Does anyone know a current list of phase out species in United States zoos? for example I found out only 6 AZA zoos and 3 non aza places have Brazilian Tapir. specimen count for the Aza zoos are 10 total 5 males and 5 females (Alexandria zoo, Audubon zoo, Lion Country safari, John Ball zoo and Dallas are Aza and Non Aza are wildlife world zoo, Shadow Nursery and Metro Richmond zoo) I know wildlife world zoo has 2 males and 1 female. this is sad. does this mean Brazilian Tapirs are being phased out?
I'm pretty sure that right now AZA zoos are focusing on Baird's and Malayan tapirs. I know that many species of hoofstock (especially antelope) are currently being phased out. I don't have a list of what species though.
LEO Zoological Conservation Center has Brazilian Tapirs and have been breeding them. I know that Beardsley once thought about obtaining the species for the upcoming South American expansion but they still don't even know many of the new species to come so who knows if they will. I'm pretty sure white Tigers and black Leopards are on the way out. I'm not sure about white Lions as I'm pretty sure they aren't generic but I'm not sure. ~Thylo
Other than Giraffe I think most "generic" animals are being phased out in favor of species. I don't know if thats longstanding policy or not but if it is how did generic lions tigers etc proliferate in AZA facilities in the first place?
The few U.S. zoos that have Margays left will phase them out once they die. I recall hearing on this site that Asiatic Black Bears were being phased out.
The best way to answer this is to find the various TAG RCP's (Regional Collection Plans). Many of these aren't publicly available but some are. In reading these you will find out which program type (including phase-out) is recommended for each species. Here's one to get you started. http://www.antelopetag.com/assets/d...iraffe RCP for WCMC Review January 1 2009.pdf
The antelope TAG seems to be the only one that is available online. I think I've asked this before, but when animals are phased out do the remain in AZA facilities until they die? What are some phase-in species people have heard of? Anything new and exciting?
I have a membership to the AZA so I'll look through some for you. I started with Apes 2007 TAG Out Agile gibbon Mueller’s gibbon Hybrid gibbons and orangs are being managed to extinction. Increases wanted A big jump in Bornean orangutans and bonobos. Small increases in many gibbon species. more javan and pileated gibbons but have limited possibilities for new founders. More founders for hoolocks and yellow cheeked gibbons which seems very possible.
That's great news that the AZA wants to increase the captive populations of more hoofstock and gibbon species, especially Javan and Pileated! I hadn't realized that those species were really anywhere in AZA zoos @elefante, I know the AZA has announced that they want to phase-in Jaguarundi but haven't really gone anywhere with that yet. I can't wait until they do, though! ~Thylo
The numbers of the those 4 gibbon species was in 2007 hovering around 10-15 animals each. In 6 years that could change a bit in either direction. But more gibbons is great. Heres 3 more TAG groups. I decide to go alphabetically group by group. Some have more info or reasoning for decisions than others. If anyone wants what specifically was written let me know and ill go back and copy their comment in exactly. So heres the 2008 Amphibian TAG. Out None In Locust coqui Richmond’s Coqui Dwarf Coqui Golden Coqui Elegant Coqui Stream Coqui Relict Leopard Frog California Red Legged Frog Anseriformes TAG 2012 (Ducks and geese) Not many of the in or outs are SSP species. Many are part of the RAFT group which are display/ education/research/husbandry species or the no plan group for species that aren’t