Since there was such interest in Toronto's SSP I wasted the last three days ploughing through every single SSP available to look for every Canadian institution which might participate. Now give or take a few I think I have most of it covered. Some may have joined or left programs since the most up to date SSP available for that species. Based on my research 21 Canadian zoos and aquariums participate in 212 different SSPs. Of those 29 are green programs, 158 are yellow programs, 23 red programs and 2 candidate programs. For those who don't know there are three levels of SSP's that a zoo may be involved with, Green, Yellow and Red. Green are the most stable programs for the long term. Yellow programs are potentially stable but do require additional attention and effort to keep it stable. Things that could be consider in that is a need to increase space, genetic diversity and population size. Red programs are unstable populations in critical situations where intense management is needed to find founders, build the population and establish space. Generally these will be populations between 20 to 50 animals depending on the needs of the species. Lastly there is a fourth group called candidate programs which are ones they want to phase in and build and test interest. AZA Institutions Canada has 6 AZA institutions, Assiniboine, Calgary, Ripley's, Toronto, Vancouver Aquarium and Granby. The expectation of the AZA is that they participate in green level programs and try to participate in as many yellows and reds as possible. Assiniboine Park and Zoo Assiniboine participates in 47 SSPs. 6 green programs, 39 yellow programs and 2 red programs. 47 SSPs. Interesting note is the majority of the programs the participate in are bird programs. Green Programs Inca Tern Roseate Spoonbill Amur Tiger Tawny Frogmouth Red Panda Meerkat Yellow Programs Hawaiian Nene Goose Trumpeter Swan White-handed Gibbon Indian Flying Fox Polar Bear Turkmenian Markhor Sichuan Takin Spotted Dikkop Scarlet Ibis Roseatte Spoonbill European White Stork Marabou Stork Saddle-billed Stork Black-naped Fruit Dove Grey-capped Emerald Dove Blue-crowned Motmot Southern Ground Hornbill Przewalski’s Horse Snow Leopard Canada Lynx Ocelot Cougar Crested Wood-partridge Demoiselle Crane Sunbittern Prehensile-tailed skink Grey Seal Callimico Common Squirrel Monkey Cotton-top Tamarin Red-Crested Cardinal Snowy-headed Robin Chat Violet-backed (Amethyst) Starling Southern Tamandua Linne’s Two-toed Sloth Burrowing Owl Snowy Owl Rüppell’s Griffon Vulture Kinkajou Red Programs Sarus Crane Steller’s Sea-eagle Calgary Zoo Calgary participates in a total of 50 SSPs 15 green programs, 31 yellow programs and 4 red programs. Green Programs Generic Giraffe Gorilla Chilean Flamingo Grevy’s Zebra Lion Amur Tiger Whooping Crane Guereza Colobus Southern Rockhopper Penguin Humboldt Penguin King Penguin Ring-tailed Lemur North American River Otter Red Panda Meerkat Yellow Programs African Pygmy Goose Marbled Teal Masai Giraffe African Straw-colored Fruit Bat Turkmenian Markhor Spotted Dikkop Spur-winged Lapwing African Pancake Tortoise Egyptian Tortoise Hadada Ibis Southern Bald (Cape) Ibis Hamerkop African Spoonbill Przewalski’s Horse Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra Snow Leopard Cougar Komodo Dragon Prehensile-tailed skink Mandrill Japanese Macaque Violet-backed (Amethyst) Starling Golden-breasted Starling Black and White Ruffed Lemur Snowy Owl Rock Hyrax Cape Porcupine Greater Rhea River Hippopotamus Red River Hog Chacoan Peccary Red Programs Pallas’ Cat Macaroni Penguin Northern Rockhopper Penguin Ripley's Aquarium of Canada Ripley's participates in 7 yellow programs and no others. Yellow Programs Ocellated River Stingray White-blotched River Stingray Spotted