The American Species Survival Plan or SSP program was developed in 1981 by the (American)

Association of Zoos and Aquariums The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), originally the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums (AAZPA), is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1924 and dedicated to the advancement of zoos and public aqu ...

to help ensure the survival of selected species in zoos and

aquarium An aquarium (: aquariums or aquaria) is a vivarium of any size having at least one transparent side in which aquatic plants or animals are kept and displayed. fishkeeping, Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, aquati ...

s, most of which are threatened or

endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, inv ...

in the wild.

SSP program

SSP programs focus on animals that are near threatened, threatened, endangered, or otherwise in danger of

extinction Extinction is the termination of an organism by the death of its Endling, last member. A taxon may become Functional extinction, functionally extinct before the death of its last member if it loses the capacity to Reproduction, reproduce and ...

in the wild, when zoo and zoology conservationists believe

captive breeding Captive breeding, also known as captive propagation, is the process of keeping plants or animals in controlled environments, such as wildlife reserves, zoos, Botanical garden, botanic gardens, and other Conservation biology, conservation facilitie ...

programs will aid in their chances of survival."Species Survival Plans help preserve wildlife"
on the Central Florida Zoo website. These programs help maintain healthy and genetically diverse animal populations within the Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited zoo community. AZA accredited zoos and AZA conservation partners that are involved in SSP programs engage in cooperative population management and conservation efforts that include research, conservation genetics, public education, reintroduction, and ''

in situ is a Latin phrase meaning 'in place' or 'on site', derived from ' ('in') and ' ( ablative of ''situs'', ). The term typically refers to the examination or occurrence of a process within its original context, without relocation. The term is use ...

'' or field conservation projects. The process for selecting recommended species is guided by Taxon Advisory Groups, whose sole objective is to curate Regional Collection Plans for the conservation needs of a species and how AZA institutions will cooperate to reach those needs. Today, there are almost 300 existing SSP programs. The SSP has been met with widespread success in ensuring that, should a species population become functionally extinct in its natural habitat, a viable population still exists within a zoological setting. This has also led to AZA species reintroduction programs, examples of which include the

black-footed ferret The black-footed ferret (''Mustela nigripes''), also known as the American polecatHeptner, V. G. (Vladimir Georgievich); Nasimovich, A. A; Bannikov, Andrei Grigorovich; Hoffmann, Robert S. (2001)''Mammals of the Soviet Union''Volume: v. 2, pt. 1 ...

, the California condor, the northern riffleshell, the

golden lion tamarin The golden lion tamarin (''Leontopithecus rosalia''; ), less commonly known as the golden lion marmoset, is a small New World monkey of the family Callitrichidae. Endemic to the Atlantic coastal forests of Brazil, the golden lion tamarin is a ...

, the Karner blue butterfly, the Oregon spotted frog, the palila finch, the

red wolf The red wolf (''Canis rufus'') is a Canis, canine native to the southeastern United States. Its size is intermediate between the coyote (''Canis latrans'') and Wolf, gray wolf (''Canis lupus''). The red wolf's taxonomic classification as being ...

, and the Wyoming toad.

SSP master plan

An SSP master plan is a document produced by the SSP coordinator (generally a zoo professional under the guidance of an elected management committee) for a certain species. This document sets '' ex situ'' population goals and other management recommendations to achieve the maximum genetic diversity and demographic stability for a species, given transfer and space constraints.

List of SSP programs

As of 2025, there are 295 species that are a part of the Species Survival Plan program.While these are called Species Survival Plan programs, some animals on this list are subspecies. Other animal names on this list are not the commonly used name, however they are the official name of their respective SSP program. *

Aardvark Aardvarks ( ; ''Orycteropus afer'') are medium-sized, burrowing, nocturnal mammals native to Africa. Aardvarks are the only living species of the family Orycteropodidae and the order Tubulidentata. They have a long proboscis, similar to a pi ...

