Abstract
There is a gap within the current suite of animal records software provided by International Species Information System (ISIS); the facility to record diet notes is currently available within the Animal Records Keeping System (ARKS) but as a free text box, it can completed with varying attention to detail. Bespoke software designed for the zoo community could i) ensure diet information is stored in a rigorous, standardised format, ii) be linked with animal stock numbers, allowing comparison with food purchasing/accounts, iii) be used for diet formulation, permitting the exchange of true diet data ? the nutrients that are being offered and consumed in specific quantities, not just a list of the food ingredients involved, iv) allow easy collation of diets used for many species at a single collection thereby fulfilling criteria for legal purposes or professional accreditation. Furthermore, diet information for a single species held in many collections could be easily collated, providing a useful research tool for producing zoo husbandry guidelines; it could also be a valuable educational tool. All of this information is essential for advancing our understanding and improvement of captive animal husbandry. Pragmatic reasons for using a customised diet management programme include legislative drivers (e.g. zoo licence and or accreditation requirements to keep diet records), plus economic incentives (e.g. the facility to check the quantity of food that should be fed matches what is being ordered). A number of programmes currently in use offer some of the functionality described, but no single one can do all of the above. Also, with no investment or management evident, all of these programmes are becoming technically obsolete and incompatible with modern technology. this paper will make a case for why we should work together to design and build the next generation software.