Conservation at the San Antonio Zoo

Conservation is one of the cornerstones of the San Antonio Zoo’s mission. The Zoo’s commitment to conservation is clearly demonstrated through the number of conservation programs in which staff is intricately involved.

Each year, the San Antonio Zoo participates in and gives financial support to a variety of conservation efforts around the world. In addition, the Zoo maintains and cares for more than 230 threatened and endangered species in its collection. By taking an active role in Species Survival Plans, Taxon Advisory Groups, providing a safe haven for species faced with habitat destruction in the wild, and increasing public awareness of conservation issues, the Zoo plays an important role in the preservation of these animals and their habitats.

Species Survival Plans (SSPs) were developed by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) in 1981 to manage the breeding of captive animal populations in order to maintain healthy, self-sustaining populations for endangered taxa in zoos and aquariums throughout North America. The goal is to maintain a genetically diverse and demographically stable population for each population. Since its inception, the SSPs have evolved to become more holistic cooperative conservation programs encompassing a wide variety of activities such as research, public education, fund raising, field projects and reintroduction. The mission of the program is to help ensure the survival of selected wildlife species into the future and to provide a link between zoo and aquarium animals and the conservation of their wild counterparts.

We are proud of the conservation successes at the San Antonio Zoo and around the world. We would like to thank our members and donors for making this possible.