EAZA Ex-Situ Programmes update

I saw this post shared by the Antelope Conservation (formerly Derbianus Conservation) on instagram back at May. The first picture features a slide featuring a list of non-linked EEPs (I don’t know the definition of non-linked with regard to EEPs). From what I can make out of the blurry text, the list predominantly features antelopes already on EAZA’s ex-situ programme spreadsheet such as Beisa oryx, Nile lechwe, and black wildebeest. However what caught my eye was the second point on the list. It does look like as if it spells out Speke’s gazelle.

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There is the potential interest in creating a programme for Speke's Gazelle. But I would not count on getting animals in Europe. The programme would be run in the Middle East (where EAZA members hold the species) and/or in range countries.
 
The EAZA TAG Report for 2023 was released within the last hour. Here are some things I have noticed already:

Terrestrial Invertebrate TAG
  • The Lord Howe Island stick insect EEP is due to switch from Bristol Zoo to either ZSL London or Prague, as the latter two collections are planning to take on the species and Bristol is exiting the programme.
Elasmobranch TAG
  • In preparation for the smooth-hound EEP, genetic testing has been done to identify which of the two European species are kept in captivity. It has been found that several collections misidentified their starry smooth-hounds Mustelus asterias with common smooth-hounds M. mustelus - the latter species is only kept in Spain, with all others being the former species.
  • It was also announced that one species that will get a new-style EEP is the blackchin guitarfish, which has also had genetic research done on it.
Penguin TAG
  • The EAZA continues to be in close contact with ZAA in Australia with regards to importing more groups of little blue penguins.
Ciconiiformes and Phoenicopteriformes TAG
  • The RCP for this group was carried out recently, but is yet to be finalised. This has resulted in a proposal for twenty-one EEPs, including four for multiple species. Currently, there are eleven programmes managed at EEP or ESB level for this group.
Galliformes TAG
  • The report mentions the planned new-style EEPs that have already been recorded on this thread.
Gruiformes TAG
  • There is more information about some of the 14 recommended new-style EEPs for this group, including: a new one for the grey crowned-crane, upgrading the current black crowned-crane studbook, one for the sarus crane, one for the grey-winged trumpeter (to potentially serve as a model for the threatened dark-winged trumpeter), a general EEP for rails and new EEPS for both the great and little bustard to support reintroduction projects.
Toucan and Turaco TAG
  • The draft RCP for this group, which also includes trogons, hummingbirds, barbets, kingfishers, bee-eaters and rollers among other birds, was carried out. This draft will be circulated in 2024 before it is fully approved.
Monotreme and Marsupial TAG
  • This includes more information about many of the new and current programmes, including attempts to move the short-beaked echidna from monitoring programme to new-style EEP.
  • There is no mention at all of the greater bilby programme.
Callitrichid TAG
  • The splitting of the invasive marmosets EEP into the common and black tufted-ear marmoset programmes is mentioned.
  • While Jersey Zoo still maintain the EEPs for pied and black lion tamarins, they no longer wish to support the EEPs for buffy tufted-ear and buffy-headed marmosets, with a solution still needing to be found.
Larger New World Monkey TAG
  • Discussions are ongoing as to the future of the white-throated capuchin EEP, as there is presumed hybrisiation in the EAZA population and it is a challenge collaborating with the non-EAZA holders.
Small Mammal TAG
  • The second of four RCP workshops, covering the Afrotheres, bats and insectivores was completed in October.
  • There is a new monitoring programme for black-and-rufous elephant shrews, overseen by Leipzig Zoo.
  • The monitoring programmes for the Panay cloudrunner and springhare were discontinued because of the limited number of individuals for each population.
Bear TAG
  • Part of the Malayan sun bear EEP will involve importing new founders (especially males) and increasing the population to a minimum of 50 individuals in the next five to ten years.
Felid TAG
  • The document does mention EEPs for both the puma and the European wildcat, although neither appear on the main list of breeding programmes.
Equid TAG
  • Some details were included about most of the different EEPs for equids. To start with, the kulan population is aging, so the movements of four stallions were arranged to start breeding and eight zoos received breeding recommendations. Only three foals were born in 2023, of which one did not survive.
  • The onager population remains stable.
  • The number of breeding recommendations for Przewalski's horses was increased, to produce candidate horses for two reintroduction projects. The EEP is also working with the rewilding programme in Spain.
  • The EEP plans to increase breeding of the Somali wild ass, as the population is too low. The genetics of the Hai Bar population in Israel will need to be assessed before they enter the programme, as they may be hybrids. The success of this programme has been made more important by AZA discontinuing their SSP.
  • The maneless zebra EEP lost a breeding institution, but two new breeding groups were established. One new holder is expected to join the programme, and another is expected to start breeding. The population only grew by three individuals, although the programme is said to need to at least double within the coming years.
  • Two holders of the Hartmann's mountain zebra EEP were lost in 2023, and it is now recommended to avoid mixed exhibits with this species following several negative experiences.
  • The EEP of Grevy's zebra is still very small and breeding recommendations were issued to increase their numbers. Research is starting to try and find the causes of low foal survival.
Rhinoceros TAG
  • The white rhinoceros EEP is now challenged by having more births than deaths, and is looking both for new holders and for current holders to have paddocks for surplus animals.
  • The black rhinoceros EEP is looking to potentially import a new bull from the Japanese zoo population. Work continues on potentially moving rhinos to Tanzania for reintroduction, and to send two bulls to Thaba Tholo Reserve in South Africa.
  • The Indian rhinoceros EEP is still struggling with the sex ratio of the population, with considerably more males than breeding females.
Cattle and Camelid TAG
  • The document mentions the review of the gaur as a phase-out species - obviously, this seems to have now reversed course come 2024.
Deer TAG
  • The Deer TAG records that all but one of the 18 EEPs had been established by 2023 - the one missing EEP is said to be for the Formosan sika deer. This is rather confusing, as the studbook list already records 18 species, with the second sika EEP taking it to 19.
Antelope and Giraffid TAG
  • Information about the Speke's gazelle EEP is mentioned - it was proposed, but the largest holder left EAZA in 2023 and left only one holder in the association. As a result, the TAG decided not to pursue this EEP anymore.
The full annual report can be read in the link below:
https://www.eaza.net/assets/Uploads/Annual-report/2023-TAG-AR-WEB.pdf
 
