By Nangamso Mabindla
19 January 2006

ANIMALS will be in the spotlight in East London in early may, as the city plays host to the annual Pan African Association of Zoos (Pazaab) Conference.

The five-day conference, from 9 to 13 May, looks set to be the biggest of its kind, attracting between 30 and 40 international delegates. It will be held at the Gonubie Hotel.

On the agenda are a host of topics on zoo and aquarium related issues, from legislation, and nature conservation to ethics and challenges zoos and aquariums face in keeping captive animals.

The chief of zoological services at the East London Zoo, Nico Roux, said he was excited that the city would be hosting this event. ''I'm told that this will be the biggest conference in the history of Pazaab,'' he said. ''We are honoured to be hosting this conference.''

Roux said delegates were arriving from many different countries. ''Some of these guys will come from big zoos like those in Frankfurt, Germany and Melbourne, Australia.” He was looking forward to the exchange of ideas.

While in the city, the delegates will be able to tour East London. ''We are planning on taking them to some of our tourist attractions, showcasing what our city has to offer,'' said Roux.

The biggest benefit of hosting such a conference, for Roux, will be the exposure of the Queen's Park Zoo and the city's aquarium on the Esplanade. ''Very few people in the country know about our zoo, so having a conference of this magnitude in our city will give exposure to our facilities.''

Anyone interested in making a presentation at the conference must submit a short abstract to conference@elzoo.co.za or fax to +27 43 742 5386. This needed to be labelled PAAZAB – East London Conference. Entries close on Friday, 17 March.