• Home
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
      • Board of Directors
      • Staff
      • Ethics Board
      • Committees
        • Accreditation Commission
        • Advancement Committee
        • Animal Health Committee
        • Animal Population Management Committee
        • Animal Welfare Committee
        • Annual Conference Program Committee
        • Aquarium Affairs Committee
        • Aquatic Collections Sustainability Committee
        • Business Operations Committee
        • Conservation Education Committee
        • Diversity Committee
        • Government Affairs Committee
        • Honors and Awards Committee
        • Human Resources Committee
        • Marketing Committee
        • Membership Committee
        • Nominating Committee
        • Professional Development Committee
        • Public Relations Committee
        • Research and Technology Committee
        • Safety Committee
        • Trends Committee
        • Volunteer Management Committee
        • Wildlife Conservation Committee
      • Scientific Advisory Groups
        • Ambassador Animal Scientific Advisory Group
        • Avian Scientific Advisory Group
        • Behavior Scientific Advisory Group
        • Biobanking Scientific Advisory Group
        • Green Scientific Advisory Group
        • Institutional Data Management Scientific Advisory Group
        • Molecular Data for Population Management Scientific Advisory Group
        • Nutrition Scientific Advisory Group
        • Reproduction and Endocrinology Scientific Advisory Group
        • Small Population Management Advisory Group
        • Social Science Research and Evaluation Scientific Advisory Group
        • Veterinary Scientific Advisory Group
    • Strategic Plan
    • Bylaws and Policies
      • Board-Approved Policies and Position Statements
      • Bylaws
      • Code of Conduct
      • Code of Professional Ethics
    • Press Room
      • AZA News Releases
      • Zoo & Aquarium News
      • AZA SAFE Pumpkin Carving Templates
    • Partners
      • Commercial Member Engagement Council
      • Visitor Demographics
      • Conservation Agreements
        • Polar Bears International
        • Arctic Ambassador Centers
    • Contact Us
  • Accreditation
    • About AZA Accreditation
      • Accreditation Basics
      • Benefits of Accreditation
      • FAQs
      • Accreditation vs. Certification
    • How to Apply
      • Pathway Toward Membership Program
    • Download Accreditation Materials
    • Accredited and Certified Members
    • Quarter Century Award
    • Upcoming Reviews
    • Accreditation Commission
    • Inspectors
      • FAQ for Inspectors
      • Inspectors of the Year
    • Accreditation Resource Center
      • Guidelines & Sample Documents, Programs, and Policies
    • Report a Concern
  • Animal Management
    • About Animal Programs
      • Taxon Advisory Groups
        • List of Taxon Advisory Groups
      • Species Survival Plan Programs
        • SSP Population Sustainability
      • Studbooks
      • Global Species Management Plans
      • Animal Program Roles
        • Education Advisors
      • Animal Management Centers
        • Population Management Center
        • Reproductive Management Center
    • Animal Programs Resources
      • Animal Programs Database
      • Animal Program Handbooks
      • Animal Program Applications
      • Resource Documents
      • Strategic Framework for the Wellbeing of Animals
      • SSP Reimagination Resources
      • Contact Information
      • Animal Program Sustainability Designations
      • Animal Programs Monthly Update
      • Program Leader Vacancies
      • Animal Program Deadlines
      • Online Training Modules
      • Dedicated Funds
    • Animal Care Manuals
    • Ambassador Animal Guidelines
  • Conservation
    • SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction
      • SAFE Species
      • Propose a SAFE Species
      • SAFE Program Resources
      • SAFE Contributors
    • Other Initiatives
      • Annual Report on Conservation and Science
        • Resources for the ARCS Surveys
      • Reduce the Risk
      • Climate Change and Wildlife
        • Communicating Climate Change
        • Climate Change Resources
      • Citizen Science
      • Florida Reef Tract Rescue Project
      • Black-footed Ferret Recovery and Reintroduction Program Analysis
      • Party for the Planet
    • Conservation Funding
      • SAFE Granting Program
        • SAFE Matching Grant Challenge
        • SAFE Granting Program Review and Selection
        • SAFE Grant Awards
      • Conservation Grants Fund
        • Information for CGF Applicants
        • CGF Awards
      • Endangered Species COVID-19 Relief
      • Other Conservation Funding Sources
    • Field Conservation
      • Reintroduction Programs
      • Amphibian Conservation
      • Elephant Conservation
      • Marine Mammal Conservation
      • Ocean Conservation
      • Pollinator Conservation
      • Tiger Conservation
    • Green Practices
      • Resources for Greening Business Practices
        • Green Practices: Energy
        • Green Practices: Materials and Products
        • Green Practices: Water
        • Green Practices: Third-Party Certifications
