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American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA)

In 1990, the AZA established Taxon advisory Groups (TAGs) to examine the conservation needs of entire taxa, or groups of related species. Each TAG consists of representatives from AZA-member institutions and individuals with special expertise, such as AZA Species Survival Plan (SSP - see below) coordinators and studbook keepers (see below).

There is a Columbiformes TAG. The chair of this group is:
Ms. Chelle Plasse at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (Chelle.Plasse "at" disney.com)

Studbooks
An AZA studbook is a record of the history of a captive population. It includes pedigrees of animals and a listing of the locations in which animals have been held. The studbook traces the entire history of each individual in a population. Studbooks also contain a wealth of other information: data on the general biology and ecology of the species, the status and distribution of wild populations, as well as a bibliography of relevant publications. Furthermore, studbooks may either be regional (e.g., North American regional studbook) or international in scope. AZA studbooks are primarily used for monitoring and managing populations in zoos and aquariums. They provide an accurate database for particular species that allows detailed genetic and demographic analyses. The data can also be used to assess whether a population is stable, increasing, or decreasing in numbers.

Population Management Plans (PMPs)
Basic population management is necessary if zoos and aquariums are to maintain stable, self-sustaining populations. In 1994, the AAZA's Wildlife Conservation and Management Committee (WCMC) created Population Management Plans (PMPs) to provide basic population management for various captive populations. PMPs are established for studbook populations that do not require the intensive management and conservation action of Species Survival Plans (SSPs - see below). An AZA Population Management Plan (PMP) seeks to provide basic population management for zoo and aquarium species in order to establish stable, self-sustaining populations for the future.

Species Survival Plans (SSPs)
The Species Survival Plan program began in 1981 as a cooperative population management and conservation program for selected species in zoos and aquariums in North America. Each SSP manages the breeding of a species in order to maintain a healthy and self-sustaining population that is both genetically diverse and demographically stable. SSPs also participate in a variety of other cooperative conservation activities, such as research, public education, reintroduction and field projects.

Australasian Regional Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria (ARAZPA)

AZA have a Non-Passerine Bird Taxon Advisory Group. The Convener of this group is: Chris Hibbard, Taronga Zoo.

The ARAZPA have Australasian Species Management Programs (ASMP). There are two types: ASMP Conservation Programs and ASMP Population Management Programs (similar to the two types of AZA and EZA programs).

They currently have an ASMP Population Management plan for the:

Rose-crowned Fruit-dove Ptilinopus regina ewingi - Least Concern

European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA)

The European pigeon and dove TAG contact is Duncan Bolton at Bristol Zoo (dbolton "at" bristolzoo.org.uk).

European Endangered species Programme (EEP)
The EEP is the most intensive type of population management for a species kept in EAZA zoos. See the EAZA web site for more information.

European StudBook (ESB)
The ESB is less intensive than the EEP programme. All data on births, deaths, transfers etc are collated in the ESBs, from all the EAZA zoos that keep the species in question. By collecting and analysing all the relevant information on the species, the studbook keeper can judge if it is doing well in EAZA zoos, or if maybe a more rigid management is needed to maintain a healthy population over the long term. In that case, the studbook keeper may propose that the species be managed as an EEP programme. See the EAZA web site for more information.

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