Ingrid Russell Director of Collections

SAN FRANCISCO ZOO’S SPECIES SURVIVAL

PLAN® (SSP) PROGRAM PARTICIPATION

¡  AKA AZA ¡  AZA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to the

advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation. AZA represents more than 200 institutions which meet the highest standards in animal care, provide a fun and educational family experience, and dedicate millions of dollars to scientific research, conservation, and education programs.

¡  Coordinates programs: §  TAG’s – Taxon Advisory Group §  SSP’s – Species Survival Plan §  Studbooks §  SAFE program – Saving Animals From Extinction

ASSOCIATION OF ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS

¡  AZA is the independent accrediting organization for the best zoos and aquariums in America and the world, assuring the public that when they visit an AZA-accredited facility, it meets the highest standards. 

¡  San Francisco Zoo will be applying for accreditation in the fall of 2020. This is not a re-accrediting but rather a complete process every five years which includes all departments.

¡  There are currently (9/2019) 238 AZA accredited facilities in the US, Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Dominican Republic, Argentina, Colombia, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, and Spain.

¡  Check out AZA.org even if you aren’t a member you can access a lot of great info.

AZA ACCREDITATION

¡  An AZA Species Survival Plan® (SSP) Program  strives to manage and conserve a select and typically threatened or endangered, ex situ species population with the cooperation of AZA-accredited institutions. SSP Programs develop a Breeding and Transfer Plan that identifies population management goals and recommendations to ensure the sustainability of a healthy, genetically diverse, and demographically varied population.

AZA/SSP SPECIES SURVIVAL PLAN® PROGRAMS

EXAMPLE SPECIES: PANAMANIAN GOLDEN FROG,

ATELOPUS ZETEKI

¡  Species Survival Plans managed by the AZA ¡  Cooperative population management and conservation

programs for particular species (usually endangered) in captivity

¡  500 SSP Programs exist § Managed by a Taxon Advisory Group (TAG) §  Identify population management goals § Make recommendations to support the resilience of a

healthy, genetically diverse, and demographically varied captive population

§ Manage breeding plans (studbook, breeding vs. non-breeding, transfers)

¡  Research, public education and outreach, in situ reintroduction, field projects

SSP SPECIES SURVIVAL PLAN®

PROGRAMS

ANOTHER EXAMPLE: FOSSA, CRYPTOPROCTA FEROX

¡  The AZA Species Survival Plan® (SSP) Program is a cooperative animal management, breeding, and conservation effort that works to ensure genetically diverse, self-sustaining populations of more than 500 species of animals.

¡  Green/Yellow/Red designations

§  Designation for a species determined by population size, number of individuals in AZA institutions, and genetic diversity

SPECIES SURVIVAL PLAN® (SSP)

¡  Criterion Pop size #AZA Gene Div

¡  Green SSP Program 50+ 3+ 90%+

¡  Yellow SSP Program 50+ 3+ <90%

¡  Red SSP Program 20-49 2+ <90%

¡  Candidate Program fewer fewer N/A

GREEN/YELLOW/RED

GREEN PROGRAM SPECIES: MAGELLANIC PENGUIN, SPHENISCUS

MAGELLANICUS

¡  An AZA Regional Studbook  dynamically documents the pedigree and entire demographic history of each individual in a population of species. Studbooks are invaluable tools that track and manage each individual cared for in AZA-accredited institutions.

AZA REGIONAL STUDBOOKS

EXAMPLE OF HISTORICAL STUDBOOK

BREEDING AND TRANSFER PLAN

Pacific pond turtle Red panda Black howler Madagascar teal Hyacinth macaw Radiated tortoise Panamanian golden frog Burrowing owl West African black crowned-crane East African grey crowned-crane Hadada ibis Eurasian eagle owl Great Indian hornbill Prevost's squirrel Mexican wolf Southern cassowary Chacoan peccary Yellow-backed duiker Linne's two-toed sloth Prehensile-tailed porcupine Eastern black-and-white colobus Blue-bellied roller Coscoroba swan Fossa Laughing kookaburra Red-rumped agouti Eastern black rhinoceros Caiman lizard Lesser Madagascar hedgehog tenrec Grant's zebra Scarlet ibis Crowned lemur Blue-eyed black lemur Waldrapp ibis Reticulated giraffe Baringo giraffe

Western lowland gorilla Wolverine Hippopotamus Ring-tailed lemur North American river otter Bobcat Hill wallaroo Red kangaroo Mandrill Lady Ross' turaco Giant anteater Chimpanzee Lion Sumatran tiger Snow leopard Pink-backed pelican Queensland koala Chilean flamingo Roseate spoonbill Northwest Bornean orangutan Kinkajou Fishing cat Coquerel's sifaka Crested oropendola Curl-crested aracari Spectacled owl Wrinkled hornbill Greater rhea One-horned rhinoceros Common squirrel monkey Hamerkop Magellanic penguin Slender-tailed meerkat White-cheeked turaco Sacred ibis Southern three-banded armadillo Francois' langur Eastern bongo Greater kudu Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko Komodo dragon/Ora Red ruffed lemur Black-and-white ruffed lemur Andean condor California sea lion

SAN FRANCISCO ZOO SSP’S 337 INDIVIDUALS FROM 81 SPECIES

ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES: PACIFIC POND TURTLE AND CHIMPANZEE

OF OUR SSP PARTICIPANTS: WALDRAPP IBIS AND KOMODO DRAGON

MORE SSP PROGRAM ANIMALS: RED PANDA AND SUMATRAN TIGER

Thank you! QUESTIONS?