        • Green Practices: Bird-Safe Buildings
        • Green Practices: Waste
        • Green Practices: Pocket Guides
    • Research and Science
      • Methods for Animal Behavior Research DVD
    • Conservation Education
      • Advocating for Education
      • Nature Play Begins at Your Zoo & Aquarium
  • Wildlife Trafficking Alliance
    • About Us
      • Partners
        • Partner Commitments
        • eBay Partnership
    • Illegal Wildlife Trade
      • Southern California Wildlife Confiscations Network
      • Species at Risk
    • What You Can Do
      • Reduce the Risk
      • Buy Informed
      • Tips For Travelers
      • Legislative Action Center
    • Partner Resources
    • News
    • Not A Pet
    • Toss the Tusk
  • Equity & Inclusion
    • Diversity Network Group
    • Modeling Zoos and Aquariums of Inclusive Communities of Science
  • AZA Services
    • Join
      • Individual Membership
      • Organization Membership
      • Conservation Partner
      • Society Partner
      • Commercial Membership
      • Student Membership
      • Advocate Membership
      • FAQs About Joining AZA
    • Conferences
      • Annual Conference
      • Mid-Year Meeting
      • Conference Proceedings
        • 2022 Annual Conference Posters
        • 2021 Annual Conference
        • 2021 Annual Conference Posters
        • 2020 Directors' Policy Conference
        • 2020 Annual Conference Posters
        • 2020 Annual Conference
      • Pizzazz
    • Government Affairs
      • Advocacy Webinar Series
      • Advocacy Day
      • Big Cat Public Safety Act
      • Federal Agencies and Public Comments
      • Legislative Education Center
    • Professional Development
      • Webinars
      • Courses
        • AZA Professional Development Course Policies
        • Scholarships
        • Animal Training Applications in Zoo and Aquarium Settings
        • Animal Welfare: Evidence-Based Management
        • Avian Management, Biology and Conservation
        • Behavioral Husbandry Best Practices for Your Animal Welfare Program
        • Creating Successful Exhibits
        • Crocodilian Biology and Professional Management
        • Effective Leadership: Foundation & Development
        • Environmental Enrichment in Zoos and Aquariums
        • Foundations of Conservation Learning
        • Institutional Records Keeping
        • Leadership in Conservation Learning
        • Managing Animal Enrichment and Training Programs
        • Population Management I: Data Management and Processing
        • Population Management II: Data Analysis and Breeding Recs
        • Principles of Elephant Management I
        • Principles of Elephant Management II
        • Principles of Ambassador Animal Management
        • Wheeling Courses Travel Information
      • Executive Leadership Development Program
        • Applying for ELDP
        • ELDP FAQs
    • Honors & Awards
      • SSP Sustainability Award
        • Sustainability Award Winners
      • Angela Peterson Excellence in Diversity Award
        • Diversity Award Winners
      • Education Award
        • Education Award Winners
      • Edward H. Bean Award
        • Bean Award Winners
      • Excellence in Marketing Award
        • Marketing Award Winners
      • Exhibit Award
        • Exhibit Award Winners
      • Facility Award
        • Facility Award Winners
      • The Green Award
        • Green Award Winners
      • Volunteer Engagement Award
        • Volunteer Engagement Award Winners
      • Research Award
        • Research Award Winners
      • North American Conservation Award
        • North American Conservation Award Winners
      • William G. Conway International Conservation Award
        • William G. Conway International Conservation Award Winners
      • R. Marlin Perkins Award for Professional Excellence
      • Animal Welfare Lifetime Achievement Award
      • Tim O'Sullivan Award for Professional Development
      • The Devra Kleiman Scientific Advancement Award
      • Wendy Fisher Award for Professional Excellence
      • Honorary Membership Award
    • Safety & Preparedness
      • Zoo and Aquarium Safety: Example Practices
      • Zoo and Aquarium All Hazards Partnership
      • Antivenom Index
    • Member Resources & Benefits
      • COVID-19 Resources
      • Data, Surveys, & Trends
        • Directors Demographic Survey
        • Economic Impact Reports
        • Benchmark Reports
        • Earned Revenue Data
        • Species Survival Statistics
        • Trends in Visitor Diversity
        • Visitor and Public Research
        • Volunteer Program Survey
        • Zoo and Aquarium Statistics
      • Why AZA Matters
      • AZA Member Discounted Admissions
      • AZA Member Logos
        • AZA Logo Usage Policy
      • AZA Commercial Member Logo
  • Connect
    • Connect Stories
    • Contribute to Connect
    • Connect Photo Contest Winners
    • Connect Photo Contest
    • Advertise
    • Connect Archives
    • Connect Photo Honorable Mentions
    • Connect Photo Highlights
  • Jobs
  • Find a Zoo or Aquarium
  • Calendar
  • Donate
  • Login
    Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
Enter your search query in the field below. Click the X to close.