Eagle Ray Sawfish Lined Seahorse Sand Tiger Shark Zebra Shark Toronto Zoo Toronto participates in 126 SSPs. 20 green programs, 91 yellow programs and 15 red programs. Not shockingly it participates in far more SSPs than any other zoo in the country. Green Programs Puerto Rican crested toad Western Lowland Gorilla Sumatran Orangutan Radiated Tortoise Black Breasted Leaf Turtle Caribbean Flamingo Grevy’s Zebra Jaguar Lion Amur Tiger Grey Crowned Crane Golden Lion Tamarin Tawny Frogmouth Plush Crested Jay White Crested Laughingthrush African Penguin Ring Tailed Lemur Meerkat North American River Otter Red Panda Yellow Programs Dusky Gopher Frog Panamanian Golden Frog (sora) Wyoming Toad Trumpeter Swan Common Eland Masai Giraffe Greater Kudu Wildebeest White Handed Gibbon Straw Coloured Fruit Bat Egyptian Fruit Bat Polar Bear Spotted Hyena Painted Terrapin Brown Forest Turtle Burmese Star Tortoise Home’s Hinge Back Tortoise Madagascar Spider Tortoise Madagascar Flat Tailed Tortoise Spiny Turtle Spotted Turtle Hamerkop African Sacred Ibis Scarlet Ibis African Spoonbill Marabou Stork Grey Capped Emerald Dove Luzon Bleeding Heart Dove Green Naped Pheasant Pigeon Nicobar Pigeon Victoria Crowned Pigeon Northern Ground Hornbill Southern Ground Hornbill Wrinkled Hornbill Laughing Kookaburra Blue Crowned Motmot Blue Bellied Roller Przewalski’s Horse Cheetah Clouded Leopard Snow Leopard Canadian Lynx Cougar Sumatran Tiger Lake Victoria Cichlids - Argens Lake Victoria Cichlids - Degeni Lake Victoria Cichlids - Perrieri Lake Victoria Cichlids - Paceatus Lake Victoria Cichlids - Two Stripe White Lips White Blotched River Stingray Palawan Peacock Pheasant Crested Wood Partridge Black Crake Wattled Crane Red Legged Seriema Sunbittern San Esteban Chuckwalla Komodo Dragon Chinese Crocodile Lizard Black Tree Monitor Prehensile-Tailed Skink Brush Tailed Bettong Short Beaked Echidna Western Grey Kangaroo Bennett’s Wallaby Southern Hairy Nosed Wombat Pygmy Marmoset Spider Monkey White Faced Saki Fairy Bluebird Golden Breasted Starling Linne’s Two Toed Sloth Green Aracari Eurasian Eagle Owl Snowy Owl Spectacled Owl Greater One Horned Rhino White Rhino Capybara African Crested Porcupine Prehensile Tailed Porcupine Black Footed Ferret Jamacian Boa Eastern Massassagua Rattlesnake Mexican Red Kneed Tarantula Violaceous Turaco White Cheeked Turaco Babirusa River Hippo Red River Hog Warthog Red Programs Indochinese Box Turtle Great Hornbill Sunda Gharial Moose Lake Victoria Cichlids - Ishmaeli Lake Victoria Cichlids - Melanopterus Cabot’s Tragopan Tree Kangaroo Lion Tailed Macque Red Billed Blue Magpie Stellar Sea Eagle Secretary Bird African Spotted Necked Otter Elegant Crested Tinamou Pygmy Hippo Vancouver Aquarium Vancouver participates in 12 SSPs. 1 green program, 8 yellow programs, 2 red programs and 1 candidate program. Green Programs African Penguin Yellow Programs Panamanian Golden Frog (Sora) Scarlet Ibis Ocellated River Stingray White-blotched River Stingray Zebra Shark Grey Seal Callimico Linne’s Two-toed Sloth Red Programs Tiger River Stingray Sea Otter Candidate Walrus Zoo de Granby Granby participates in 47 9 green programs, 33 yellow programs and 4 red programs. Green Programs Generic Giraffe Caribbean Flamingo Jaguar Lion Amur Tiger Guereza Colobus Ring-tailed Lemur Red Panda Meerkat Yellow Programs Southern Screamer Common Eland Thomson’s Gazelle Boat-billed Heron Marabou Stork African Elephant Przewalski’s Horse Plains Zebra Amur Leopard Snow Leopard Ocelot Red-crowned Crane Bennett’s Wallaby Callimico Spider Monkey White-faced Saki Golden Lion Tamarin Mandrill Japanese Macaque Turquoise Tanager Southern Three-banded Armadillo Linne’s Two-toed Sloth Green Aracari Andean Condor Snowy Owl Eurasian Eagle Owl Southern White Rhinoceros Capybara North American Porcupine Cape Porcupine Kinkajou White-Cheeked Turaco River Hippopotamus Red Programs Eastern Gray Kangaroo Patas Monkey Chestnut-mandibled Toucan Spotted-Necked Otter