competing for space with any of the RAFT or SSP animals. I don’t fully understand but if anyone wants the exact wording I can go back. Out Snow Goose Australian Shoveler Hartlaub’s Duck Easter Hartlaub’s Duck Australian Shelduck Tufted Duck East Indian Whistling Duck Whistling Swan Mute Swan Canadian Goose Giant Canada Goose Cackling Canada Goose Dusky Canada Goose Pacific Brant Goose Greater White Fronted Goose Muscovy Duck Garganey Teal Gadwall Eurasian Wigeon Yellow Billed Pintail Grey Teal Chilean Teal African Black Duck Mallard New Zeland Scaup Ring necked Duck Greater Scaup In Madagarcar Teal Gambia Spur-winged Goose Ross’s Goose Andrean Goose Bronze- Winged (Spectacled) Duck Western Hartlaub’s Duck Paradise Shelduck White-Eye Pochard (Hardhead) King Eider African White Backed Duck Whooper Swan Aleutian Canadian Goose Ashy Headed Goose Ruddy Headed Goose Patagonia Crested Duck Meller’s Duck Philippine Duck Pink-eared Duck Baer’s pochard American Eider White Headed Duck Maccoa Duck Argentine Black Billed Duck Old World Comb Duck South American Comb Duck Green Pygmy Goose Torrent Duck Antelope and Giraffe TAG 2009 Out Maxwell’s duikers Bay Duikers Blesbok (Europe has a strong plan) Defassa Waterbuck (Europe has a strong plan) Mhorr Gazelle (Europe has a strong plan) Dorcas Gazelle Saudi Goitered Gazelle Nubian Red fronted Gazelle Persian Gazelle (strong programs elsewhere) Beisa Oryx (Europe has a strong plan) Harnessed Bushbuck Springbok (but not South African Springbok) Suni Crowned Duiker Cape Hartebeest Western Bushbuck In Royal Antelope (they call it an emerging program) Ugandan Kob (Under evaluation) Topi (Strong institutional interest exists to build a program)
Aquatic Invertebrates TAG 2012 Ok I tried figuring that one out but it was a tad confusing. I’ll go back if anyone wants and try again but if not im happy to leave well enough alone. Bat TAG 2007 Out Indian Flying Fox Trinidadian Fruit Bat Lesser Short Nosed Bat White Winged Vampire Bat Wahlberg’s Epauletted Bat Spectacled Flying Fox Pemba Flying Fox Ruwenzori Fruit Bat In None Bear TAG 2010 Out Asiatic Black Bears (the population is largely considered post reproductive) All other populations are recommended to grow with by breeding except for black and brown bears which are to be non breeding orphans or problem bears. Polar bears are to breed but with poor success they also want orphans and problem bears. Buffalo, Cattle and Bison TAG 2002 I don’t even think this one is worth doing seeing as its 11 years out of date. If someone would like I will go through it. Canine and Hyenid TAG 2011 Out Aardwolf Black Backed Jackal Corsac Fox Grey Fox Kit Fox New Guinea Singing Dog Raccoon dog In Dholes (not new but had been recommended for phase out before now they want to champion it) Caprinae TAG 2011 Out Alpine Chamois Muskox Himalayan Tahr Alpine Ibex Caucasus Wild Goat Aoudad European Mouflon Dall Sheep In None Charadriiformes TAG 2011 (Shore and sea birds) Another massively confusing thing. Chelonian TAG 2010 (Turtles) Looks like no changes. Ciconiiformes and Phoenicopteriformes TAG 2008 (Storks and other long legged birds) Out White Faced heron Indian Pond Heron Jabiru Black Headed Ibis In None Columbiformes TAG 2012 (Pigeon type birds) Another hard to figure out one. Coraciiformes TAG 2011 (Hornbills ect) No changes other than continue breeding and expanding. Unfortunately some of the TAG books are great. Super helpful. Super clear. Others are a real confusing challenge to figure out. You would think it would be fairly standerdized, right? Wrong.
Thanks for all the information TZFan. I would personally still would like to see the Buffalo, Cattle and Bison TAG. It's a shame reading about some of the species that are recommended for phase out, and the fact that not many are recommended for phase in.
