Zoo Organization and Management

What determines how a zoo is organized?

Type (ownership like municipal vs state vs federal, non-profit, profit) and size of zoo

How are most AZA zoos registered?

Non-profits ormunicipal agencies

What is the board of directors?

Supervisory capacity and management of long-term zoo vision

Not involved in day-to-day affairs of zoo management

What does the CEO/director do?

Executes board of directors vision

balance needs of daily operation and needs of zoo

sets priorities of various departments and management style

What is the general curator?

Chief animal management executive that is responsible for anima movements, ownership agreements, animal husbandry, budgeting, animal care priorities

Manage staff

Communicates with other AZA institutions to plan breeding/offspring plans and maintain accordance with SSPs

What are department curators/supervisors?

People with a specialized knowledge of specific taxa or geographically related group with direct animal care responsibilities

T/F most zoos are AZA acredtaded?

True

What are parts of the AZA accreditation process?

Site inspection, medical records review, descriptions of emergency protocols, food prep for people and animals, HR policies

What is required to maintain AZA accreditation?

Adherence to minimum space requirements

Escaped animal drills, animal evacuation plans, animal handling policies

Other than the AZA what are two other accredited agencies?

USDA: core agency required for animal collections

ZAA: Optional competitor to AZA with similar inspection process but prioritizes different zoo features

What accredited agency is not voluntary?

USDA (much less rigorous than AZA)

If someone says a zoo is accredited what should you ask next?

By who?

What are some times were AZA compliance can make practicing medicine challengin?

Inability to make direct contact with some code red species

Shifting of conservation and research funds to AZA managed balances

Pressure to move animals that may be suboptimal for anesthesia/transfer cases

Compliance with membership can influence anesthesia protocols that abide by SSP/TA guidance

What are SSP, TAG, and SAFE programs?

AZA programs that guide the care of species in captivity and guide animal transfer, breeding decisions, and conservation value

What does SAFE programs mean?

Saving animals from extincion

What is the purpose of SAFE?

Decentralize management of the program from AZA to other committees

Creates a stated conservation mission/purpose of the species plan with outcome measures to determine success at 3 and 5 years

Encourages a longer-term approach to species management in zoos

Has a required component of education and fundraising as a core tenant of the program

T/F SAFE is required by AZA?

False, but it is strongly suggested and will probably be mandatory soon

SAFE is a framework that does what?

Protects threatened animals

Builds on established recovery plans and history of commitment

Prioritized collaboration among AZA member institutions

Implements strategic conservation and stakeholder engagement activities

Measures and reports conservation progress

What is a problem with SAFE?

Does not allow zoos to spend as much money towards other conservation work in wild animals

What is a medical director?

Leadership of medical team. Sets long term goals for organization and acts as liaison between medical and executive team

What is a head veterinarian?

Can be called chief medical officer or lead vet.

Acts as top clinician seeing cases, usually an experienced vet with god relationship with department curators

What are associate veterinarians?

Primary care physician for full collection.

Trending towards residency training and board certification

What is a PIC?

Person in charge. Usually vet running anesthesia but sometimes a more senior clinical will be PIC

Person that makes the decisions in an emergency like if a tiger wakes up

Why is operational space awareness important?

Communicates with the anesthesia team back and forth at all times

Do not bock entry/exit pathways for code red or other dangerous animals

What are zones of priority with a bystanding coordinator?

Anesthesia is responsible for their zone but relay information to other areas like cardiologists, blood collection, etc.

All zones work together but stay in their zone

The bystanding coordinator is responsible for removing people from zones if someone needs help like anesthesia needs to start cpr

What are the steps to specializing in zoo medicine?

Complete vet school, rotating internship, exotics internship, residency, 3 publications, acceptance by credentialling committee to sit the exam, complete ACZM qualifying exam, requalification every 10 years to maintain status

If a zoo is accredited, what should your follow up be?

By who?

What is the difference between SSPs and TAGs?

TAGs operate on a taxon level and SSPs are a species level

What are the roles in an SSP?

SSP coordinator

Population biologist

Studbook keeper

Vet advisor

What does the SSP coordinator do?

Primary leader of the SSP, sets meeting times and facilitates animal transfers between zoos, contact point for facilities

What does the Population biologist do in an SSP?

Responsible for breeding recommendations

What does the studbook keeper do in an SSP?

Documents new births, deaths, and transfers

What does the vet advisor do on an SSP?

Individual with extensive experience with that species or a closely related one

Resource for other zoo vets with questions

What is the goal behind creating SAFE?

Transition to a long-term management plan instead of short term to reduce overcrowding

What is the vet to tech ratio at most zoos?

1:1

Why might larger zoos have more vet techs?

Facilitate voluntary sample collection from animals under behavioral restraint

Who does a lot of veterinary assistant roles at zoos?

vet techs or nurses becauses assistants are not a typical role

What do keepers mostly do?

Medical procedures helping to restrain and monitor patients

Can help animal stand or lay post-