AZA logo
  • Jobs
  • Find a Zoo or Aquarium
  • Calendar
  • Donate
Join Login Calendar Search the site
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
      • Board of Directors
      • Staff
      • Ethics Board
      • Committees
        • Accreditation Commission
        • Advancement Committee
        • Animal Health Committee
        • Animal Population Management Committee
        • Animal Welfare Committee
        • Annual Conference Program Committee
        • Aquarium Affairs Committee
        • Aquatic Collections Sustainability Committee
        • Business Operations Committee
        • Conservation Education Committee
        • Diversity Committee
        • Government Affairs Committee
        • Honors and Awards Committee
        • Human Resources Committee
        • Marketing Committee
        • Membership Committee
        • Nominating Committee
        • Professional Development Committee
        • Public Relations Committee
        • Research and Technology Committee
        • Safety Committee
        • Trends Committee
        • Volunteer Management Committee
        • Wildlife Conservation Committee
      • Scientific Advisory Groups
        • Ambassador Animal Scientific Advisory Group
        • Avian Scientific Advisory Group
        • Behavior Scientific Advisory Group
        • Biobanking Scientific Advisory Group
        • Green Scientific Advisory Group
        • Institutional Data Management Scientific Advisory Group
        • Molecular Data for Population Management Scientific Advisory Group
        • Nutrition Scientific Advisory Group
        • Reproduction and Endocrinology Scientific Advisory Group
        • Small Population Management Advisory Group
        • Social Science Research and Evaluation Scientific Advisory Group
        • Veterinary Scientific Advisory Group
    • Strategic Plan
    • Bylaws and Policies
      • Board-Approved Policies and Position Statements
      • Bylaws
      • Code of Conduct
      • Code of Professional Ethics
    • Press Room
      • AZA News Releases
      • Zoo & Aquarium News
      • AZA SAFE Pumpkin Carving Templates
    • Partners
      • Commercial Member Engagement Council
      • Visitor Demographics
      • Conservation Agreements
        • Polar Bears International
        • Arctic Ambassador Centers
    • Contact Us
  • Accreditation
    • About AZA Accreditation
      • Accreditation Basics
      • Benefits of Accreditation
      • FAQs
      • Accreditation vs. Certification
    • How to Apply
      • Pathway Toward Membership Program
    • Download Accreditation Materials
    • Accredited and Certified Members
    • Quarter Century Award
    • Upcoming Reviews
    • Accreditation Commission
    • Inspectors
      • FAQ for Inspectors
      • Inspectors of the Year
    • Accreditation Resource Center
      • Guidelines & Sample Documents, Programs, and Policies
    • Report a Concern
  • Animal Management
    • About Animal Programs
      • Taxon Advisory Groups
        • List of Taxon Advisory Groups
      • Species Survival Plan Programs
        • SSP Population Sustainability
      • Studbooks
      • Global Species Management Plans
      • Animal Program Roles
        • Education Advisors
      • Animal Management Centers
        • Population Management Center
        • Reproductive Management Center
    • Animal Programs Resources
      • Animal Programs Database
      • Animal Program Handbooks
      • Animal Program Applications
      • Resource Documents
      • Strategic Framework for the Wellbeing of Animals
      • SSP Reimagination Resources
      • Contact Information
      • Animal Program Sustainability Designations
      • Animal Programs Monthly Update
      • Program Leader Vacancies
      • Animal Program Deadlines
      • Online Training Modules
      • Dedicated Funds
    • Animal Care Manuals
    • Ambassador Animal Guidelines
  • Conservation
    • SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction
      • SAFE Species
      • Propose a SAFE Species
      • SAFE Program Resources
      • SAFE Contributors
    • Other Initiatives
      • Annual Report on Conservation and Science
        • Resources for the ARCS Surveys
      • Reduce the Risk
      • Climate Change and Wildlife
        • Communicating Climate Change
        • Climate Change Resources
      • Citizen Science
      • Florida Reef Tract Rescue Project
      • Black-footed Ferret Recovery and Reintroduction Program Analysis
      • Party for the Planet
    • Conservation Funding
      • SAFE Granting Program
        • SAFE Matching Grant Challenge
        • SAFE Granting Program Review and Selection
        • SAFE Grant Awards
      • Conservation Grants Fund
        • Information for CGF Applicants
        • CGF Awards
      • Endangered Species COVID-19 Relief
      • Other Conservation Funding Sources
    • Field Conservation
      • Reintroduction Programs
      • Amphibian Conservation
      • Elephant Conservation
      • Marine Mammal Conservation
      • Ocean Conservation
      • Pollinator Conservation
      • Tiger Conservation
    • Green Practices
      • Resources for Greening Business Practices
        • Green Practices: Energy