Glad to see the plans for little blue penguins are still going forward, I hope we can see a new group in Europe by the end of the year.
 
The latest copy of Zooquaria has recently been released, with one article concerning the new studbooks planned by the Parrot TAG. The article says there will be 28 new-style EEPs (an earlier post on the EAZA Facebook page suggested there would be 32). As well as the hyacinth macaw and yellow-crested cockatoo, whose existing programmes have already been upgraded to new-style EEPs, a further three programmes are mentioned:
  • Swift parrot, a Critically Endangered species whose European captive population may contain genetic material that has been lost in the wild
  • Budgerigars and rainbow lorikeets, whose EEPs will focus on ensuring the welfare and population sustainability of these species within walkthrough exhibits - there are concerns that such exhibits may be affecting the welfare of these birds. According to the article: 'Such EEPs will essentially be research projects with a limited operation time until the issues have been addressed.'
The Zooquaria issue can be seen below - the parrot article is on pages 16-17:
https://strapi.eaza.net/uploads/ZQ_123_web_c5eab3bacc.pdf
 
The EAZA have updated their website today, but unfortunately it does seem that with this change they have removed the breeding programmes list that was occasionally updated throughout the year.
 
That’s a bummer :/. I guess all we have now are drops of information given to us through Zooquaria.

I guess it’s for the best.
 
The EAZA have updated their website today, but unfortunately it does seem that with this change they have removed the breeding programmes list that was occasionally updated throughout the year.

Some positive news on this front - the website update has been announced on Facebook and EAZA have confirmed, in a reply to a comment about it, that the list is being updated and will be re-added in the future.
 
