Publications

Membership

There are two different levels of ABWAK membership available; Professional membership and Associate membership. Please fill in the form below depending on the level of membership required and send it to the Membership Secretary at the address given on the form. Membership/subscription runs from 1 January to 31 December inclusive.  However applications for the current year are accepted until October of that year and any copies of the year’s Ratels already published will be sent out to members in this case. Please be aware that applications may take up to six weeks to process.

For any queries on membership, please direct them to: abwakmembership@hotmail.co.uk

Benefits of Membership
All members of ABWAK receive the following benefits:

- Free quarterly journal entitled Ratel, which aims to keep you informed and up-to-date on matters relating to the field of wild animal husbandry.  We actively encourage the submission of articles from our members, which offers the chance for keepers to exchange news, views and information.

- Discount on registration fees for ABWAK events

- Discounts on ABWAK publications 

- Membership of the International Congress on Zookeeping and the reciprocal benefits of ICZ membership

- Discount on ANCMZA course at Sparsholt College

- Opportunities to apply for ABWAK grants and awards

Professional Membership
Professional Membership is open to those working in the field of wild animal husbandry aged over 16 years. Click here for the professional membership application form. It gives members the following extra benefits:

- Full voting rights on council elections and other matters arising

- Free entry to the many UK zoos through our zoo visits programme

Associate Membership
Associate Membership is available for those who have a genuine interest in wild animal husbandry, but who are not actively employed in this field. Students in a related subject are eligible to join at this level. Please note that associate memebers are not able to vote in council elections. Click here for the associate membership application form.

- Associate Members can also take advantage of our zoo visits programme.  Many zoos in the programme (link to zoos on zoo visits list) will offer associate members discounted rates and in some cases free entry.

Associate Membership costs £25 for UK members and £45 for overseas members. 

Joint Membership
We offer Professional or Associate Joint Membership at a rate of £40 a year.  (See membership application form for more details.)

Subscription only
It is also possible to subscribe to the magazine Ratel only. Click here for the subscription only form. Subscription to Ratel costs £25 for UK subscribers and £35 for overseas subscribers. 

Please note:

Subscriptions to ABWAK are tax deductible for all professional animal keepers, and also for those whose employment is related to the objects of the Association.

Membership of the Association is at the discretion of the Executive Committee and this Committee reserves the right to refuse membership.