Wow, this is a remarkable list, well done! I am little concerned though that you might be reading my mind. I was wondering how Toronto compared to other AZA institutions with regards to SSP participation but didn't want to ask as I knew it would take a lot of work to find out. Thanks for your all effort.
Just thought I would break up the AZA zoos from the non AZA zoos. Non AZA Here are the 15 non AZA SSP participates. The AZA doesn't frown upon non members participating in the programs. It may be harder to get animals as Toronto well knows from its time out but not impossible. In order to be given animals they must meet or exceed the requirements of the AZA for that species. African Lion Safari The safari participates in 13 SSPs. No green programs, 12 yellow programs and 1 red program. Yellow Programs Sichuan Takin Hadada Ibis Asian Elephant Cheetah Red-legged Seriema Western Gray Kangaroo Eurasian Eagle Owl Spectacled Owl Eurasian Black Vulture Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros Southern White Rhinoceros Red River Hog Red Programs Steller’s Sea-eagle Aquarium du Quebec The aquarium participates in 4 programs. 1 yellow program, 2 red programs and a candidate program. Yellow Program Polar bear Red Programs Grey Seal Eurasian Eagle Owl Candidate Walrus Cherry Brook Zoo Cherry Brook participates in 3 SSPs 1 green programs, and 2 yellow programs. Green Programs Amur Tiger Yellow Programs Callimico Golden Lion Tamarin Ecomuseum Zoo The Ecomuseum participates in 2 SSPs No green programs, 1 yellow programs and 1 red program. Yellow Programs Canada Lynx Red Programs Snowy Owl Edmonton Valley Zoo Edmonton participates in 24 SSPs 5 green programs, 18 yellow programs and 1 red program. Green Programs Grevy’s Zebra Ring-tailed Lemur North American River Otter Red Panda Meerkat Yellow Programs Sichuan Takin Asian Elephant Snow Leopard Canada Lynx Serval Prehensile-tailed skink Grey Seal Bennett’s Wallaby Callimico Southern Three-banded Armadillo Linne’s Two-toed Sloth Green Aracari Mongoose Lemur Black and White Ruffed Lemur Eurasian Eagle Owl Capybara Rock Hyrax Prehensile-tailed Porcupine Red Programs Kea Elmvale Jungle Zoo Elmvale participates in SSPs No green programs, 2 yellow programs and 1 red program. Yellow Programs Sichuan Takin Blue-crowned Motmot Red Programs Sarus Crane Greater Vancouver Zoo Vancouver participates in 11 SSPs 1 green program, 9 yellow programs and 1 red program. Green Programs Red Panda Yellow Programs Common Eland Sichuan Takin Marabou Stork Père David’s Deer Bennett’s Wallaby Common Squirrel Monkey Capybara White-nosed Coatimundi Red River Hog Red Programs Caracal Indian River Reptile Zoo Indian River participates in 3 SSPs. 1 green program and 2 yellow programs. Green Programs Black-breasted Leaf Turtle Yellow Programs Black Tree Monitor Home's Hinge-back Tortoise Jungle Cat World They participate in 4 SSPs. No green programs, 3 yellow programs and a red program. Yellow Programs Amur Leopard Snow Leopard Ocelot Red Programs Eurasian Eagle Owl Magnetic Hill Magnetic Hill participates in 6 SSPs. 1 green program, 4 yellow programs and 1 red program. Green Programs Meerkat Yellow Programs Marabou Stork Przewalski’s Horse Amur Leopard Hyacinth Macaw Red Programs Greater Rhea Montreal Biodome The Biodome participates in 23 SSPs. 6 green programs, 14 yellow programs and 3 red programs. Green Programs Common Murre Cotton-top Tamarin Macaroni Penguin Gentoo Penguin King Penguin North American River Otter Yellow Programs Atlantic Puffin Wood Turtle Scarlet Ibis Blue-crowned Motmot