Planning Sustainable Populations

Planning Sustainable Populations

Considering Changes Over Generations

By making models of how populations grow and change, zoo scientists ensure healthy futures in zoos and the wild.

Related Projects

 

The Population Management Center
Hosted at the zoo in partnership with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Population Management Center guides animal breeding and transfers for zoos throughout North America.

  

Protecting the Puerto Rican Parrot
Once reduced to 13 wild birds, the Puerto Rican parrot population is now growing. Lincoln Park Zoo has lent its population-planning expertise to help keep the recovery on track.
Lincoln Park Zoo scientists are using population viability analyses to model the future of zoo and aquarium populations.

Modeling the Future of Zoo and Aquarium Populations
Zoo scientists are analyzing the future of zoo populations by conducting population viability analyses (PVAs) for Association of Zoos and Aquarium Animal Programs such as Species Survival Plans®. PVAs can help animal managers plan for the future and determine which management actions can maintain or increase long-term sustainability.
Zoo scientists are helping Charles and Lara Foley understand what may be one of the most rapidly growing elephant populations on record. Tarangire Elephant Modeling
In Tanzania’s Tarangire National Park, zoo scientists are helping researchers Charles and Lara Foley understand what may be one of the most rapidly growing elephant populations on record.
 

PopLink
PopLink is a computer program developed by Lincoln Park Zoo scientists to track data on individual animals over their lifetimes and use that data to help their management.

PMCTrack
Zoos across the country cooperate on breeding and transfer plans to ensure healthy populations. In developing PMCTrack, Lincoln Park Zoo scientists have made it possible to evaluate the outcome of every recommendation for the first time—improving population planning everywhere.

ZooRisk
Developed by Lincoln Park Zoo scientists, ZooRisk assists managers in making scientifically based decisions for animal populations.
The Standards for Data Entry and Maintenance of North American Zoo and Aquarium Animal Records Databases provides specific guidelines for data entry into animal records databases for species including sunbitterns

Data Standards for Animal Records Databases
The Standards for Data Entry and Maintenance of North American Zoo and Aquarium Animal Records Databases provides specific guidelines for data entry into animal records databases, improving consisntency and accuracy.

Predicting Capacity for African Ape Sanctuaries
Every year sanctuaries across Africa are inundated with orphaned primates from the bushmeat trade. In partnership with the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance, Lincoln Park Zoo scientists analyzed population trends for African sanctuaries, helping these havens plan for future care.

ChimpDATA
Nearly 500 chimpanzees live in sanctuaries across North America. Lincoln Park Zoo scientists have volunteered their expertise to help sanctuaries manage the lifetime care of chimpanzees while planning for a better future.