        • Green Practices: Materials and Products
        • Green Practices: Water
        • Green Practices: Third-Party Certifications
        • Green Practices: Bird-Safe Buildings
        • Green Practices: Waste
        • Green Practices: Pocket Guides
    • Research and Science
      • Methods for Animal Behavior Research DVD
    • Conservation Education
      • Advocating for Education
      • Nature Play Begins at Your Zoo & Aquarium
  • Wildlife Trafficking Alliance
    • About Us
      • Partners
        • Partner Commitments
        • eBay Partnership
    • Illegal Wildlife Trade
      • Southern California Wildlife Confiscations Network
      • Species at Risk
    • What You Can Do
      • Reduce the Risk
      • Buy Informed
      • Tips For Travelers
      • Legislative Action Center
    • Partner Resources
    • News
    • Not A Pet
    • Toss the Tusk
  • Equity & Inclusion
    • Diversity Network Group
    • Modeling Zoos and Aquariums of Inclusive Communities of Science
  • AZA Services
    • Join
      • Individual Membership
      • Organization Membership
      • Conservation Partner
      • Society Partner
      • Commercial Membership
      • Student Membership
      • Advocate Membership
      • FAQs About Joining AZA
    • Conferences
      • Annual Conference
      • Mid-Year Meeting
      • Conference Proceedings
        • 2022 Annual Conference Posters
        • 2021 Annual Conference
        • 2021 Annual Conference Posters
        • 2020 Directors' Policy Conference
        • 2020 Annual Conference Posters
        • 2020 Annual Conference
      • Pizzazz
    • Government Affairs
      • Advocacy Webinar Series
      • Advocacy Day
      • Big Cat Public Safety Act
      • Federal Agencies and Public Comments
      • Legislative Education Center
    • Professional Development
      • Webinars
      • Courses
        • AZA Professional Development Course Policies
        • Scholarships
        • Animal Training Applications in Zoo and Aquarium Settings
        • Animal Welfare: Evidence-Based Management
        • Avian Management, Biology and Conservation
        • Behavioral Husbandry Best Practices for Your Animal Welfare Program
        • Creating Successful Exhibits
        • Crocodilian Biology and Professional Management
        • Effective Leadership: Foundation & Development
        • Environmental Enrichment in Zoos and Aquariums
        • Foundations of Conservation Learning
        • Institutional Records Keeping
        • Leadership in Conservation Learning
        • Managing Animal Enrichment and Training Programs
        • Population Management I: Data Management and Processing
        • Population Management II: Data Analysis and Breeding Recs
        • Principles of Elephant Management I
        • Principles of Elephant Management II
        • Principles of Ambassador Animal Management
        • Wheeling Courses Travel Information
      • Executive Leadership Development Program
        • Applying for ELDP
        • ELDP FAQs
    • Honors & Awards
      • SSP Sustainability Award
        • Sustainability Award Winners
      • Angela Peterson Excellence in Diversity Award
        • Diversity Award Winners
      • Education Award
        • Education Award Winners
      • Edward H. Bean Award
        • Bean Award Winners
      • Excellence in Marketing Award
        • Marketing Award Winners
      • Exhibit Award
        • Exhibit Award Winners
      • Facility Award
        • Facility Award Winners
      • The Green Award
        • Green Award Winners
      • Volunteer Engagement Award
        • Volunteer Engagement Award Winners
      • Research Award
        • Research Award Winners
      • North American Conservation Award
        • North American Conservation Award Winners
      • William G. Conway International Conservation Award
        • William G. Conway International Conservation Award Winners
      • R. Marlin Perkins Award for Professional Excellence
      • Animal Welfare Lifetime Achievement Award
      • Tim O'Sullivan Award for Professional Development
      • The Devra Kleiman Scientific Advancement Award
      • Wendy Fisher Award for Professional Excellence
      • Honorary Membership Award
    • Safety & Preparedness
      • Zoo and Aquarium Safety: Example Practices
      • Zoo and Aquarium All Hazards Partnership
      • Antivenom Index
    • Member Resources & Benefits
      • COVID-19 Resources
      • Data, Surveys, & Trends
        • Directors Demographic Survey
        • Economic Impact Reports
        • Benchmark Reports
        • Earned Revenue Data
        • Species Survival Statistics
        • Trends in Visitor Diversity
        • Visitor and Public Research
        • Volunteer Program Survey
        • Zoo and Aquarium Statistics
      • Why AZA Matters
      • AZA Member Discounted Admissions
      • AZA Member Logos
        • AZA Logo Usage Policy
      • AZA Commercial Member Logo
  • Connect
    • Connect Stories
    • Contribute to Connect
    • Connect Photo Contest Winners
    • Connect Photo Contest
    • Advertise
    • Connect Archives
    • Connect Photo Honorable Mentions
    • Connect Photo Highlights
Connect logo
1 2 3
Connect logo
feature

