PASA NEWS

The Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA) has released the PASA Operations Manual, a 134-page guidebook to modern sanctuary management that addresses everything from staff size to veterinary care and is the result of nearly two years’ work. The PASA Operations Manual replaces the original PASA Handbook, which had grown outdated since its original publication in 2002.

The manual seeks to standardize all sanctuaries procedures care, information and management concepts of the sanctuaries in Africa and can be extended to other sanctuaries in the world.

The PASA Operations Manual will be submitted to leading conservation, animal welfare, and captive care organizations for endorsement, including the International Primatological Society (IPS), the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA), the World Conservation Union (IUCN), and the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS), among others. The PASA Operations Manual will also be subject to periodic review and revision.

The Manual was crafted to primarily address four basic themes: Outline the role of African sanctuaries in primate welfare and conservation; Formalize PASA’s Codes of Conduct, Policies, Operational Philosophy and Principles; Define the Minimum Standards and Best Practice Guidelines for PASA sanctuaries; and Formalize PASA membership and accreditation protocols.

According to Dr. Kay H. Farmer, coordinator of the document, "this manual reflects a decade of accumulated experience and knowledge from the African sanctuary community”. According to PASA’s executive director, Doug Cress, “PASA worked very hard for a very long time to product this manual. PASA has always recognized that its reality was not addressed by existing codes or policy documents, and we’ve had to create our own guidelines. We believe this manual will serve us well into the 21st century.”

The PASA Operations Manual was produced in English, but a French-language version will be available in 2010. More information at www.pasaprimates.org.