Recently, the October 2024 version of the breeding programmes list was posted onto the EAZA website. These are all the changes I could find:

Elasmobranch TAG
  • The zebra shark new-style EEP no longer has a coordinator (it was previously overseen by Genova Aquarium).
Marine Teleost TAG
  • A new-style EEP has been created for the Banggai cardinalfish, overseen by Chessington World of Adventures.
Reptile TAG
  • A new-style EEP has been created for the Ethiopian mountain adder, overseen by ZSL London Zoo.
  • The green tree monitor has been upgraded from an ESB to a new-style EEP, going from a vacant programme to being coordinated by Jersey Zoo.
  • The Madagascar tree boa has also been upgraded from ESB to new-style EEP, still overseen by Warsaw Zoo.
Raptor TAG
  • A new-style EEP has been created for the harpy eagle, overseen by Nuremberg Zoo.
Charadriiformes TAG
  • A new-style EEP has been created for the common redshank, overseen by Artis Zoo.
  • The Atlantic puffin ESB has been upgraded to a new-style EEP, still overseen by Copenhagen Zoo.
Pigeon and Dove TAG
  • The Mauritius pink pigeon programme has been upgraded from old- to new-style EEP, still overseen by Jersey Zoo.
Parrot TAG
  • The kea ESB has been upgraded to a new-style EEP, still overseen by Parrot World.
  • The red-tailed amazon has been upgraded from old- to new-style EEP, still overseen by Zurich Zoo.
Songbird TAG
  • A new-style EEP has been created for the silver-eared mesia, overseen by Chester Zoo.
Monotreme and Marsupial TAG
  • A new-style EEP has been created for the parma wallaby, overseen by Longleat Safari Park.
  • A new-style EEP has been created for both the short-beaked and Western long-beaked echidna, overseen by Budapest Zoo.
Small Mammal TAG
  • The Linne's two-toed sloth ESB has been upgraded to a new-style EEP, still overseen by Halle.
  • The Hoffman's two-toed sloth ESB coordinated by Halle has been removed.
Small Carnivore TAG
  • A new-style EEP has been created for Malagasy small carnivores (encompassing the bokiboky, vontsiras, fanaloka and falanoucs), overseen by Berlin Zoo. The bokiboky and ring-tailed vontsira ESBs are still listed, but I imagine will be removed pretty soon.
Marine Mammal TAG
  • A new-style EEP for both South American and Cape fur seals has replaced the South American fur seal ESB, still being coordinated by Dortmund.
  • A new-style EEP for the Lahille's bottlenose dolphin has been created, coordinated by Nuremberg Zoo.
  • The California sea lion, grey seal, common bottlenose dolphin and Antillean manatee programmes have all been upgraded to new-style EEPs, still overseen by the previous coordinators.
Elephant TAG
  • Both the African and Asian elephants have been upgraded from old- to new-style EEPs, with both being managed by the same coordinators (Wuppertal for African, Rotterdam for Asian).
Tapir and Suiform TAG
  • The red river hog's old-style EEP has been upgraded to a new-style one, and has gone from a coordinator vacancy to being run by Banham Zoo.
  • The common warthog ESB has been upgraded to a new-style EEP, still overseen by Flamingo Land.
The full list can be found in the link below:
https://strapi.eaza.net/uploads/2024_10_EEP_overview_12de46f9a4.pdf
 
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Recently, the October 2024 version of the breeding programmes list was posted onto the EAZA website. These are all the changes I could find:

