About
About Gallery Service Firms Fun Research Find

The ZooLex Zoo Design Organization:

The ZooLex Zoo Design Organization is a non-profit organization, registered in Vienna (ZVR-Zahl 933849053), independent from companies and organizations. It relies on the support of subscribers, members, sponsors and well-wishers to fund its activities. Contact:

ZooLex Zoo Design Organization
Sobieskigasse 9/12, 1090 Vienna, Austria
Phone/Fax: 0043-1-3101060
Email: zoolex@zoolex.org

Objectives:

The ZooLex Zoo Design Organization was established to help improve holding conditions for wild animals in captivity by

• publishing and disseminating information related to zoo design,
• promoting appropriate holding conditions for wild animals in captivity,
• providing balanced technical information and advice about zoo design, and
• supporting research and vocational training related to zoo design.

Partnership with WAZA:

ZooLex provides a direct link to the WAZA website from its top navigation bar. The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) makes the ZooLex website available through www.waza.org and holds the ZooLex archive.

WAZA's mission is to guide, encourage and support the zoos, aquariums, and like-minded organisations of the world in animal care and welfare, environmental education and global conservation. The purpose of this partnership is to mutually support each other organization's goal of promoting best practice in animal exhibit design.

Membership:

Please see the Terms and Conditions for the use of the ZooLex website.

Founders:

The ZooLex Zoo Design Organization was initiated by Monika Fiby, Hans Fiby and Nadja Ziegler:
 

	Hello, I am Monika Fiby, a landscape architect dedicated to zoo design. I proudly present ZooLex. A forum for everybody who is interested in the design of animal exhibits. (Here is my resume.)
Hello, I am Hans Fiby, a computer scientist and specialist in data bases. I like the challenge to make ZooLex  a useful tool for zoo professionals.	Hello, I am Nadja Ziegler,  a biologist and specialist in parrots. I hope to improve holding conditions for wild animals in captivity by promoting good zoo exhibits in ZooLex.

Target Audiences:

ZooLex targets different audiences with services for work, leisure and marketing. An analysis can be found in Monika's master thesis.
 

target groups	ZooLex use
zoo professionals (directors, curators,  keepers, educators etc.)	compare standardized descriptions of animal exhibits access a data base on zoo design easily and fast refer to scientific documentations of other exhibits in your proposals find contacts and references for experts get public relations by presenting new exhibits advertise  for your work find results from marketing research get news from zoos learn about new products, technologies and services find lists of plants used in animal exhibits announce and find events related to zoo design find partners for research and in-situ projects
zoo suppliers	advertise products, technologies and services announce new products, technologies and services inform about special offers find results from marketing research learn about trends in zoo design
zoo friends and volunteers	find new exhibits see and read about animal exhibits learn about trends in zoo design promote good zoo design
sponsors	address a global audience interested in zoo design approach zoo professionals worldwide learn about your customers promote your ideas find results from marketing research
journalists	learn about holding conditions of wild animals in captivity read about research and insitu projects get results from marketing research see trends in zoo design

The ZooLex project:

The website was developed with input from zoo professionals as part of Monika's studies in landscape architecture. A pilot project was evaluated in spring 2000. The results of the pilot project are published in her master thesis.

The purpose of the ZooLex website is to

• present animal exhibits worldwide to an international audience,
• offer relevant information to professionals,
• provide a platform for exchange of expertise, and
• publish people's opinions on animal exhibits in discussions and contests.

The ZooLex pilot project was made possible by

Austrian Ministry of Science and Traffic, sponsoring Monika's research;
University of Georgia, advising Monika's research;
Rosinak & Partner, making their server available;
Hans  giving  technical support,
Members of the American Zoo Association, encouraging the efforts;
Woodland Park Zoo, Zoo Zürich and Zoo Schönbrunn, participating in the pilot project;
many professionals and friends, giving valuable feedback.

	Revised 2007-06-23	About | Gallery | Service | Firms | Fun | Research | Find