Canada Lynx White-blotched River Stingray Helmeted Curassow Sunbittern Callimico Golden Lion Tamarin Turquoise Tanager Linne’s Two-toed Sloth Hyacinth Macaw Green Aracari Red Programs Northern Rockhopper Penguin Capybara North American Porcupine Parc Safari The safari participates in 10 SSPs. 1 green programs, 9 yellow programs and no red programs. Green Programs Generic Giraffe Yellow Programs Greater Kudu Sichuan Takin Père David’s Deer African Elephant Przewalski’s Horse Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra Cheetah Canada Lynx Greater Rhea Riverview Park and Zoo Riverview participates in 9 SSPs. 1 green program and 8 yellow programs. Green Programs Meerkat Yellow Programs Sichuan Takin Red-billed Hornbill Bobcat Bennett’s Wallaby Common Squirrel Monkey Linne’s Two-toed Sloth Capybara Greater Rhea Safari Niagara The safari participates in 7 SSPs. 2 green programs, 4 yellow programs and a red program. Green Programs Red Panda Meerkat Yellow Programs Callimico Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros Southern White Rhinoceros Prehensile-tailed Porcupine Red Programs Moose Saskatoon Forestry Farm Zoo Saskatoon participates in 2 SSPs. They are down by two after some recent movement in red pandas and komodos. No green programs, 1 yellow program and 1 red program. Yellow Programs Canada Lynx Red Programs Snowy Owl Zoo Sauvage de St Felicien St Felicien participates in 7 SSPs No green programs, 5 yellow programs, 1 red program and a candidate program. Yellow Programs Trumpeter Swan Polar bear Przewalski’s Horse Bobcat Canada Lynx Red Programs Moose Candidate Program Wolverine That brings it to the end. I know a number of the non AZA zoos have a ton of animals that can go in SSP programs but for whatever reason they don't. A big one I know is missing in the list is Bactrian Camels. There just wasn't and SSP to check the list off against.
Honestly it was a product of boredom. I wondered how the other AZA zoos in Canada stacked up. Then I said well what about the rest? It was interesting to find out things. With the AZA zoos cool things I picked up... I for one didn't know or remember Ripley's joined the AZA. It was interesting to see in comparison to Toronto how few programs Calgary participates in. I knew it would be less than Toronto given the physical space difference between the two. I just didn't realize it would be 40% of what Toronto has. I thought they would have about 80 programs with possibly a heavy lean towards reptiles, amphibians and birds instead of the bigger mammals. I really thought they would be much more comparable to Toronto. I had always wondered who was the number two zoo after Toronto in the country. I assumed Calgary but it was interesting to see Granby and Assiniboine are chomping at their heels. As for the non AZA zoos I was surprised by a number of things.... How few participate in green programs. One would think that would be the easiest to join because of the ease of getting the animals. Many of the smaller zoos have various types of zerbas yet only Edmonton and Parc Safari participate in an AZA program for a zebra species. But then again if the AZA has a thriving program there really is little need to allow non members to join in. Which zoos had the largest participation. I assumed Edmonton would be the top non Aza zoo which is correct. However I was surprised the Biodome came out as number two. I was leaning towards Parc Safari or African Lion Safari. Based on what I have been seeing with Parc Safari I do think they will continue to increase their AZA participation. When I first started looking at the AZA they didn't show up very often but they are new participants in a number of programs. They could be working themselves up for AZA membership possibly.