Elasmobranch TAG
  • The zebra shark new-style EEP no longer has a coordinator (it was previously overseen by Genova Aquarium).
Marine Teleost TAG
  • A new-style EEP has been created for the Banggai cardinalfish, overseen by Chessington World of Adventures.
Reptile TAG
  • A new-style EEP has been created for the Ethiopian mountain adder, overseen by ZSL London Zoo.
  • The green tree monitor has been upgraded from an ESB to a new-style EEP, going from a vacant programme to being coordinated by Jersey Zoo.
  • The Madagascar tree boa has also been upgraded from ESB to new-style EEP, still overseen by Warsaw Zoo.
Raptor TAG
  • A new-style EEP has been created for the harpy eagle, overseen by Nuremberg Zoo.
Charadriiformes TAG
  • A new-style EEP has been created for the common redshank, overseen by Artis Zoo.
  • The Atlantic puffin ESB has been upgraded to a new-style EEP, still overseen by Copenhagen Zoo.
Pigeon and Dove TAG
  • The Mauritius pink pigeon programme has been upgraded from old- to new-style EEP, still overseen by Jersey Zoo.
Parrot TAG
  • The kea ESB has been upgraded to a new-style EEP, still overseen by Parrot World.
  • The red-tailed amazon has been upgraded from old- to new-style EEP, still overseen by Zurich Zoo.
Songbird TAG
  • A new-style EEP has been created for the silver-eared mesia, overseen by Chester Zoo.
Monotreme and Marsupial TAG
  • A new-style EEP has been created for the parma wallaby, overseen by Longleat Safari Park.
  • A new-style EEP has been created for both the short-beaked and Western long-beaked echidna, overseen by Budapest Zoo.
Small Mammal TAG
  • The Linne's two-toed sloth ESB has been upgraded to a new-style EEP, still overseen by Halle.
  • The Hoffman's two-toed sloth ESB coordinated by Halle has been removed.
Small Carnivore TAG
  • A new-style EEP has been created for Malagasy small carnivores (encompassing the bokiboky, vontsiras, fanaloka and falanoucs), overseen by Berlin Zoo. The bokiboky and ring-tailed vontsira ESBs are still listed, but I imagine will be removed pretty soon.
Marine Mammal TAG
  • A new-style EEP for both South American and Cape fur seals has replaced the South American fur seal ESB, still being coordinated by Dortmund.
  • A new-style EEP for the Lahille's bottlenose dolphin has been created, coordinated by Nuremberg Zoo.
  • The California sea lion, grey seal, common bottlenose dolphin and Antillean manatee programmes have all been upgraded to new-style EEPs, still overseen by the previous coordinators.
Elephant TAG
  • Both the African and Asian elephants have been upgraded from old- to new-style EEPs, with both being managed by the same coordinators (Wuppertal for African, Rotterdam for Asian).
Tapir and Suiform TAG
  • The red river hog's old-style EEP has been upgraded to a new-style one, and has gone from a coordinator vacancy to being run by Banham Zoo.
  • The common warthog ESB has been upgraded to a new-style EEP, still overseen by Flamingo Land.
The full list can be found in the link below:
https://strapi.eaza.net/uploads/2024_10_EEP_overview_12de46f9a4.pdf

Just noticed another new EEP on the list that I had somehow missed:

Marine Teleost TAG
  • There is a new-style EEP for the short-snouted seahorse, which is being overseen by Rotterdam.
 
The EAZA have announced that the Toucan and Turaco Regional Species Plan has now been completed. In total, fifteen different EEPs will be managed under the Toucan and Turaco TAG, five of which will manage multiple species. Currently, there are six programmes managed under this TAG (for the toco, red-billed and channel-billed toucans and the red-crested, Fischer's and violet turacos).

Three confirmed new programmes are for the great blue turaco, green aracari and bee-eaters. The announcement also includes an image of the plan's cover page - as well as pictures of the toco toucan and bee-eater, it also includes pictures of the collared trogon, bearded barbet, greater roadrunner and white-backed woodpecker, so I guess these birds could also become the subjects of EEPs.

Information comes from the EAZA Facebook page.
 
it also includes pictures of the collared trogon, bearded barbet, greater roadrunner and white-backed woodpecker, so I guess these birds could also become the subjects of EEPs.

Burgers' Zoo has indeed confirmed it is the new EEP coordinator for greater roadrunner (they already coordinated the monitoring program).

Good to see an official program for great blue turaco too, let's hope it means more zoos will show interest (and that it will soon be added to Burgers' Bush #keepondreaming).
 
The EAZA have announced the completion of the Regional Species Plan for the ratites. The current three EEPs - for the North African ostrich, lesser rhea and Southern cassowary - will all be upgraded to the newer style. In addition, a new EEP will be created for the tinamous.