The Population Management Center Turns 20

By Hana Johnstone, Rachel Bladow, and Haley Blackwell
08/25/2020
min read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

Two Decades of Cooperative Management, Scientific Advancement, and Conservation

What comes to mind when someone mentions the year 2000? The dawn of the millennium ushered in a wave of innovation: GPS devices became available to the American public, USB flash drives replaced floppy discs, and Japan released the first camera phone. As the globe experienced sweeping changes, the zoological community was on the cusp of its own major scientific and technological developments in the field of population biology. At the epicenter—a small team of scientists in Chicago, Ill., building the most advanced system of zoo and aquarium population management in the world.

In June of 2000, through a partnership with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Chicago Zoological Society in Brookfield, Ill., and Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, Ill., established the Association of  Zoos and Aquariums Population Management Center (PMC). The creation of the center—the first of its kind among regional zoological associations—aimed to provide a structured organization to streamline the practice of population management and meet the growing demand for management expertise. In this spirit, Dr. Steve Thompson, the first scientist in Lincoln Park Zoo’s’ Conservation and Science Department, Dr. Joanne Earnhardt, former director of the Alexander Center for Applied Population Biology at Lincoln Park Zoo, and Dr. Bob Lacy, senior conservation scientist emeritus at the Species Conservation Toolkit Initiative (SCTI) at the Chicago Zoological Society hired two full-time population biologists, Colleen Lynch and Sarah Long, as well as Studbook Analyst Emily Ford.

