Aussie zoos are investing in an online dating service to match up rare animals.

Zoos have run studbooks or databases containing information on sex, age and weight for ages, but sticking the data online is a new thing. The Zoological Information Management Systems, a collaboration among about 150 zoos and aquariums, is a year or two away from wide distribution.

Of course, the desire for a 'white knight' or 'long walks on the beach' is not a feature of the new system, but details on the beast's personality are included.

Bob Wiese, director of collections for the Zoological Society of San Diego said that the software will give zookeepers better access to species-level details currently found only in zoo husbandry manuals that now
are mostly e-mailed back and forth.

Already the system has shown that satanic leaf-tailed geckos like group sex and wife swapping, while fighting equals foreplay for the giant leaf-tailed gecko.

More here.