While the need to manage the North Island brown kiwi was identified, the exact framework that this will be done by still has to be decided, as before the species was managed under the AZA.

Information comes from the EAZA Facebook page.
 
The EAZA Facebook page have announced that the Small Mammal TAG have completed their Regional Collection Plan for Xenarthra and Pangolins.

The proposal is for five new-style EEPs, four of which will oversee the management of multiple species (this subgroup currently has an old-style EEP for the giant anteater, and three ESBs for the tamandua and both species of two-toed sloth).
The cover of the Regional Collection Plan, shown on the Facebook post, has pictures of a Linne's two-toed sloth, a giant anteater, a Southern three-banded armadillo and a Chinese pangolin, so I imagine they will all be at least part of the planned EEPs.

The latest issue of Zooquaria was released today and includes a short article about the RCP for Xenarthra and Pholidota. It mentions the newly created new-style EEP for the Linne's two-toed sloth and also briefly mentions the giant anteater, tamandua and three-banded armadillo, but the main focus of the article is the planned new-style pangolin EEP.
The aim is for this programme to coordinate the two species kept ex-situ in the EAZA region (the Chinese and Sunda pangolins - the latter solely at Mandai) and also coordinate in-situ conservation activities for all eight species.

The article can be read on page 13 of this link.
 
Was doing some online browsing, and found a couple of interesting documents - one that shows the full collection plan for one TAG group, and another that shows what may potentially end up in the plans.

Firstly, I found the full 2020 EAZA collection plan for Freshwater Teleosts. While currently there are twelve new-style EEPs for families of freshwater fish, the eventual plan is for thirty EEPs.

First, the twelve existing programmes:
1) Toothcarps, Valenciidae
2) Mudminnows, Umbridae
3) Perches, Percidae
4) Cichlids, Cichlidae
5) African tetras, Alestidae
6) Poeciliids, Poeciliidae
7) Asian killifish, Aplocheilidae
8) Pupfishes, Cyprinodontidae, including Aphaniidae
9) Rainbowfishes, Melanotaeniidae
10) Madagascar rainbowfishes, Bedotiidae
11) Goodeids, Goodeidae
12) Gourami, Osphronemidae

These are the additional planned programmes:
13) Ricefishes, Adrianichthyidae
14) Neotropical silversides, Atherinopsidae
15) Armoured catfishes, Callichthyidae
16) Characins, Characidae
17) Loaches, Cobitidae
18) Minnows and carps, Cyprinidae
19) Distichodus, Distichodontidae
20) Topminnows and killifishes, Fundulidae
21) Sticklebacks and tubesnouts, Gasterosteidae
22) Pencilfishes, Lebiasinidae
23) Stone loaches, Nemacheilidae
24) African rivulines, Nothobranchiidae
25) Priapiumfishes, Phallostethidae
26) Middle American killifishes, Profundulidae
27) Blue-eyes, Pseudomugilidae *
28) Sailfin silversides, Telmatherinidae *
29) Pufferfishes, Tetraodontidae
30) Halfbeaks, Zenarchopteridae

* The document says that these two groups would be managed together with the Australian rainbowfishes Melanotaeniidae, but the same was supposed to be true of the Madagascar rainbowfishes, which now have their own EEP, so whether plans for these other groups have changed or not I do not know.

In addition, the document records 42 groups that will be subject to a Monitoring Programme, and twelve groups with Do Not Obtain recommendations.

The second article I found relates to the Elasmobranchs TAG. An article from the Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research from back in 2017 gives the full list of elasmobranch species kept in EAZA zoos, their breeding status and, most pertinently for this thread, what sort of programme it is managed under, if any. Here, I will include the list of already present breeding programmes and also those species subject to a Monitoring Programme that could be upgraded to a new-style EEP.

