Management of Penguin Populations in North American Zoos and Aquariums

Abstract

The North American zoo community has made great strides towards collaborating in the management of captive penguins on the subcontinent. Organized captive management programmes such as that of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association Species Survival Plan (SSP) and Penguin Taxonomic Advisory Group (TAG) have enhanced the zoo community’s ability to contribute to penguin conservation through captive breeding, population management and education. These advances are summarized, including improvements in captive husbandry, development of a penguin husbandry manual, enhanced space utilization for captive penguin management, and development of a Penguin Regional Collection Plan.