Species Programs

ZAA leads the Species Management Program (SMP), coordinating 97 breeding programs at ZAA-accredited sites across Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. By managing the animals at different zoos and aquariums as one, we can support genetically diverse and sustainable populations.

Each SMP species has a Species Coordinator, who makes recommendations about the breeding and management of that species. The Species Coordinator receives guidance from their Taxon Advisory Group (TAG) made up of a team of experts for a particular group of animals (e.g. reptiles).

The Species Management Program manages animal populations for protecting threatened species, release into the wild, conservation research and community education.

ZAA-managed species

Addax

Addax nasomaculatus
Species Coordinator: Taronga Western Plains Zoo

African Lion

Panthera leo
Species Coordinator: Taronga Zoo

African Wild Dog

Lycaon pictus
Species Coordinator: National Zoo and Aquarium

Aldabra Giant Tortoise

Geochelone gigantea
Species Coordinator: Taronga Zoo

Asian Elephant

Elephas maximus
Species Coordinator: Zoos Victoria & Werribee Open Range Zoo

Australian Little Penguin

Eudyptula minor novaehollandiae
Species Coordinator: Taronga Zoo

Australian Sea-lion

Neophoca cinerea
Species Coordinator: Taronga Zoo

Binturong

Arctictis binturong
Species Coordinator: Perth Zoo

Black and White Ruffed Lemur

Varecia variegata variegata
Species Coordinator: Perth Zoo

Blackbuck

Antilope cervicapra
Species Coordinator: Werribee Open Range Zoo

Black-handed Spider Monkey

Ateles geoffroyi
Species Coordinator: Sydney Zoo

Black-winged Stilt

Himantopus himantopus
Species Coordinator: Monarto Safari Park

Bolivian Squirrel Monkey

Saimiri boliviensis
Species Coordinator: Taronga Zoo

Bongo

Tragelaphus eurycerus
Species Coordinator: Taronga Western Plains Zoo

Broad-headed Snake

Hoplocephalus bungaroides
Species Coordinator: Melbourne Zoo

Brolga

Grus rubicunda
Species Coordinator: Healesville Sanctuary

Brown Kiwi

Apteryx mantelli
Species Coordinator: Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA)

Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby

Petrogale penicillata
Species Coordinator: Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA)

Bush Stone-curlew

Burhinus grallarius
Species Coordinator: Healesville Sanctuary

California Sea-lion

Zalophus californianus
Species Coordinator: Taronga Zoo

Cape Porcupine

Hystrix cristata
Species Coordinator: Auckland Zoo

Capybara

Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris
Species Coordinator: Sydney Zoo

Cheetah

Acinonyx jubatus
Species Coordinator: Taronga Western Plains Zoo

Chimpanzee

Pan troglodytes
Species Coordinator: Sydney Zoo

Cotton-top Tamarin

Saguinus oedipus
Species Coordinator: Taronga Zoo and National Zoo and Aquarium

Duvaucel's Gecko

Hoplodactylus duvauceli
Species Coordinator: Auckland Zoo

Eastern Whipbird

Psophodes olivaceus
Species Coordinator: Taronga Zoo

Eland

Taurotragus oryx
Species Coordinator: Taronga Western Plains Zoo

Emperor Tamarin

Saguinus imperator
Species Coordinator: Auckland Zoo

Fijian Crested Iguana

Brachylophus vitiensis
Species Coordinator: Melbourne Zoo

Galapagos Tortoise

Chelonoidis nigra
Species Coordinator: Taronga Western Plains Zoo

Ghost Bat

Macroderma gigas
Species Coordinator: Sydney Zoo

Giraffe

Giraffa camelopardalis
Species Coordinator: Melbourne Zoo

Golden Lion-tamarin

Leontopithecus rosalia
Species Coordinator: Sydney Zoo and Wellington Zoo Trust

Goodfellow’s Tree-kangaroo

Dendrolagus goodfellowi
Species Coordinator: Melbourne Zoo

Grand skink (Eastern)

Oligosoma grande
Species Coordinator: Auckland Zoo

Greater Bilby

Macrotis lagotis
Species Coordinator: Monarto Safari Park

Grey Nurse Shark

Carcharias taurus
Species Coordinator: SEA LIFE S ydney

Hamadryas Baboon

Papio hamadryas
Species Coordinator: Melbourne Zoo

Helmeted Honeyeater

Lichenostomus melanops cassidix
Species Coordinator: Healesville Sanctuary

Common Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius
Species Coordinator: Werribee Open Range Zoo

Pygmy Hippopotamus

Hexaprotodon liberiensis
Species Coordinator: Taronga Zoo

Kea

Nestor notabilis
Species Coordinator: Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA) / Kiwi Park

Koala (Northern)

Phascolarctos cinereus
Species Coordinator: Dreamworld/Taronga Zoo

Koala (Southern)