Species already managed as a breeding programme (including how they are listed in the above article):
1) Californian horn shark (New-style EEP - updated from ESB)
2) Zebra shark (New-style EEP - updated from ESB)
3) Sandbar shark (New-style EEP - updated from ESB)
4) Blacktip reef shark (New-style EEP - updated from ESB)
5) Short-tail nurse shark (New-style EEP - updated from Monitoring Programme)
6) Undulate ray (New-style EEP - updated from Monitoring Programme)
7) Common skate and flapper skate (New-style EEP - brand-new programme)
8) Green and largetooth sawfishes (ESB)
9) Blue-spotted maskray (ESB)
10) Blue-spotted stingray (ESB)
11) Ocellated eagle ray (ESB)

Species with a monitoring programme (including their status in EAZA aquaria as of 2015):
1) Bull ray, Aetomylaeus bovinus (8 individuals across 4 collections, no breeding)
2) Coral catshark, Atelomycterus marmoratus (36 individuals across 10 collections, breeding)
3) Sand tiger shark, Carcharias taurus (36 individuals across 16 collections, no breeding)
4) Common stingray, Dasyatis pastinaca (86 individuals across 24 collections, breeding)
5) Tope, Galeorhinus galeus (0 individuals, no breeding)
6) Nurse shark, Ginglymostoma cirratum (55 individuals across 26 collections, no breeding)
7) Blackchin guitarfish, Glaucostegus cemiculus (75 individuals across 13 collections, breeding) - already confirmed for a new-style EEP
8) Epaulette shark, Hemiscyllium ocellatum (58 individuals across 28 collections, breeding)
9) Reticulate whipray, Himantura uarnak (20 individuals across 11 collections, no breeding)
10) Spotted ratfish, Hydrolagus colliei (10 individuals across 3 collections, breeding)
11) Southern stingray, Hypanus americana (94 individuals across 23 collections, breeding)
12) Starry smooth-hound, Mustelus asterias (110 individuals across 23 collections, breeding) - already confirmed for a new-style EEP
13) Common smooth-hound, Mustelus mustelus (40 individuals across 13 collections, breeding Note: this number is almost certainly lower, as common smooth-hounds are only kept in Spanish aquaria, with all others being misidentifications) - already confirmed for a new-style EEP
14) Common eagle ray, Myliobatis aquila (94 individuals across 16 collections, breeding)
15) Largespot river stingray, Potamotrygon falkneri (2 individuals across 2 collections, no breeding)
16) Xingu River stingray, Potamotrygon leopoldi (55 individuals across 13 collections, breeding)
17) Ocellate river stingray, Potamotrygon motoro (205 individuals across 34 collections, breeding)
18) Pelagic stingray, Pteroplatytrygon violacea (59 individuals across 19 collections, breeding)
19) Blonde ray, Raja brachyura (23 individuals across 15 collections, breeding) - already confirmed for a new-style EEP
20) Thornback ray, Raja clavata (686 individuals across 44 collections, breeding) - already confirmed for a new-style EEP
21) Smalleyed ray, Raja microocellata (87 individuals across 18 collections, breeding) - already confirmed for a new-style EEP
22) Spotted ray, Raja montagui (50 individuals across 19 collections, breeding) - already confirmed for a new-style EEP
23) Bowmouth guitarfish, Rhina ancylostoma (9 individuals across 10 collections (don't ask how that works - I have no idea), no breeding)
24) Common guitarfish, Rhinobatos rhinobatos (25 individuals across 10 collections, no breeding)
25) Cownose ray, Rhinoptera bonasus (90 individuals across 17 collections, breeding)
26) Nursehound, Scyliorhinus stellaris (393 individuals across 41 collections, breeding)
27) Scalloped hammerhead, Sphyrna lewini (17 individuals across 7 collections, no breeding)
28) Bonnethead shark, Sphyrna tiburo (16 individuals across 10 collections, no breeding)
29) Angelshark, Squatina squatina (3 individuals in 1 collection, breeding)
30) Leopard shark, Triakis semifasciata (32 individuals across 7 collections, no breeding)

Note that the two smooth-hound species and the four Raja rays will each be managed in a genus-level EEP, and won't be managed individually (the undulate ray was the only Raja species that would have its own programme).
 
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