Addax The addax (''Addax nasomaculatus''), also known as the white antelope and the screwhorn antelope, is an antelope native to the Sahara Desert. The only member of the genus ''Addax'', it was first described scientifically by Henri de Blainvil ...

* Agouti, Brazilian * Alligator, Chinese * Anaconda, Green * Anteater, Giant * Antelope, Roan * Antelope, Sable * Aracari, Curl-Crested * Aracari, Green * Argus, Great * Armadillo, Screaming * Armadillo, Six-banded * Armadillo, Southern three-banded * Ass, Somali wild * Avocet, American * Babirusa, North Sulawesi * Baboon, Hamadryas * Barbet, Red-and-yellow * Bat, Egyptian fruit * Bat, Rodrigues fruit * Bat, Straw-colored fruit * Bear, Andean spectacled * Bear, Sloth * Beaver, American *

Binturong The binturong (''Arctictis binturong'') (, ), also known as the bearcat, is a viverridae, viverrid native to South Asia, South and Southeast Asia. It is uncommon in much of its range, and has been assessed as Vulnerable species, Vulnerable on th ...

* Bird-of-paradise, Raggiana * Bluebird, Fairy * Boa, Jamaican * Bongo, Eastern *

Bonobo The bonobo (; ''Pan paniscus''), also historically called the pygmy chimpanzee (less often the dwarf chimpanzee or gracile chimpanzee), is an endangered great ape and one of the two species making up the genus ''Pan (genus), Pan'' (the other bei ...

* Bushbaby, Mohol * Cacique, Yellow-rumped * Callimico *

Capybara The capybara or greater capybara (''Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris'') is the largest living rodent, native to South America. It is a member of the genus '' Hydrochoerus''. The only other extant member is the lesser capybara (''Hydrochoerus isthmi ...

* Cardinal, Red-capped * Cassowary, Southern (double-wattled) * Cat, Pallas * Cat, Sand *

Cheetah The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large Felidae, cat and the Fastest animals, fastest land animal. It has a tawny to creamy white or pale buff fur that is marked with evenly spaced, solid black spots. The head is small and rounded, wit ...

Chimpanzee The chimpanzee (; ''Pan troglodytes''), also simply known as the chimp, is a species of Hominidae, great ape native to the forests and savannahs of tropical Africa. It has four confirmed subspecies and a fifth proposed one. When its close rel ...

* Chuckwalla, San Esteban * Cobra, King * Colobus, Angolan * Colobus, Guereza * Condor, Andean * Coua, Crested * Crane, Black crowned * Crane, Demoiselle * Crane, Grey crowned * Crane, Red crowned * Crane, Wattled * Crane, White-naped * Curassow, Blue-billed * Curassow, Helmeted * Deer, Western tufted * Dikkop, Spotted * Dog, African painted * Dove, Beautiful fruit * Dove, Black-naped fruit * Dove, Luzon bleeding heart * Dove, Mindanao bleeding heart * Dragon, Komodo * Duck, Spotted whistling * Duck, West Indian whistling * Duiker, Blue * Duiker, Yellow-backed * Elephant, African * Elephant, Asian * Flamingo, Caribbean * Flamingo, Chilean * Flamingo, Greater * Flamingo, Lesser * Fossa * Fox, Bat-eared * Fox, Fennec * Fox, Swift * Frog, Panamanian golden (ahogado) * Frog, Panamanian Golden (sora) * Frogmouth, Tawny * Gazelle, Addra * Gecko, Giant leaf-tailed * Gecko, Henkel's leaf-tailed * Gharial, Sunda * Gibbon, Lar (white-handed) * Gibbon, White-cheeked * Giraffe, Generic * Giraffe, Masai * Goose, African pygmy * Goose, Red-breasted * Goose, Swan * Gorilla, Western Lowland * Guineafowl, Crested *

Hamerkop The hamerkop (''Scopus umbretta'') is a medium-sized bird. It is the only living species in the genus ''Scopus (bird), Scopus'' and the family (biology), family Scopidae. The species and family was long thought to sit with the Ciconiiformes but ...

