This questionnaire has been approved by the British and Irish Association for Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), and the School of EAST Research Ethics Committee at the University of Suffolk.
Study Title: Trends in Venomous Snake Holdings in UK Zoos, and Causes.
Research Lead: Lily Sparrow, [email protected].
Academic Supervisor: Dr Christopher Turner, [email protected].
External Supervisors: Dr Chris Michaels (ZSL London Zoo), Iri Gill (Chester Zoo).
You are invited to take part in a questionnaire for the BIAZA research project focused on identifying the causes behind trends in venomous snake holdings in UK zoos. The following information will help you decide if you would like to take part. You do not have to decide today whether or not you will participate in this study. Please make sure you have read and understood all of the following information prior to your participation.
1. What is the purpose of the study?
This study aims to identify the trends in venomous snake holdings in UK zoos (whether holding numbers of venomous snake species have increased, decreased, or been maintained over time), and the causes behind these trends. The data gathered may help to inform future zoo practices regarding venomous snake holdings, and ex situ venomous snake conservation.
2. What will my participation in the study involve?
To identify the causes behind the trends, we ask you to complete a questionnaire with Yes/No answers, Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree scale answers, multiple choice answers, and written answers. This should take you approximately 20-25 minutes to complete.
3. What are the possible benefits and risks of this study?
The possible benefits include contributing to a greater understanding of venomous snake holdings in UK zoos; your questionnaire answers may help to inform future decisions regarding venomous snake holdings in UK zoos, and their ex situ conservation. We have identified no possible risks.
4. Do I receive payment for my involvement with the study?
You will not receive payment for completing the questionnaire.
5. What if I feel uncomfortable with an aspect of the study?
You are free to withdraw at any point from this study, without having to give a reason. If you have completed the study anonymously it will not be possible to remove the data provided, as we will not be able to identify you in any way.
6. What if I do not want to answer a question being asked of me?
You may move to the next question if you feel you cannot answer a question.
7. What happens after the study?
Data will be treated confidentially, and any publication resulting from this study will report only data that does not identify individual participants.
8. Who do I contact for more information about this study?
If you would like more information about this study, please contact the Research Lead Lily Sparrow, [email protected], or the Academic Supervisor Dr Chris Turner, [email protected].
9 Who do I contact if I have concerns about the ethics of this research?
Should you have any concerns about the ethics of this research, please feel free to contact the Chair of the Ethics Panel, Professor Emma Bond, [email protected] (01473 338564), the Research Development Manager, Andreea Tocca, [email protected] (01473 338656), or the Academic Supervisor Dr Chris Turner, [email protected].
10. How will my data be stored and for how long?
The data obtained from the study will be stored securely on a university OneDrive in password protected files. Only the researchers will have access to it. The data from this study may be put in an Open Access repository for other researchers to use in future research.
Please note that multiple questionnaires may be filled out by different members of the same institution.
The term ‘venomous snake’ refers to snakes with medically significant venom. This is defined as any venomous snake that is listed as a Hazardous Animal under Category 1 of Appendix 12 of the Secretary of State’s Standards of Modern Zoo Practice (1).
(1) Department of Environmental, Food and Rural Affairs, 2012. Secretary of State’s Standards of Modern Zoo Practice. pp.62, 83-87.
Research Lead: Lily Sparrow, [email protected].
Academic Supervisor: Dr Christopher Turner, [email protected].
External Supervisors: Dr Chris Michaels (ZSL London Zoo), Iri Gill (Chester Zoo).
This study aims to identify the trends in venomous snake holdings in UK zoos (whether holding numbers of venomous snake species have increased, decreased, or been maintained over time), and the causes behind these trends. The data gathered may help to inform future zoo practices regarding venomous snake holdings, and ex situ venomous snake conservation.
2. What will my participation in the study involve?
To identify the causes behind the trends, we ask you to complete a questionnaire with Yes/No answers, Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree scale answers, multiple choice answers, and written answers. This should take you approximately 20-25 minutes to complete.
The possible benefits include contributing to a greater understanding of venomous snake holdings in UK zoos; your questionnaire answers may help to inform future decisions regarding venomous snake holdings in UK zoos, and their ex situ conservation. We have identified no possible risks.
You will not receive payment for completing the questionnaire.
You are free to withdraw at any point from this study, without having to give a reason. If you have completed the study anonymously it will not be possible to remove the data provided, as we will not be able to identify you in any way.
You may move to the next question if you feel you cannot answer a question.
Data will be treated confidentially, and any publication resulting from this study will report only data that does not identify individual participants.
If you would like more information about this study, please contact the Research Lead Lily Sparrow, [email protected], or the Academic Supervisor Dr Chris Turner, [email protected].
Should you have any concerns about the ethics of this research, please feel free to contact the Chair of the Ethics Panel, Professor Emma Bond, [email protected] (01473 338564), the Research Development Manager, Andreea Tocca, [email protected] (01473 338656), or the Academic Supervisor Dr Chris Turner, [email protected].
The data obtained from the study will be stored securely on a university OneDrive in password protected files. Only the researchers will have access to it. The data from this study may be put in an Open Access repository for other researchers to use in future research.