While the PMC’s initial team and collaborators undertook the task of setting up the first formal center focused on population management, their work was not completely without precedent.

By the 1970s, the North American zoo and aquarium community faced internal and external pressure to rethink the management of animals in managed care and shift focus toward conservation. Scientists at AZA-accredited facilities recognized the need to reduce reliance on wild imports and improve record keeping to ensure long-term sustainability of ex situ populations.

To address these concerns, AZA created a formal management program titled the Species Survival Plan®  in the 1980s. During the following decade, members of AZA’s newly formed Small Population Management Advisory Group (SPMAG), volunteered their time and expertise to develop the cooperative management of SSP species. SPMAG advisors collaborated with each SSP’s program leader(s) to improve data entry methods, resolve pedigrees, maximize gene diversity, and bolster demographic stability within the bounds of species husbandry and biology.

Although SPMAG’s pioneering efforts laid a foundation for the future of zoological population management, “two specific factors drove the need for the PMC: the intent to manage more species and to centralize the process,” said Earnhardt.

“Each SPMAG member used a unique approach and recorded their analyses and recommendations differently,” added Dr. Lisa Faust, vice president of conservation and science at Lincoln Park Zoo. “AZA recognized that to do [population management] the right way, we should have full-time staff members who use standardized approaches.”

While the formation of the PMC was an exciting time for growth within the AZA community, the organization was initially met with hesitation. 

“When the PMC began operations, program leaders were concerned that population biologists would ‘take over’ their programs,” said Colleen Lynch, curator of birds at Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens in Columbia, S.C., and consulting population biologist. It was important to establish that PMC biologists serve as advisors and still rely on program leaders to manage data and provide vital information about each population. The PMC “focused on making a comfortable and accepting environment. The ethos that was created has helped improve population management over time,” said Faust.

This ethos similarly allowed young scientists at the PMC to learn from population management experts and grow as professionals. “Steve Thompson, Bob Lacy, Jon Ballou, Joanne Earnhardt, Kevin Willis, Bob Wiese, and all of the SPMAG membership…taught us so much about science, politics, and the people skills we would need to build the PMC,” said Lynch.

Bali Mynah

This mentorship was reflected in the collaborative energy that characterized the Center’s early days.

“Having a small group of people all in one place working intensively on related projects...resulted in a real ‘think tank’ environment. Every day brought a new topic of conversation related to a unique animal population,” said Lynch. 

“Encountering a colleague as I walked down the hall could easily become a stimulating mini-workshop on demography or genetics,” said Earnhardt. 

Though there was no shortage of big ideas for population management, forward motion was not always fast. In the early 2000s, the day-to-day PMC office experience looked much different than it does today. Important documents were printed and mailed across the country and computers lacked the processing power required to deal with large datasets swiftly. These limitations were often a source of frustration.

“Even to complete very simple genetics calculations, you would start running the program, go home, and sometimes come back in the morning and realize you did it wrong,” said Faust. SSP planning meetings also functioned quite differently than the computer-facilitated ones held today, relying on whiteboards, magnets, and reams of paper to keep track of individuals in the population, pedigrees, breeding pairs, and transfers between facilities.

Over the last 20 years, technological developments have greatly improved daily workflow and population planning capabilities. A key advancement was the “widespread use of faster, more powerful computers, coupled with the adoption of standardized database systems for sharing population management” said Lacy.

Historically, the DOS-based Single Population Animal Records Keeping System (SPARKS), helped keep track of births, deaths, and transfers in each population. The Alexander Center released the software PopLink in 2006, to manage animal data. PM2000 (Lacy and Ballou, 2000), later updated to PMx (SCTI, 2011), enhanced studbook data analysis and allowed program leaders and population biologists to visualize demography, genetics, and breeding recommendations. Today, another major technological change is underway that enables real-time data sharing between facilities and studbook keepers. AZA studbooks are migrating to a global, web-based platform for data management called Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) for Studbooks (Species360, 2017).

Despite computer software’s essential role in PMC operations, “successful programs are built on communication and relationships—it is critically important that we don’t forget the role of people in animal population management,” said Lynch.