* Heron, Boat-billed * Hippopotamus, Pygmy * Hippopotamus, River * Hog, Red River * Honeyeater, Blue-Faced * Hornbill, Abyssinian Ground * Hornbill, Red-Billed * Hornbill, Rhinoceros * Hornbill, Southern Ground * Hornbill, Trumpeter * Hornbill, Wrinkled * Horse, Asian Wild * Hwamei, Chinese * Hyena, spotted * Hyrax, Rock * Ibis, African Sacred * Ibis, Hadada * Ibis, Scarlet * Ibis, Waldrapp * Iguana, Fiji Banded * Iguana, Grand Cayman Blue * Iguana, Jamaican *

Jaguar The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large felidae, cat species and the only extant taxon, living member of the genus ''Panthera'' that is native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the biggest cat spe ...

* Jay, Plush Crested * Kangaroo, Red * Kangaroo, Western Gray * Kookaburra, Laughing * Kudu, Lesser * Langur, Francois' * Lapwing, Masked * Lapwing, Spur-Winged * Laughingthrush, White-Crested * Leiothrix, Red-Billed * Lemur, Black and White Ruffed * Lemur, Collared * Lemur, Mongoose * Lemur, Red Ruffed * Lemur, Ring-Tailed * Leopard, Clouded * Leopard, Snow * Liocichla, Scarlet-Faced *

Lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'', native to Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body (biology), body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the ...

* Lizard, Caiman * Lizard, Chinese crocodile * Lizard, Rio Fuerte Beaded * Loris, Pygmy Slow * Lynx, Canada * Macaque, Japanese * Macaw, Blue-Throated * Macaw, Hyacinth * Macaw, Red-Fronted * Magpie, Azure-Winged *

Mandrill The mandrill (''Mandrillus sphinx'') is a large Old World monkey native to west central Africa. It is one of the most colorful mammals in the world, with red and blue skin on its face and posterior. The species is Sexual dimorphism, sexually ...

* Mara, Patagonian * Marmoset, Geoffroy's *

Meerkat The meerkat (''Suricata suricatta'') or suricate is a small mongoose found in southern Africa. It is characterised by a broad head, large eyes, a pointed snout, long legs, a thin tapering tail, and a brindled coat pattern. The head-and-body ...

* Merganser, Scaly-Sided * Monitor, Black Tree * Monkey, Bolivian Gray Titi * Monkey, Common Squirrel * Monkey, DeBrazza's * Monkey, Mexican Spider * Monkey, Robust Black Spider * Monkey, Southern Black Howler * Motmot, Blue-Crowned * Muntjac, Reeves' * Myna, Bali *

Ocelot The ocelot (''Leopardus pardalis'') is a medium-sized spotted Felidae, wild cat that reaches at the shoulders and weighs between on average. It is native to the southwestern United States, Mexico, Central America, Central and South America, ...

Okapi The okapi (; ''Okapia johnstoni''), also known as the forest giraffe, Congolese giraffe and zebra giraffe, is an artiodactyl mammal that is endemic to the northeast Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa. However, non-invasive gen ...

* Orangutan, Bornean * Orangutan, Sumatran * Oropendola, Crested * Oryx, Scimitar-Horned * Otter, Asian Small-Clawed * Otter, North American River * Owl, Burrowing * Owl, Snowy * Owl, Spectacled * Panda, red (fulgens) * Panda, red (refulgens) * Partridge, Crested Wood * Peccary, Chacoan * Pelican, Pink-Backed * Penguin, African * Penguin, Chinstrap * Penguin, Gentoo (ellsworthi) * Penguin, Humboldt * Penguin, King * Penguin, Magellanic * Penguin, Southern Rockhopper * Pheasant, Palawan Peacock * Pheasant, Vietnam * Pigeon, Green-Naped Pheasant * Pigeon, Nicobar * Pigeon, Victoria Crowned * Pochard, Baer's * Porcupine, Cape * Porcupine, Crested * Porcupine, North American * Porcupine, Prehensile-Tailed * Pudu, Chilean (Southern) * Puffin, Tufted * Rattlesnake, Aruba Island * Rattlesnake, Eastern Massasauga * Rattlesnake, Santa Catalina Island * Ray, Spotted Eagle * Rhinoceros, Eastern Black * Rhinoceros, Greater One-Horned * Rhinoceros, Southern White * Ringtail * Roadrunner, Greater * Roller, Blue-Bellied * Saki, White-Faced * Screamer, Southern * Sea Lion, California * Seahorse, Big Bellied * Seahorse, Lined * Seal, Harbor * Seriema, Red-Legged *