Phascolarctos cinereus victor
Species Coordinator: Melbourne Zoo

Komodo Dragon

Varanus komodoensis
Species Coordinator: Taronga Zoo

Lord Howe Island Stick Insect

Dryococelus australis
Species Coordinator: Melbourne Zoo

Lowland Nyala

Tragelaphus angasii
Species Coordinator: Wellington Zoo Trust

Lumholtz's Tree-kangaroo

Dendrolagus lumholtzi
Species Coordinator: Dreamworld

Maned Wolf

Chrysocyon brachyurus
Species Coordinator: Altina Wildlife Park

Meerkat

Suricata suricatta
Species Coordinator: Wellington Zoo Trust

Korimako / New Zealand Bellbird

Anthornis melanura
Species Coordinator: Auckland Zoo

NZ Frogs

Leiopelma archeyi
Species Coordinator: Auckland Zoo

New Zealand Fur-seal

Arctocephalus forsteri
Species Coordinator: Taronga Zoo

Korora / New Zealand Little Penguin

Eudyptula minor minor
Species Coordinator: Auckland Zoo

Noisy Pitta

Pitta versicolor
Species Coordinator: Taronga Zoo

North Island Kaka

Nestor meridionalis septentrionalis
Species Coordinator: Auckland Zoo

North Island Saddleback

Philesturnus rufusater
Species Coordinator: Auckland Zoo

Numbat

Myrmecobius fasciatus
Species Coordinator: Perth Zoo

Orange-bellied Parrot

Neophema chrysogaster
Species Coordinator: Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park

Otago Skink (Western)

Oligosoma otagense
Species Coordinator: Auckland Zoo

Plains-wanderer

Pedionomus torquatus
Species Coordinator: Taronga Zoo

Plains Zebra

Equus burchellii
Species Coordinator: National Zoo and Aquarium

Platypus

Ornithorhynchus anatinus
Species Coordinator: Healesville Sanctuary

Pookila/New Holland Mouse

Pseudomys novaehollandiae
Species Coordinator: Zoos Victoria

Przewalski’s Horse

Equus ferus przewalskii
Species Coordinator: Werribee Open Range Zoo

Pygmy Marmoset

Callithrix pygmaea
Species Coordinator: Wellington Zoo Trust

Quokka

Setonix brachyurus
Species Coordinator: Perth Zoo

Radiated Tortoise

Astrochelys radiata
Species Coordinator: Perth Zoo

Red Panda

Ailurus fulgens
Species Coordinator: Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA)

Regent Bowerbird

Sericulus chrysocephalus
Species Coordinator: Taronga Zoo

Regent Honeyeater

Anthochaera phrygia
Species Coordinator: Taronga Zoo

Ring-tailed Lemur

Lemur catta
Species Coordinator: Sydney Zoo

Rose-crowned Fruit-dove

Ptilinopus regina
Species Coordinator: Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

Sacred Kingfisher

Todiramphus sanctus sanctus
Species Coordinator: Healesville Sanctuary

Scimitar-horned Oryx

Oryx dammah
Species Coordinator: Werribee Open Range Zoo

Serval

Leptailurus serval
Species Coordinator: National Zoo and Aquarium

Short-beaked Echidna

Tachyglossus aculeatus acanthion
Species Coordinator: Perth Zoo

Siamang

Symphalangus syndactylus
Species Coordinator: Sydney Zoo

Silvery (Javan) Gibbon

Hylobates moloch
Species Coordinator: Perth Zoo

Small-clawed Otter

Aonyx cinerea
Species Coordinator: Auckland Zoo

Southern Cassowary

Casuarius casuarius johnsonii
Species Coordinator: Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat

Lasiorhinus latifrons
Species Coordinator: Zoos South Australia

Spotted Hyena

Crocuta crocuta
Species Coordinator: Monarto Safari Park

Spotted-tailed Quoll

Dasyurus maculatus
Species Coordinator: Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park

Sumatran Orangutan

Pongo abelii
Species Coordinator: Melbourne Zoo

Sumatran Tiger

Panthera tigris sumatrae
Species Coordinator: Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA)

Sun Bear

Helarctos malayanus
Species Coordinator: Perth Zoo

Swift Parrot

Lathamus discolor
Species Coordinator: Melbourne Zoo

Tasmanian Devil

Sarcophilus harrisii
Species Coordinator: Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA)

Takapourewa Tuatara

Sphenodon punctatus
Species Coordinator: Wellington Zoo Trust

Tufted Capuchin

Sapajus apella
Species Coordinator: Sydney Zoo

Waterbuck

Kobus ellipsiprymnus
Species Coordinator: Sydney Zoo

Western Lowland Gorilla

Gorilla gorilla gorilla
Species Coordinator: Taronga Zoo

Western Swamp Tortoise

Pseudemydura umbrina
Species Coordinator: Perth Zoo

Southern White Rhinoceros

Ceratotherium simum
Species Coordinator: Auckland Zoo

White-browed Woodswallow

Artamus superciliosus
Species Coordinator: Monarto Safari Park

White-cheeked Gibbon

Nomascus leucogenys
Species Coordinator: Perth Zoo

Yellow-bellied Glider

Petaurus australis
Species Coordinator: Taronga Zoo