A forklift transports all 415 pounds of Mshindi.
and create a safeguard for animals
facing extinction in the vanishing
wild. During the time your Zoo is a
home to animals like Mshindi and
Casey, we commit to providing ex-
cellent care and stimulating environ-
ments to enhance their well-being
and enrich the quality of their lives.
It’s a tremendous responsibility on
behalf of the individual animals and
the species as a whole — a respon-
sibility we embrace as a conserva-
tion organization.
This brings us back to why
animals like gorillas are relocated
from time to time. There are many
reasons: for breeding opportunities,
to take advantage of new exhibits
or surrogacy programs at other
zoos, or even to create more co-
hesive and healthier family groups.
When the SSP team recommends a
move, it factors in the specific needs
of the animal, as well as those of
the entire population. We’ll discuss
Mshindi's specific scenario in a bit.
So, who are these mysterious
experts behind the SSP curtain
deciding which animals need to
move where and when? I decided
to dig into this with our Assistant
Director of Conservation, Education
& Collections, Steve Taylor. While I
consider myself a reasonably intel-
Registrars
Some of the groups and
individuals working
together to manage these
amazing animals.
Steering
Committee
AZA
Veterinarians
Approved Small Population
Mgt. Advisory Group Advisor
PMC Adjunct
Advisor
Eduation
Advisor
Population
Biologists
Population
Management
Center (PMC)
Taxon Advisory Group
SSP
Program
Leaders
Regional
Stupbook
Keepers
Louisville Metro Animal Services donated the use of
their truck to transport Mshindi to his new home.
Nutrition
Advisor
Wildlife Conservaton &
Management Committee
Reproductive
Managment
Center
Pathology
Advisor
Studbook
Analysts
Species
Survival
Plan
Team
(SSP)
Moving
Company
Reproduction
Advisor
Institutional
Representatives
(Zoo Keepers)
Airline
SSP Liason
ligent individual, the complexity of
the process made my head spin. So,
here’s the short and skinny of it. A
number of experts, from within AZA
Institutions and outside conserva-
tion partners, individually as well as
in committees and groups, perform
copious amounts of research on ani-
mal backgrounds, health, lineage,
previous transfers, births, deaths,
bloodlines and disposition, breed-
ing history, institution resources and
capacities, remaining wild popula-
tions, group behavioral composition
and more. Then, they weigh in on
how AZA-institutions can do the
most good collectively and where
our managed populations need the
most help.
Is your head spinning yet? I am
just beginning to understand the
magnitude and complexity of the
responsibility of AZA institutions
like the Louisville Zoo. An updated
SSP is created every year for many
species — the ones that can be best
helped through breeding programs
in AZA zoos and aquariums. So, at
any time, animals from 500 spe-
cies could be moving to and from
different zoos and aquariums. Talk
about serious logistical expertise
and planning!
After a move like our recent go-
rilla transfer is finally recommended,
the zoos involved begin the process
of sorting out HOW to safely trans-
port the animals.
I’m not a zoo keeper (I just write
Louisville Zoo Trunkline • Fall 2017 • 5