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:: Species Survival Plan
There are over 107 species survival plans covering 161 species administered by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA). 

Species range from lions and rhinos to toads and toucans.  You can find out more about SSPs at www.aza.org

 

 

Mlinzi (St. Louis Zoo)

 

The Chimpanzee SSP

Program Goals People Documents Fundraising Partners

Introduction

The Chimpanzee Species Survival Plan (SSP) serves 37 zoos across the United States to help guide the management of the chimpanzee population.  Although our primary role is in population management, we are ultimately interested in the health and wellbeing of ALL chimpanzees, including those living outside accredited zoos and in the wild.  The Chimpanzee SSP is administered under the Ape Taxon Advisory Group (TAG).

Program Goals ("REACH")

  • Research: Science guides much of the management practices of the SSP.  Find out more about what research projects are currently being conducted by the SSP.
  • Education: Public outreach is a vital component if we are to make a difference in public attitudes towards chimpanzees.  Find out more about recent education initiatives sponsored by the Chimpanzee SSP.
  • Advocacy: Chimpanzees faces myriad challenges in today's world.  The Chimpanzee SSP is committed to taking a stand on some of the critical issues facing the species as well as promoting optimal care in zoos.
  • Conservation: Critically endangered in their native Africa, chimpanzee populations are perilously low due to several factors including deforestation, disease and the bushmeat crisis.  The SSP supports in situ activities that address these critical issues.
  • Husbandry: The people that look after chimpanzees in accredited zoos have some of the most rewarding yet challenging jobs around.  The SSP serves these institutions by providing contemporary information about the proper care and management of chimpanzee groups in a variety of settings.

People

The SSP is completely volunteer administered by a group of professionals that care about chimpanzees and chimpanzee issues.  Find out more about the people behind the SSP here.

Documents

Fundraising

The Chimpanzee SSP is a completely volunteer run by people who care about chimpanzees.  Although programmatically supporting by the AZA and our member zoos, any funding for our efforts is from independent granting programs or from the sales of our official Chimpanzee SSP merchandise.  Please check out our products and support our program!

Our partners

  • AZA: The American Zoo and Aquarium Association, our governing body.
  • Ape TAG: The Taxon Advisory Group for apes in AZA zoos.
  • Chimp Haven: A home for chimpanzees retired from biomedical research.
  • PASA: The Pan-African Sanctuary Alliance: caring for the staggering number of chimpanzees orphaned in Africa as a result of the pet trade, the bushmeat crisis and other factors.
  • BCTF: Bushmeat Crisis Task Force: a consortium of conservation organizations and scientists dedicated to the conservation of wildlife populations threatened by commercial hunting.