Serval The serval (''Leptailurus serval'') is a wild small cat native to Africa. It is widespread in sub-Saharan countries, where it inhabits grasslands, wetlands, moorlands and bamboo thickets. Across its range, it occurs in protected areas, and ...

* Shama, White-rumped * Shark, Sand Tiger * Shark, Zebra *

Siamang The siamang (, ; ''Symphalangus syndactylus'') is an endangered arboreal, black-furred gibbon native to the forests of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. The largest of the gibbons, the siamang can be twice the size of other gibbons, reaching i ...

* Skink, Prehensile-Tailed * Sloth, Hoffman's Two-Toed * Sloth, Linne's Two-Toed * Snake, Eastern Indigo * Spoonbill, African * Spoonbill, Roseate * Squirrel, Prevost's * Starling, Emerald * Starling, Golden-Breasted * Starling, Violet-Backed (Amethyst) * Stilt, Black-Necked * Stingray, White-Blotched River * Stork, Abdim's (White-Bellied) * Stork, Marabou * Stork, Saddle-Billed * Stork, White *

Sunbittern The sunbittern (''Eurypyga helias'') is a bittern-like bird of tropical regions of the Americas, and the sole member of the family Eurypygidae (sometimes spelled Eurypigidae) and genus ''Eurypyga''. It is found in Central and South America, an ...

* Swan, Coscoroba * Swan, Trumpeter * Takin, Sichuan * Tamandua, Southern * Tamarin, Bearded Emperor * Tamarin, Cotton-Top * Tamarin, Golden Lion * Tanager, Blue-Grey * Tanager, Silver-Beaked * Tanager, Turquoise * Tapir, Malayan (Asian) * Teal, Marbled * Tenrec, Lesser Madagascar Hedgehog * Tern, Inca * Tiger, Amur * Tiger, Malayan * Tiger, Sumatran * Tortoise, African Pancake * Tortoise, Brown Forest * Tortoise, Burmese Black * Tortoise, Burmese Star * Tortoise, Egyptian * Tortoise, Galapagos (microphyes) * Tortoise, Home's Hinge-back * Tortoise, Madagascar Flat-Tailed * Tortoise, Madagascar spider (Common) * Tortoise, Madagascar spider (Northern) * Tortoise, Radiated * Toucan, Keel-Billed * Toucan, Toco * Tragopan, Cabot's * Tree Kangaroo, Matschie's * Tree Shrew, Northern * Troupial * Trumpeter, Grey-Winged * Turaco, Great Blue * Turaco, Lady Ross' * Turaco, Red-Crested * Turaco, Violaceous * Turaco, White-Cheeked * Turtle, Black-Breasted Leaf * Turtle, Blanding's * Turtle, Coahuilan Box * Turtle, Indochinese Box * Turtle, Malaysian Giant * Turtle, McCord's Box * Turtle, Pan's Box * Turtle, Rote Island Snake-Necked * Turtle, Spiny * Turtle, Spotted * Vulture, Cinereous * Vulture, King * Wallaby, Bennett's (Red-necked) * Wallaby, Tammar * Wallaroo, Common * Warthog, Common * Weaver, White-Headed Buffalo * Wolf, Maned * Woodhoopoe, Green * Zebra, Grevy's * Zebra, Hartmann's mountain * Zebra, Plains

SSP program

SSP master plan

See also

List of SSP programs

Notes

References

External links