RZSS Celebrates Major Addition to Biobank Facility

Posted By : The Animal Facts Editorial Team

Date: January 29, 2021 1:00 am

RZSS Vets collect samples from a wildcat during a routine health check

Photo Credit: SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), in partnership with National Museums Scotland (NMS), have taken delivery of another 1,000 animal tissue samples which will be added to the European Association of Zoo and Aquaria (EAZA) and CryoArks biobank facilities at Edinburgh Zoo.

These samples have come from 220 different species of animal which call Paignton Zoo in Devon home. They will be stored by scientists at the wildlife conservation charity providing access to biological samples of endangered species for researchers around the world.

Samples are stored in -80 degrees celsius, cryo-freezing biological matter enables long-term, high-quality storage of the samples genetic material

Photo Credit: SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium

RZSS has a partnership with the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) and it is one of the four hubs, alongside those in Denmark, Belgium and Germany, of the EAZA Biobank. This is an initiative to increase collection, curation, storage and use of valuable genetic resources from animals held in EAZA institutions across Europe and the Middle East for the purposes of population management and conservation research.

The biobank, known as the Scottish zoological biobank hub is being developed as part of the CryoArks Biobank. Funding was provided through a £1 million grant from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).

The EAZA biobank is aiming to store a sample from every living zoo animal so that these will be able for future research.

A diana monkey will feature in a program showing how samples for the biobank are collected

Photo Credit: SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium

Dr Helen Senn, Head of Conservation and Science Programmes at RZSS said, “We are extremely grateful to the multitude of researchers and zoological institutions who are contributing samples that can be used by scientists for the benefit of wildlife around the world.”

“Well managed sample collections can be used for critical research to improve conservation outcomes for many threatened species. From using genetic information to decided which individuals to pair in a breeding programme, to developing tools to better monitor animals in the wild.”

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Viewers will get a look at the procedure for collecting a biobank sample as part of the BBC’s A Perfect Planet documentary, airing Sunday 31 January.

This program will show a routine procedure on a Diana monkey which is being conducted at Edinburgh Zoo.