November 9-14, 2009
Oglebay Resort
Wheeling, WV
February 8-13, 2010
Oglebay Resort
Wheeling, WV
November 15-20, 2010
Oglebay Resort
Wheeling, WV
The Population Management I: The Data Acquisition and Processing professional training course teaches critical skills needed to create a population database for a single zoo or aquarium population. Students learn to adapt to changing software as well as unique data entry situations. Students also summarize the data in the studbook database and calculate basic life history parameters. Produces an aquarium or zoo professional who can gather raw data and turn it into a good, documented studbook to provide expertise on biology and history of the captive population/species.
Course Tuition
$850 for AZA Individual Members
$950 for Non-members
Please Note: For Population Management I only - do not send payment until you are officially accepted into this course.
Course Registration
The November 2009 course is full - waiting list applications are available.
Download the 2010 Registration Form. Please note that you can use Adobe Acrobat Reader to type your responses directly into this form, print, and return by mail or fax. You may also print the form, write in your information and return by mail or fax. Each course has a registration form specific for that course.
Institutional Letters of Support:
Please included name of studbook (if any), and reason for attending this course. Or you may include your statement of institutional support from your program application (studbook keepers only).
Checks sent for course payment will be cashed immediately upon receipt as per standard business practices. Cashing your check does not indicate that you have been accepted into a course. You will receive an acceptance letter or wait list letter once acceptance decisions are made.
If you have any questions about your acceptance status, or for additional details please contact the AZA Professional Training Department or call (301) 562-0777.
Acceptance Priority Categories
Please see the note below regarding special acceptance priorities for this course. Your application will be processed according to the category you fall into. Acceptance Category 1 is highest priority and Category 8 is lowest priority. If you have any questions about your acceptance status, please email the AZA Professional Training Department.
2010 applicants who were on the 2009 waiting list* and are AZA TAG/WCMC approved studbook keepers and respond to our email by October 2, 2009.
2010 applicants who are AZA TAG/WCMC approved studbook keepers and must complete the course by 2/10 (to meet WCMC expectations) and apply before October 2, 2009
2010 applicants who are AZA TAG/WCMC approved studbook keepers and apply before October 2, 2009
2010 applicants who were on the 2009 waiting list* and are NOT AZA TAG/WCMC approved studbook keepers and respond to our email by October 2, 2009
2010 applicants who are NOT AZA TAG/WCMC approved studbook keepers and apply before October 2, 2009
2010 applicants who are AZA TAG/WCMC approved studbook keepers and must complete the course by 11/10 (to meet WCMC expectations) and apply after October 5, 2009.
2010 applicants who are AZA TAG/WCMC approved studbook keepers and apply after October 5, 2009
2010 applicants who are NOT AZA TAG/WCMC approved studbook keepers and apply after October 5, 2009
If you are in category 1 through 4 you can expect to hear of your acceptance or waitlist* status in the middle of October. If you are in category 5 through 8 you can expect to be on the waitlist.
*Please note: if the AZA Professional Training Department has you on their waiting list you would have received email notification. If you did not receive email notification and believe you should have been on the 2009 waiting list please contact the
AZA Professional Training Department.
Please check the status of your studbook before applying! You'll find a list of official AZA TAG/WCMC approved studbook keepers in the Conservations Programs Database. If you are not listed as an official studbook keeper and believe this is an error please contact the
Conservation Department.
Tavel and Accommodations
Please wait until you are admitted into the course before making your reservations. You will receive a confirmation letter containing detailed information regarding your accommodations and transportation once you are admitted. For general information on travel and lodging, please see the Professional Training in Wheeling page.
Curious about the costs associated with this course?
The Population Management I 2009 Cost and Logistics and the Population Management I 2010 Cost and Logistics page will help you estimate the total cost of attending, including registration, hotel, and ground transportation.
Course Scholarships
The following scholarship opportunities are currently available to aquarium and zoo professionals for the Population Management I course. Please note these scholarships opportunities do not include the 2009 November Population Management I course.
Course Credit
Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
Graduate Credit
Target Audience
Current and prospective studbook keepers. Applicants must submit an institutional letter of support. Course includes day classes and evening project work until 10 p.m.
Course Topics
- Studbooks and their role in zoo and aquarium based conservation:
- Definition, role, scope and history of studbooks;
- Building and publishing a studbook;
- Applying to become an AZA WCMC approved studbook keeper;
- Is a studbook a population management tool?
- Studbooks, Population Management Plans, and the AZA Population Management Center
- Scientific Disciplines for creating and using studbook data:
- Taxonomy - Definitions of species and how taxonomy affects keeping a studbook.
- Genetics – The lecture covers DNA to Mendel to population genetics to the basics of genetic management of populations.
- Demography - Definition of terms and development of demographic descriptions of populations.
Course Exercises:
This topic forms the core of the course and involves multiple exercises in creating and maintaining a studbook. It is a combination of lectures and hands on exercises. The software used in this course is PopLink, a windows-based studbook application which can both read in and output a studbook in SPARKS format. Instructors will be on hand during the exercises to answer questions.
Course Schedule
Download the course schedule (subject to change)
Course Instructors
Joe Barkowski
Curator of Birds
Sedgwick County Zoo
Joe Christman
Curator/Mammals
Disney's Animal Kingdom
Kristine Schad
Studbook Analyst
AZA Population Management Center
Kristin Kovar
Studbook Analyst
AZA Population Management Center
Brandie Smith
Senior Curator
National Zoological Park
Kevin Willis
Biological Programs Director
Minnesota Zoological Garden
For additional details please contact the AZA Professional Development Department or call (301) 562-0777.