Could someone tell me how each level of SSPs work? If i'm getting it, Red programs are the worst the zoo has and Green's the best?
None of the programs is best or worst. It's about the health of the population of that species and how strong the chances are for keeping that species thriving in captivity for future generations. The standard question is how likely is it that this population will be represented and healthy for the next 100 years. Tons of factors are always simultaneously at play. Population size Ability of the population to breed Demographics of the population genetic diversity Potential for new founder animals space available to house them Institutional interest Housing requirements mixed species compatibility to maximize space status of the species in the wild What species is the limited space available best suited for representation of the species in other geographically based zoo associations (Europe being the most commonly considered) Just to name a few off the top of my head. Green programs have the best chance of long term success with oversight. Yellow programs need a little work in various areas but have potential to be successful long term with careful management. Red programs will need a lot of management and oversight to ensure success but even then nothing is guaranteed if they cannot meet the needs. Candidate programs are emerging ones that will need a lot of supervision to build into a Red program. Movement between levels is very possible so long as the SSP can achieve its goals and meet Taxon Advisory Group (TAG) requirements. They can also be downgraded if things go array to the point of being a reg program that becomes a phase out species (Sun bears are a good example of a red to phase out species). Hope that helps a little.
@Yi Qi The different levels have specific cutoffs, relating to demographics and genetic outlook. They also have different participation rules. Green SSPs: AZA population is 50 or more animals and can maintain at least 90% gene diversity for 100 years or 10 generations* (whichever comes first). Unlike in the other three programs, transfer and breeding recommendations are mandatory, and non-AZA facilities have to apply for participation. *the AZA population alone must meet these requirements. If 50 animals and/or 90% GD can only be maintained because of non-AZA participants, then it doesn't qualify. Interesting fact: if a population receives a constant flux of imports that allows it to stay over 90% indefinitely, it can qualify as a Green SSP. Yellow SSPs: Population is at least 50 animals and cannot maintain 90% GD for 100 years or 10 generations. As with the following two programs, participation is open to non-AZA facilities and transfer/breeding recommendations are optional but highly encouraged. Red SSPs: Population is below 50 animals and cannot maintain 90% GD for 100 years or 10 generations (which would be impossible for most programs below 50 animals anyway). Same rules apply as with Yellow SSPs. Candidate Programs: Goal is to develop into an SSP. These can be small populations that are just starting out, or existing populations that have not historically been managed. Same rules apply as with Yellow and Red SSPs.
Thanks for the information, TZFan and Coelacanth18. Question: do zoos engage in rare breed survival plans of any sort?
All zoos can have non SSP species. Some will be quite rare in North America with only a handful of animals bred and swapped between zoos.But the realistic goal of keeping the lines genetically diverse in such small populations is virtually impossible unless additional founders are brought in to decrease inbreeding. These small breeding groups are not managed by the AZA unless its a candidate or red program.
Thank you TZFan, this is fascinating! Having visited The Edmonton Valley Zoo recently I was interested to see how they stacked up...pleased to see how many programs they are involved in.
@TZFan, the big reason so few non AZA participate in greens is because of the difficulty to enter into a Green SSP. Entering into a yellow or red is much easier due to more flexible entry and participation requirements, and often times these growing SSP's are desperate for new holders.
Thanks Hyak_II! Logically speaking one would think more animals, stable program it would be easier but I can see what your saying. Same reasons and you can afford to be pickier. Never thought of it from the other side.
