Animal Program Deadlines

Deadlines for Documents

TAGs

Regional Collection Plans (RCPs) – due every 5 years

  • Draft RCPs to be reviewed at the September AZA Annual Conference meeting must be submitted to the AZA Conservation, Management, & Welfare Sciences Department no later than June 1 of that year for the 30-Day IR Review. The hard deadline for the drafts incorporating IR edits to be submitted to the AZA Conservation, Management, & Welfare Sciences Department is August 1 for APM Committee Review.
  • Draft RCPs to be reviewed at the spring AZA Mid-Year Meeting must be submitted to the AZA Conservation, Management, & Welfare Sciences Department no later than December 1 of that year for the 30-day IR Review. The hard deadline for the drafts incorporating IR edits to be submitted to the AZA Conservation, Management, & Welfare Sciences Department is February 1 for APM Committee Review.
  • If a TAG Chair is elected and there is not a current, approved RCP available, an RCP is due to the APM Committee within 18 months of being selected. After initial RCP approval by the APM Committee, the TAG Chair must oversee completion and submission of an updated RCP every 5 years thereafter.
  • If a TAG Chair is elected during the 5 year period, the next RCP will not be required until its scheduled due date, or 18 months after the new Chair is selected if the scheduled due date is less than 18 months.

TAG Annual Reports – due July 15th every year. Submitted to the TAG’s APM Committee Liaison and the AZA Conservation, Management, & Welfare Sciences Department.

Species Survival Plan® (SSP) Programs

Breeding and Transfer Plans – due every 3 years in accordance with the submission date listed on the front cover of the previous publication. Deadlines refer to the final version of the Breeding and Transfer Plan.

Studbooks

Studbooks – due every 3 years in accordance with the current to date listed on the front cover of the previous publication, or initial studbook is due 1 year after taking Population Management 1 (PM1) if a new Studbook Keeper.

Population Management 1 (PM1) – deadline to take this professional development course is within 2 calendar years of starting as a Studbook Keeper.

Candidate Programs

Population Management 1 (PM1) – Candidate Program Leaders must submit an AZA Regional Studbook to the AZA Conservation, Management, & Welfare Sciences Department. If the Candidate Program Leader has not taken PM1 prior to submitting an initial AZA Regional Studbook, the Candidate Program Leader must identify to the AZA Conservation, Management, & Welfare Sciences Department that they have a skilled mentor that guided them through the process, and present their Studbook for review by a PM1 instructor, a PMC staff member, a PMC Adjunct Population Biologist, or an AZA Conservation, Management, & Welfare Sciences staff member.

Automated Accountability Emails

Automated deadline reminders are emailed as a courtesy to remind the Program Leader, and other associated parties, of an upcoming deadline.  Each email includes the appropriate instructions and relevant contact information. These automated emails are administered as follows:

  • One year prior, and 6 months prior to the deadline – Sent to the Program Leader, and copied to the associated TAG Chair and the AZA Conservation, Management, & Welfare Sciences Department.
  • One month prior – Sent to the Program Leader, and copied to the associated TAG Chair, the Program Leader’s IL, APM Committee Chair, APM Committee VC of SSPs and Studbooks, APM Committee Liaison, and the AZA Conservation, Management, & Welfare Sciences Department.
  • Deadline reached - Sent to the Program Leader, and copied to the associated TAG Chair, the Program Leader’s IL, APM Committee Chair, APM Committee VC of SSPs and Studbooks, APM Committee Liaison, and the AZA Conservation, Management, & Welfare Sciences Department.
  • Two weeks past- Sent to the Program Leader, and copied to the associated TAG Chair, the Program Leader’s IL, APM Committee Chair, APM Committee VC of SSPs and Studbooks, APM Committee Liaison, and the AZA Conservation, Management, & Welfare Sciences Department.

Extension Requests

Prior to the accountability deadline date, the Program Leader may request an extension by contacting their TAG Chair (or the APM Committee Vice Chair for TAGs if the deadline is for a TAG’s RCP).  If the TAG Chair grants the extension, the TAG Chair must contact the AZA Conservation, Management, & Welfare Sciences Department with the approved new deadline.

If the deadline was reached, the Program Leader has a 2-week grace period to submit the document. If an extension is needed at this point, the Institutional Liaison (IL) or Director of the Program Leader’s institution must contact the APM Committee Vice Chair for TAGs (for RCPs) or the APM Committee Vice Chair for SSPs & Studbooks (for Breeding and Transfer Plans or Studbooks) within the 2-week grace period to discuss the reason for the missed deadline, and request a new date. The APM Committee will vote to determine if the reason for the missed deadline for the completion of the document is valid, and if so, a new deadline will be set. If the APM Committee determines that the reason for the missed deadline is not valid, the Program Leader will likely be removed from their position. 

Employment Status

  • If an Officer loses their position from an AZA member institution, they have 6 months to re-gain employment with another AZA member institution before they have to surrender their position within the Animal Program.
  • If an Officer is no longer employed at an AZA member institution and fails to communicate with the TAG or the AZA Conservation, Management, & Welfare Sciences Department within one month, it will be assumed that the Officer has abandoned the role in the Animal Program and the TAG may proceed with filling the vacancy before the 6 month grace period is over.
  • Officers who do not resign under these conditions will be removed by the TAG Chair or, if the TAG does not have a current, approved RCP, the APM Committee.

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