

ENDANGERED & THREATENED SPECIES LISTS       Animal Info - Information on Endangered Animals -- Dr. Paul Massicot       CITES –       ICE -- Biological Inventory Databases from UC Davis       IUCN Red List -- Combines & updates plant & animal records       UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Center       USFWS - Endangered Species Lists -- Includes foreign speciesCONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS       BirdLife International       CBSG  -- Captive Breeding Specialist Group       Conservation InternationalZOO RESOURCES       Amphibian Conservation in Zoos -- AmphibiaWeb       AZA Species Survival Plans       World Zoo and Aquarium Conservation Strategy -- Building a Future for Wildlife STATISTCS       CBD -- United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity       EarthTrends -- 50 years of statistics on the world's biodiversity and protected areas        Ecosystem Valuation -- The economics of conservation       Summary Statistics for Threatened Species -- IUCN Redlist LEGAL RESOURCES  MAPS AND GISSPECIES EXTINCT IN THE WILDEDUCATION RESOURCES

CONSERVATION

CALIFORNIA & HAWAII RESOURCES       CA Demographics -- From the California Department of Finance       CA Integrated Waste Management -- Recycling & disposal       CA Natural Diversity Database -- CA Department of Fish & Game       California's Endangered Insects -- Berkeley's Essig Museum of Entomology       California Turtle and Tortoise Club       California Wildlife and Habitat Data -- CA Department of Fish & Game       Calflora -- Plant Status and Distribution       CERES -- California Envronmental Resources Agency       Earth's 911 -- Community Specific Environmental Information       Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk -- Technology, Methods, Information       Pacific Island Ecosystems Research -- USGS Biological Resources       Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk -- US Forest Service       San Diego and Baja Field Guides -- San Diego Natural History Museum       Sevilleta LTER -- Long Term Ecological Research in the South West       Western Ecological Research Center -- USGS NORTH AMERICA RESOURCES      GLOBAL RESOURCES

CONSERVATION

ANIMALS PLANTS CONSERVATION ZOOS

BOOKS & VIDEOS

A GUIDE TO ONSITE AND INTERNET RESOURCES

http://library.sandiegozoo.org

JOURNALS & DATABASES

REFERENCE NEWS

ONLINE GUIDES & TUTORIALS      Biostatistics -- Lectures by Dr. C. Nicolas Padilla Raygoza     Computer Literacy 101 -- Lessons in computer 'basics'     Microsoft Word Modules -- Internet4Classrooms     Excel Tutorial -- University of Arizona Finance     Online Tutorials to EndNote, RefWorks, Biosis, and PubMed -- by UCSD     Catalist -- Official Catalog of Listservs     Internet Archive -- The "Way-Back Machine." GENERAL RESOURCES     Acronym Look-up        California Information -- official state web site    Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names    Metric Converter    Nationmaster.com -- Make your own graphs / generate stats    Percent Calculator    Public Record Databases -- search free databases worldwide           Fedstats -- Statistics from over 100 U.S. Government Agencies    Google Government Search    Science.gov -- Searches ALL scientific Departments: Interior, EPA, NSF, etc.    U.S. Fish & Wildlife       

USEFUL REFERENCE SOURCES

WRITER’S AIDS 

Bartleby.com -- Quotations, Thesaurus, Audio Pronunciation GuideCBE Style Manual -- How to cite online resourcesResearch Guide : Citation InformationCopyright Addendum Engine -- How to request copyright privilegesCopyright Guidelines --Stanford UniversityDictionaries - Biological TermsDictionary - OneLook -- extremely comprehensive Dictionary - Merriam Webster Online -- includes audio pronunciationDictionary - Reverse -- Describe a concept and get a list of possibilitiesGuide to Grammar and Writing --Created by a University English ProfessorJournal of Mammalogy Style Guides -- click on Style Guide for Editors (PDF) Quotations -- Yale UniversityTranslation Services -- Translate foreign phrases or web pagesWolfram Alpha -- Statistics, data analysis, facts Words in Context – How a term or phrase is used in peer-reviewed literature

USEFUL REFERENCE RESOURCES

“Fair Use”is Decided by 4 Factors

1. PURPOSE OF USE: Non-profit, teaching, comment,News reporting, research

2. NATURE OF COPYRIGHTED WORK: Original creative works. Facts can’t be copyrighted

3. AMOUNT USED: “Quantitatively” small, Not the “heart of the work”

4. EFFECT OF THE USE: No effect on the potential market

ANIMALS PLANTS CONSERVATION ZOOS

BOOKS & VIDEOS

A GUIDE TO ONSITE AND INTERNET RESOURCES

http://library.sandiegozoo.org

JOURNALS & DATABASES

NEWSREFERENCE

Helping Condors Relearn Wild WaysJuly 12, 2010 www.time.com by Matt Kettmann

Releasing California condors back into the wild started in 1992, five years after the last wild condor had been captured when the species' population dipped to 22 birds. Back then, the birds were typically released from the sides of steep cliffs, where biologists hoped they might figure out how to behave naturally. More than a decade of failure followed with reports about condors engaging in self-destructive, human-dependent behavior Now, prior to releasing a Young California condor, older, free-flying condors are lured to the release site with a calf carcass, The young condor will leave the cage to join them and when the older birds fill up and fly off to roost, the young one follows. More than 180 condors now live freely in California, Arizona and Mexico's Baja California – and as birds captured before 1987 are released back into their former habitat, researchers are discovering that condor culture — specifically, how older birds teach younger birds where to find food and how to act in the wild — is critical to the species' survival.

LATEST ZOO & CONSERVATION NEWS

Date Headline Source

1/1 Tracking Puffins with Geolocation Technology www.ceh.ac.uk

  Scientists Discover Origin of a Cancer in Tasmanian Devils

www.nytimes.com

  60 Minutes: Language of Elephants www.cbsnews.com

1/2 Oklahoma City Zoo Elephant Exhibit - On Time & On Budget

www.newsok.com

1/3 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Rescues Frogs www.denverpost.com

  Where The Action Is on Climate www.nytimes.com

ZOO AND CONSERVATION NEWS: 2010Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec  . Local, San Diego Zoo and Balboa Park news in red January 2010

Trails – An information literacy assessment tool for teachershttp://www.trails9.org/

Writing a Biosciences Research Paperhttp://www.ruf.rice.edu/~bioslabs/tools/report/reportform.html Links to Common Errors in Student Research Papers

Sense About Sciencehttp://www.senseaboutscience.org.uk/

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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