About the SSP Sustainability Award
The AZA has established an award to recognize and celebrate the successes of Species Survival Plan® (SSP) Programs. The AZA SSP Sustainability Award will recognize initiatives that have a quantifiable impact on the long-term sustainability of an SSP’s managed population. Animal Program Leaders (i.e., TAG Chairs, SSP Coordinators, Studbook Keepers, and Scientific Advisory Group Chairs) may submit an application for this award that demonstrates how their significant and innovative efforts have resulted in a significant increase in an SSP population’s sustainability.
Award decisions will be based on the following criteria:
- The level of effort described that has resulted in significantly improving the SSP population’s sustainability.
- Examples of initiatives may include innovative actions, advances in husbandry/management, major financial investment, significant animal importations, collaborative research, and the establishment of critical partnerships.
- The quantifiable impact that has occurred which demonstrates an increase in the SSP population’s sustainability.
- How any resulting forward actions were made accessible to all appropriate institutions in an effective and timely manner.
- How this initiative advances AZA TAG recommendations for that SSP population’s sustainability.
The award will recognize the SSP Program as well as contributing Animal Program(s) on a perpetual plaque in the AZA office. The AZA Animal Population Management (APM) Committee will review applications and present the awards at AZA’s Mid-Year Meeting. More than one award may be presented in any given year.
How to Submit an Application
(2021) Download the SSP Sustainability Award application (DOC)
Guidelines for Submission (PDF)
Sustainability Award News Release Form (DOC)
Applications for the 2021 SSP Sustainability Award will be due to Rob Vernon by December 18, 2020.
SSP Sustainability Award Recipients
See past recipients' application materials (member login required)
2020
African Penguin SSP
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush SSP
2019
Henkel's Leaf-tailed Gecko SSP
The 2019 winner was announced by Stacey Johnson, Chair of the Animal Population Management Committee, at the Mid-Year Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona on April 17, 2019.
2018
Lion SSP
The 2018 winner was announced by Larry Killmar, Chair of the Wildlife Conservation Management Committee, at the Mid-Year Meeting in Jacksonville, FL on March 28, 2018.
2017
Blue-billed Curassow SSP
Tawny Frogmouth SSP