Association of Zoos and Aquariums

Taxon Advisory Groups (TAGs)

What is a Taxon Advisory Group (TAG)?

Established by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association in 1990, TAGs examine the conservation needs of entire taxa, or groups of related species. Examples of some basic taxonomic groups for which AZA TAGs exist are amphibians, felids, penguins, and marine fish.

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Each TAG consists of representatives from AZA-member institutions, as well as individuals with special expertise, such as AZA Species Survival Plan® (SSP) coordinators, studbook keepers.

What do TAGs do?

Serving as committees of expert advisors, Taxon Advisory Groups assist in the selection of appropriate species for AZA conservation programs and provide a forum for discussing husbandry, veterinary, ethical and other issues that apply to entire taxa. Through regional collection planning, they recommend species for new AZA studbooks, SSPs and other zoo- and aquarium-based programs; establish priorities for management, research and conservation; and recruit qualified individuals to carry out these activities.

In addition, TAGs examine animal management techniques based on scientific studies and assist SSP coordinators in developing animal care and husbandry guidelines. Purposely organized along the same lines as the specialist groups of the IUCN-The World Conservation Union's Species Survival Commission (SSC) and Bird Life International's Taxonomic Specialist Groups, TAGs also promote cooperation and sharing of information between AZA and other regional and international conservation programs.

What is a Regional Collection Plan?

One of the most serious challenges facing zoological professionals today is how to determine which species are most in need of zoo- or aquarium-based conservation programs and how to use the limited exhibition and holding space most efficiently. In the past, personal preferences, the spirit of competition among institutions, and availability often determined which species were acquired and became the focus of scientifically managed captive breeding programs. Today, however, there is a growing appreciation of the need for an organized, broad-based collection planning process that better serves the conservation mission of the North American zoo and aquarium community.

One of the TAG's primary responsibilities is to evaluate the present North American carrying capacity for a given taxonomic group and recommend how this space should be allocated. This strategic planning process results in the development of Regional Collection Plans (RCPs). In developing these plans, TAGs take into account both the limited amount of enclosure space available and the need to maintain animals in populations large enough to ensure their long-term genetic viability and demographic stability. They consider the potential of selected species to contribute to conservation action through education, scientific research, fund-raising to support field conservation, and managed breeding for reintroduction. The goal of this careful planning process is that each species and individual animal held at AZA zoos and aquariums has a defined conservation or education purpose.

How are Regional Collection Plans created?

A number of criteria are involved in the regional collection planning process, and, depending on the particular taxon in question, various factors will carry different weights. For example, in the case of amphibians and invertebrates -- groups that encompass thousands of species -- collection planning often takes a short-term, project-oriented approach. In such cases, research potential may carry a greater weight in the selection of species than factors such as public appeal and ability to assist in long-term fund raising. The selection criteria, therefore, are flexible to allow each TAG to work most efficiently.

The following criteria are often used as a starting point for species evaluation.

Conservation status of species
Existence of a viable North American managed population
Number of other managed programs
Husbandry expertise to manage the species
Availability of potential founders
Potential for managed population to affect conservation of the species or its ecosystem in the wild
Reintroduction potential
Scientific/research value
Exhibit value
Education value
Taxonomic uniqueness