WORLD RABBIT SCIENCE ASSOCIATION

WRSA Factsheet: Prepared by James I. McNitt, AB-WRSA , and published in the journal of the Professional Rabbit Meat Association (May-June 2000, volume 1, number 3).  For the Spanish version of this WRSA Factsheet click here.

The World Rabbit Science Association (updated link) is an organization of rabbit scientists from around the world. The objectives of the WRSA as stated in the constitution are as follows:

"To facilitate in all possible ways the exchange of knowledge and experience among persons in all parts of the world who are contributing to the advancement of the various branches of the rabbit industry by producing, breeding, marketing techniques, teaching, research, investigation, experiments, demonstration.

"To promote the extension of knowledge in the above field by the encouragement of teaching, scientific research, practical experimentation, the collection and publication of statistics, the study of the economics of the rabbit business, the study of the problems of production and marketing, and in every other way possible.

"The dissemination of knowledge pertaining to all branches of the rabbit industry.

"The promotion of World Rabbit Congress es, inviting the cooperation of governments of countries and national organizations selected for these gatherings in their organizations.

"To cooperate with the F.A.O. and national and international scientific, economic or agricultural organizations in the development of many kinds of rabbit productions i.e. meat, wool, fur or laboratory rabbits."

WRSA hosts an international congress every four years. In 1992, the congress was in Corvallis , Oregon , in 1996 in Toulouse , France , in July 2000 in Valencia , Spain , and in 2004 in Puebla , Mexico . There are usually about 500 attendees from all over the world at these congresses. Presentations are made of scientific research that has been carried out in the various countries. The results of this research are also published in a "proceedings".

In addition to the congresses, the WRSA also sponsors publication of the quarterly scientific journal World Rabbit Science. Again, the manuscripts included in the journal are from scientists reporting the results of their research on rabbits.

The WRSA has a board of directors and officers including a President, Vice Presidents, Secretary and Treasurer. Most of the operations are, however, carried out by national branches. Some of these branches are very large and carry out a number of activities while others are relatively small.

In the US , we are represented by the American Branch of the World Rabbit Science Association ( AB-WRSA ) which includes members from North, Central and South America and the Caribbean . There are about 40 active members with a Board of Directors including the President (Dr. Ana Moura), Vice President (Gabriela Gonzalez-Mariscal) and Secretary/Treasurer (Dr. James McNitt). Members have the opportunity for a reduced subscription rate for World Rabbit Science and have access to a listserv that provides information about activities of our membership as well as upcoming events, special news items, and summaries of meetings and conventions. Members who are not on-line receive this information by mail. The AB-WRSA also sponsors regional conferences. The last was held in Cuba in 2002. AB-WRSA provides rabbit information and professional assistance to other organizations including the American Society of Animal Science, the American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists, the American Rabbit Breeders Association and the Professional Meat Rabbit Association.

One of the ways we will work with the PRMA will be to provide news items to the editor of the PRMA Journal so the PRMA membership can keep abreast of the activities of the AB-WRSA .

For further information, please feel free to contact me.

James I. McNitt

Small Farm Family Resource Development Center

Box 11170 , Southern University

Baton Rouge , Louisiana , USA 70813

Telephone (225) 771 2262

Fax (225) 771 4464

e-mail james_mcnitt@suagcenter.com

(the website of  AB-WRSA was originally created by S. Lukefahr and is maintained by MA Grobner)