THE AMERICAN ZOO AND AQUARIUM ASSOCIATION (AZA) PROSIMIAN TAXON ADVISORY GROUP’S REGIONAL COLLECTION PLAN (RCP) FOR PROSIMIANS |
A. J. Baker1 and I. Porton2
1Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 W. Girard Ave., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA, 2St. Louis Zoo |
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| Goals of the Prosimian TAG include (1) to identify and coordinate space available for prosimians in North American facilities, (2) to develop criteria to select taxa for inclusion in cooperative captive breeding programs - Species Survival Plans (SSPs) or Population Management Plans (PMPs), (3) to produce a Regional Collection Plan (RCP), and (4) to promote relationships with prosimian researchers to advance conservation action. The TAG identified endangered status and the presence of an existing captive population in North America as priority criteria for inclusion of a taxon in an SSP or PMP. A survey of North American zoos and other facilities indicated housing sufficient for 125 groups of small-bodied and 325 groups of large-bodied prosimians. The 1999 RCP selected 14 taxa for inclusion in breeding programs: Daubentonia madagascariensis, Varecia variegata variegata, V.v. rubra, Eulemur macaco macaco, E. m. flavifrons, E. mongoz, E. collaris, E. coronatus, Lemur catta , Propithecus coquereli, Mirza coquereli, Loris tardigradus, Nycticebus pygmaeus, and Galago sp. These populations may serve as genetic reservoirs, educational resources, a focus for conservation fund-raising efforts, and a focus of scientific research. However, genetic and demographic objectives for most of the selected populations have proven difficult to achieve due to space constraints and resulting limits on population size. The RCP requires revision, including clarification of the research value of captive populations.
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