The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

The evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy all of the requirements of the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge and the range statement of this unit. Assessors should ensure that candidates can:

identify approved animal keeping information systems and software

identify, collect, record and interpret data

assist with collection management

follow institutional policies and procedures and legislative requirements

interpret population management practices and principles.

The skills and knowledge required to support collection management must be transferable to a range of work environments and contexts and include the ability to deal with unplanned events.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment of this unit is to be practical in nature and will be most appropriately assessed in a captive animal workplace or in a situation that reproduces normal work conditions.

There must be access in either situation to animal keeping information systems and software, relevant collection and species-management plans as well as the appropriate equipment and/or resources to enable one to demonstrate competence.

Method of assessment

To ensure consistency in one's performance, competency should be demonstrated, to industry defined standards, on more than one occasion over a period of time in order to cover a variety of circumstances and where possible, over a number of assessment activities.

The assessment strategy must include practical skills assessment. Suggested strategies for this unit are:

written and/or oral assessment of candidate's required knowledge

observed, documented and first-hand testimonial evidence of candidate's application of practical tasks

simulation exercises that reproduce normal work conditions

third-party evidence

workplace documentation

portfolio.

This unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other units of competency relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role.

Guidance information for assessment

Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands (e.g. literacy and numeracy demands) and the needs of particular target groups (e.g. people with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people with a language background other than English, youth and people from low socioeconomic backgrounds).

Required skills

access technical advice

analyse information

assist in developing in-house studbooks

assist in maintaining section records

follow institutional policies and procedures

operate appropriate species management databases

record data using approved animal keeping information systems and/or software

read and understand population management documents, such as Australasian Species Management Program (ASMP) Annual Reports

use appropriate species management databases to run basic analysis, such as reports in Animal Record-Keeping System (ARKS)

literacy skills to read and implement institutional policies and procedures, including OHS and waste management; interpret studbook data; record accurately and legibly information collected; and select and apply procedures to a range of defined tasks

communication skills/language to fulfil the job role as specified by the institution, including questioning techniques, active listening, asking for clarification from supervisors and consulting with supervisors

interpersonal skills to work with and relate to people from a range of cultural, social and religious backgrounds

problem solving skills to use available resources and prioritise daily tasks.

Required knowledge

ASMP and ASMP Regional Census and Plan

ASMP guidelines and criteria for studbook keeping

basic genetic principles for the management of captive animal populations, including small population biology and concepts of inbreeding and out breeding

captive animal policies

collection planning requirements

database programs for record keeping and data analysis

institutional collection planning policies and procedures and other relevant policies and procedures, including OHS

international agreements and conventions such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources conservation status categories

principles and constraints of wildlife conservation

principles of animal welfare and ethics

principles of taxonomy and relevance to population management

relevant federal, state or territory legislation

report formats for captive animal management plans.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Animal keeping information systems and software include:

International Species Information System (ISIS)

Regional Animal Species Collection Plan (REGASP)

Animal Record-Keeping System (ARKS)

Single Population Analysis and Records Keeping System (SPARKS)

Population Management (PM 2000)

GENES and DEMOG.

Collection management involves:

collection management occurs at a regional and institutional level and needs to consider:

regional and institutional collection plans

species-management plans

regional captive management plans

available facilities

conservation and education issues

visitors' experiences of particular captive animal facilities.

Personnel that may be indentified in a plan include:

Taxon Advisory Group (TAG) representatives

husbandry program coordinator

species coordinators (in-house and regional)

species contact

studbook keepers.