Thanks for all that TZFan! I would, too, like to see the bovine TAG despite it being outdated. So I'm sure many of us have noticed the phase-outs occurring, but what about the phase-ins? Has anyone begun witnessing any of those species being brought into more zoos? All I can really think of is that Bronx has begun bringing in more waterfowl like Whooper Swans and Philippine Ducks. And back to the gibbons for a second, what species of hoolock is in the U.S. that they want to increase the captive populations of? ~Thylo
With regards to the hoolock gibbons I dont know. The book just said Hoolock gibbon. I'd never heard of them before so I assumed it was just one species. And for all the gibbons they want a boost but it was by small numbers like 5 or 10. Ok heres the bison, buffalo and cattle TAG from 2002 as requested. Out Wood Bison European Wisent Domestic Yak Domestic Asian Buffalo In None Crocodilian TAG 2012 Out Common Caiman Yacare Caiman Morelet’s Crocodile New Guinea Crocodile Mugger Crocodile (Marsh Croc) In None but they do seem to want increases in endangered small crocs. Interesting note while the American Alligators, American Crocodile, Australian Salt Water Crocodiles, Australian Freshwater Crocodiles and African Dwarf Crocodiles are to still be kept they are not to be bred and if the space can be converted to an endangered croc its recommended they do so. The African Dwarfs though have more flexibility if the space available is small and African specific. Nile crocs are still managed but zoos are encouraged to replace them specifically with African Slender snouted Crocodiles. So while these populations are still to be managed each seems slated to eventually be placed on the phase out lists when numbers decrease unless something happens to the wild populations. The focus is to move towards smaller endangered crocs. Cevid TAG 2009 (Deer) Out Hog Deer Indian Hog Deer Western Roe Deer Red Deer Eastern Elk MacNeil’s Deer Tu Le Elk Rocky Mountain Elk Roosevelt’s Elk Altai Wapiti Java Rusa European Fallow Deer Persian Fallow Deer Costa Rican Red Brocket In None Elephant TAG 2011 No changes Equid TAG 2011 No changes Felid TAG 2009 There are 36 species they sight as not recommended for management. Leopard (exception Amur Leopard) Generic Tiger Generic Lion Kodkod Andrean Mountain Cat African Golden Cat Asian Golden Cat Rusty Spotted Cat Flat head cat Bornean Bay Cat Leopard cat Marbled Cat Jungle Cat Temmincks Cat Chinese Mountain Cat Iberian Lynx Wildcat Pampas Cat Margay (replace with Ocelot) Oncilla (poor exhibit animal) Geoffroy’s Cat (replace with Ocelot) Eurasian Lynx (replaced with Canadian Lynx) In Jaguarundi Bobcats are off the phase out list and zoos with them are to allowed to managed the population to meet the need for bobcat specific exhibit needs. Im skipping fresh water fish unless someone really wants them.
Galliformes TAG 2011 (pheasant like birds) Out It doesn’t appear there are any noticeable phase outs. They want some reductions to help favour other species but no big total phase out. In All ins I’ve listed are species they want to see a big population jump from. Brown Eared Pheasant Edward’s Pheasant Wattled Curassow Blue Billed Curassow Cabot’s Tragopan Congo Peafowl Northern Helmeted Curassow Green Jungle Fowl Palawan Peacock-pheasant Horned Guan Crested Guineafowl Ocellated Turkey Vultruine Guineafowl Gruiformes TAG 2009 (Cranes and crane like birds) Out Painted Buttonquail Little Buttonquail Eurasian Crane Virginia Rail Giant Woodrail White Breasted Waterhen Giant Coot Black Legged Seriema In Hawaiian Gallinule Hawaiian Coot Lizard TAG 2013 I don’t believe there are any changes. Marine Fish Im skipping this one too unless anyone cares. Marine Mammal TAG 2009 I think I have this TAG figured out. It is pretty darn confusing. Out Brown Fur Seal In The AZA has left the door open for the introduction of Elephant Seals, Ringed Seals and Hooded Seals should any zoos develop an interest and workable plan for a healthy sustainable population. They aren’t recommending the move but are willing to entertain the idea down the line. So are they phase in species right now? No. But in the future their might be a possibility. Note The populations of Northern and southern Sea otters, Walrus, Steller Sea Lions and Pacific White Sided Dolphin appear to depend on wild captures for growth. Marsupial & Monotreme TAG 2012 Out Grey Four Eyed opossum Victorian Koala Striped Possum Goodfellow’s Tree Kangaroo In Tiger quoll Tasmainan Devil Southern Hairy nosed wombat Common Ringtail possum Spotted Cuscus All phase ins depend on the ability to get the animals. I'll finish off the last 3 TAGs later tonight.
I'm surprised that the AZA hasn't started phasing-out hybrid Cuban Crocodiles yet and breeding pure ones. I guess they're just going to continue listing the hybrids as Cubans and continue breeding them with pure, which will eventually wipe out the species in captivity. ~Thylo
I'm happy to see that the AZA wants to phase-in those species! Though a phase-out of any species, Marsupials more than some, is a real shame. Are cetaceans not listed in the Marine Mammal TAG? ~Thylo
