AZA SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction focuses the collective expertise within AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums and leverages their massive audiences to save species.
Thinking of proposing a SAFE species program? Read more!
To be eligible for SAFE, species and the teams proposing them must:
- Be threatened with extinction
- Threatened (VU, or EN, or CR or, EW) according to IUCN’s Red List; or
- Equivalent threat level according to relevant government agencies (e.g., U.S. or non-U.S. federal/state/provincial, etc.); or
- Listed as protected under CITES I or II; or
- Demonstrates science-based evidence that the species population is under extreme distress and has not yet been listed under recognized threat levels.
- Have an established conservation plan(s) (e.g. recovery plan, biodiversity management plan, PHVA action plan, etc.) in place.
- The SAFE species program can be either holistic or can be more targeted (e.g., regional, focused on one sub-species, etc.) as long as the program is clearly tied to a larger conservation plan.
- Have appropriate stakeholders identified and/or engaged (e.g., USFWS recovery teams, IUCN SSC Specialist Groups, range state wildlife offices, other NGOs, researchers)
- Include two or more AZA-accredited zoos or aquariums or certified related facilities that have an established commitment to conducting/supporting active conservation of the species for a minimum of 2 years
Program Leaders
The Program Leader is critical to the success of AZA SAFE species programs and works closely with partners to create the program plan. Program Leaders will be individual members of AZA and paid employees at an AZA-member organization. Program Leaders should submit Statements of Individual Commitment and Institutional Support with the program proposal and be able to commit to the duration of the inaugural three-year program plan.
What do you do once your proposal has been accepted?
Accepted!
Congratulations! Your SAFE program proposal was accepted! You will be assigned a WCC Liaison to help in the process. It’s important to become familiar with the SAFE Species Program Handbook.
Program Resources:
SAFE Program Handbook
SAFE FAQs
Develop
Your proposal was accepted, and now it is time to get to work. Your inaugural 3-Year program plan is due 12 months from your acceptance date. Do you have everyone on your team needed to develop your program plan? Now is the time to finalize your steering committee, enlist new program partners, and recruit collaborators. You may also want to consider setting up a dedicated funds account to help track donations, grant awards, and fund distribution for projects needed to reach your program goal. Monthly calls and in-person planning or stakeholder meetings can be helpful in the program plan development process.
Program Resources:
Program Partner Letter of Institutional Support
Dedicated Funds Account Form
SAFE Program Handbook
Submit
Congratulations! Your team has completed the final draft of your SAFE program plan, now what? Submit your program plan to your WCC Liaison and copy AZA SAFE at SAFE@aza.org. Your WCC Liaison will coordinate the review process which takes about 4-6 weeks to complete. Your plan will be sent to the Conservation Education, Marketing, Public Relations, Wildlife Conservation and other committees (as needed) for review. During this time, you may receive questions from your WCC Liaison to help reviewers through the process.
Program Resources:
SAFE Program Handbook
Implement
Your program plan has been accepted and now it’s time to implement! Your objectives and actions outlined in your first plan help to steer decision-making and allocation of resources over the next three years. During this time, it’s expected that your program will grow in program partner and collaborator numbers. If at any point you have questions, please reach out to your WCC Liaison or AZA's Conservation Coordinator.
Meet
Your team is encouraged to meet at least once in person annually. To help engage more members of the AZA community, participation in report-out sessions at the AZA Mid-Year and Annual Conferences is encouraged.
Program Resources:
Conferences & Meetings
SAFE FAQs
SAFE Program Handbook
Report
We want to help track your progress and share your stories! One annual report must be submitted to AZA and your WCC Liaison by January 31st. This report is used to keep communication flowing, address challenges that arise, and provide content that can be shared and amplified over AZA media platforms.
Program Resources:
SAFE Public Relations Pitch and Progress Report Template
SAFE Annual Report Template
SAFE Program Handbook
Are you ready to save species?
Send your proposal via email to safe@aza.org!
More questions? Review the SAFE FAQs.
If accepted, the program team agrees to:
- Develop a 3-year program plan within 12 months of approval that aligns with and advances the actions from an identified recovery plan
- Develop communication objectives to increase awareness of SAFE programs for targeted audiences which include the program stakeholders, general public, media, and other audiences as appropriate
- Increase member involvement in the conservation of the species to at least 5 facilities
- Follow the SAFE species processes, protocols and deadlines
Was your proposal already accepted?
Send your program plan to safe@aza.org and congratulations on completing it!
Find information about eligibility, stakeholders, developing a SAFE program plan, and more in the SAFE Program Handbook.
Download the Documents You Need
- Handbook Chapter 5: SAFE Programs Using Managed Ex Situ Populations for Recovery
- AZA Studbook Keeper Application
- AZA Population Coordinator Application
- AZA Population Coordinator and Studbook Keeper Application
- SAFE Species Program Handbook
- SAFE Program Proposal Form
- Program Leader Statements of Individual Commitment and Institutional Support
- Program Officer Statement of Institutional Support
- Program Partners Statement of Institutional Support
- SAFE Program Plan Review Checklist
- Dedicated Funds Account Form
- Annual Report Template
- SAFE Branding and Style Guide
- SAFE FAQ
Take Action
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