“Good communication has been key to making sure our specialized group of professionals is able to advise all of the SSPs,” said Kristine Schad Eebes, director of the Population Management Center. With a team based at Lincoln Park Zoo and across the country, effective correspondence between program leaders, population biologists, and stakeholders is necessary during all phases of the development of each breeding and transfer plan, the official report generated from the analyses and discussions at a planning meeting.

There are now over 500 SSPs that require advising, up from the 10 original SSPs created in the 1980s. Matching this growth, the PMC has expanded from four employees at its inception to include a director, five population biologists split between Lincoln Park Zoo and San Diego Zoo Global in San Diego, Calif., three administrative staff, two consulting population biologists, and ten adjunct population biologists hosted by various AZA facilities.

Over the past two decades, in support of the increasing number of SSPs, the PMC and adjunct team worked to create over 2,400 breeding and transfer plans, a process that involved collaboration with thousands of individuals at hundreds of facilities worldwide. Further, the AZA PMC served as a model for the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) to build their own Population Management Centre.

Snow leopard

The PMC is now looking ahead at the next 20 years.

"Our goals, in the end, are to have viable populations and, unfortunately, wild populations are getting worse,” said Schad Eebes. Currently, there are approximately 20 SSPs directly involved in reintroduction programs, with plans for expanding this kind of involvement in the future. However, it is likely that tough decisions will have to be made by the zoo and aquarium community about which species need the most management and resources.

Advising SSPs can be complex, but some aspects of population management will get easier as technological innovations, research, and evaluation tools provide insight about the populations in AZA care.

“In the past, when we lacked pedigree information for animals, we sometimes had to omit them from the breeding population. With more precise molecular genetic analyses we can now often identify the relatedness of such animals and determine breeding pairs, allowing us to make optimal use of our valuable resources,” said Lacy.

Likewise, PMCTrack, the online database of breeding and transfer plan information, allows biologists to study population demographics and genetics over time and evaluate the success of past recommendations to improve the future management of each program. The PMC also aims to expand strategies for advising programs that require alternative planning methods, such as group-managed populations. Equipped with the latest technology and scientific findings, the AZA community will continue to be key players in species conservation.

One particular discussion from an early-2000s SPMAG meeting still sticks out to Faust. As senior-level members considered the future of population management in zoos and aquariums, some expressed concern that there would not be a “next generation of population biologists, scientists, and managers” to carry on their work.

The 20th anniversary of the PMC underscores that those early trailblazers had little to worry about in that regard. Many of the younger attendees of that meeting remained involved in population management. Some have become leaders in the field, spearheading technological and scientific advancements while mentoring the newest generation of population biologists.

Today, the AZA Population Management Center, along with a team of adjunct scientists and remaining SPMAG advisors, continues to provide the scientific backbone for advising population sustainability efforts, collaborating with zoo professionals, researchers, developers, and wildlife organizations worldwide to conserve species.

“It’s a pretty magical system when you think about everyone volunteering to move their animals...and to feel that all of this is not just for [one’s own] zoo or aquarium, but for the good of the species,” said Schad Eebes

Whatever changes the next 20 years may bring, the PMC, in collaboration with the AZA community, is ready to continue advancing the science of zoo and aquarium population management.

Hana Johnstone: Research Assistant at the AZA Population Management Center.
Rachel Bladow: Associate Population Biologist at the AZA Population Management Center.
Haley Blackwell: Studbook Migration Assistant at the AZA Population Management Center.


Back to All Stories
    Related Stories
  • Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild »
  • SAFE Under the Sea »
  • SAFE Gorilla »
  • About
  • Accreditation
  • Animal Management
  • Conservation
  • AZA Services
Zoo & Aquarium Finder Join Contact AZA
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Jobs
  • Donate
  • My AZA
  • Calendar
  • Login
Contact AZA
8403 Colesville Rd., Suite 710
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3314
Phone: 301-562-0777
Tax ID: 68-0480736
EIN: 55-0526930
  • Corporate Partnerships
  • Advertise
  • Photo Credits
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
© 1997 - 2023 AZA • All Rights Reserved
Memphis Web Design by Speak
I Accept

This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. If you continue using our website, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on this website and you agree to our Privacy Policy.

loading