2016 ANNUAL REPORT From Planning to Action AZA SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction harnesses the collective expertise within our accredited zoos and aquariums and leverages their massive audiences to save critical species. At the same time, SAFE is building capacity to increase direct conservation spending, as well as our members’ impact on saving animals through work in the field, in our zoos and aquariums, and through public engagement. “AZA SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction embodies the collaborative spirit of AZA-accredited aquariums and zoos. I firmly believe SAFE is a game-changer for the zoological community. SAFE is the right thing to do, it is what the public demands of us, and we have now begun to see its potential. We made great strides in 2016, and 2017 will be even better.” Dennis Kelly, Director at the Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute 1 2016: The Emerging Potential of SAFE For decades, conservation organizations around the world, including Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)- accredited facilities, have been working to protect animals and habitats. Still, animals that we have the ability to save continue to decline and disappear. With so many species at risk, a new approach to conservation is needed. AZA SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction was created to do exactly this—to harness the collective power of AZA and its members to lessen species decline around the world in a more impactful way. And to do so strategically— moving from working on many smaller projects to large and coordinated efforts. SAFE takes a long-game approach to conservation, knowing that each year the activities initiated and supported by SAFE will build on those that came before. In 2016, SAFE began to realize its potential. We convened conservation partners around the globe. We developed and began implementing Conservation Action Plans for five of the 10 inaugural SAFE Signature Species. We developed processes to be rolled out in 2017 that will bring SAFE to its next level, providing a way for AZA members to incorporate additional species into SAFE with the introduction of SAFE Member-sponsored Species. We began to harness the power of our more than 186 million guests through targeted public engagement on observance of animal awareness days. We turned to experts in creating social movements to guide us in the development of national programs to engage the public in meaningful conservation action. With incredible help and support of AZA members, we built a financial foundation for SAFE. We hope that this 2016 SAFE Annual Report will provide insight into the progress made by all of us over the past year, as well as a sense of the potential of SAFE. Warm regards, Dennis and Kris Dennis Kelly Kris Vehrs AZA Chair, Board of Directors AZA Executive Director Director, Smithsonian National Zoological Park 2 “SAFE provides us with an opportunity to work as a community to rethink and recalibrate how we go about the business of conservation. We need to find new ways to amplify our existing successful strategies.” Dave Bader, Director of Education, Aquarium of the Pacific Vision Together we are saving the most vulnerable wildlife species from extinction and protecting them for future generations. Mission The mission of SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction is to combine the power of zoo and aquarium visitors with the resources and collective expertise of AZA members and partners to save animals from extinction. Strategies » Securing the Sustainability of Species » Engaging People in Conservation The striking design of the SAFE logo was » Implementing a Long-term Business Model and Funding Strategy developed for AZA by LTD Creative. It has been recognized with two national awards including a 2015 Award of Excellence from The Communicator Awards, as well as with Silver recognition by the 2015 Summit Creative Awards in the B-to-B Logo category. 3 Saving Species COLLABORATION SAFE provides a unique multi-disciplinary approach for collaborative conservation that Saving Species includes securing is needed to address the current extinction crisis. AZA has engaged in unprecedented the sustainability of species through collaborations with the global conservation community—from zoos and aquariums to the effective and collaborative field science, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), government agencies, and conservation inspiring our guests to conservation organizations/NGOs—to create clearly defined and measurable projects that are included in action, and increasing our member SAFE Conservation Action Plans. These projects, designed to maximize AZA-accredited zoo involvement and impact in conservation. and aquarium expertise and resources, focus on making a significant difference in field » 10 SAFE Signature Species have been conservation and inspiring public action. identified that will be positively RESULT:PROJECTSTHATWILLHELPHALTTHEDECLINEOFTHESESPECIES impacted by AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums. 35 SAFE Conservation Action Plan projects were identified for the five Phase 1 species and 16 of these projects have been implemented. Staff from an AZA-accredited zoo or aquarium » SAFE Conservation Action Plans coordinate each of these projects. As a result, more than 65 different project collaborators, who have been completed for all Phase 1 often worked independently, are now working together to reduce redundancies and maximize Signature Species: African penguin, efficiency. Project-specific actions are being carried out by the experts on the project team cheetah, sharks and rays, vaquita, while they engage with range area communities to make meaningful differences in species and Western pond turtle. conservation. “The IUCN Species Survival Commission welcomes AZA's new SAFE Program and its potential to bring together diverse players in global species conservation. These ten species represent some of the most urgent challenges and greatest opportunities for us to work collaboratively towards a better future for wildlife. The need to work together to save species from extinction has never been more critical. With the combined efforts of the AZA members and networks, SAFE can play a very important role in helping to achieve this.” Dr. Simon Stuart, Past Chair IUCN Species Survival Commission 4 SAFE Conservation Action Plan projects would not be possible without the involvement of AZA members and collaborators. We want to thank the members of the project teams that have been a critical part of our successes in 2016. PROJECTCOORDINATORS » Dyer Island Conservation Trust » SeaWorld » Aquarium of the Pacific » El Paso Zoo » Shedd Aquarium » Audubon Aquarium of the Americas » FAUNO » Smithsonian’s National Zoo » Dallas Zoo » Houston Zoo » South African Association for Marine Biological Research » Monterey Bay Aquarium » Indianapolis Zoo » South African Department of » Mystic Aquarium » Keramicalia Environmental Affairs » Newport Aquarium » Living Desert Zoo » South African Foundation for the » Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium » Marine Mammal Commission Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) » Reid Park Zoo » Monterey Bay Aquarium » South African Marine Rehabilitation and » San Diego Zoo Global » Mystic Aquarium Education Center Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University » San Francisco Zoo » » South African National Parks Newport Aquarium » Sea World » » Texas State Aquarium Ocean Park Hong Kong » Seattle Aquarium » » The Living Desert Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium » Smithsonian’s National Zoo » » The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore Oregon Coast Aquarium » The Living Desert » » The Ocean Project Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife » The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore » » Unite for Literacy Oregon Zoo » Woodland Park Zoo » » United States Department of Defense Owens Corning » » United States Fish and Wildlife Service PROJECTCOLLABORATORS Pan-African Association of Zoos and Aquaria » » United States Geological Survey » Action for Cheetahs (PAAZA) » University of Bristol » African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary » Phoenix Zoo » University of Cape Town » Arizona Sonora Living Desert Museum » Population Management Center » University of Exeter » Africam Safari » Range Wide Conservation Program for » University of Illinois » California Department of Fish and Wildlife Cheetah and African Wild Dogs » Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife » CapeNature » Reid Park Zoo » Washington State University » Cheetah Conservation Fund » Robben Island Museum » Whale Times » Children’s Zoo at Celebration Square » Sacramento Zoo » Wild Lens » Cincinnati Zoo » San Diego Zoo » Wildlife Conservation Society » Columbus Zoo and Aquarium » San Diego Zoo Safari Park » Woodland Park Zoo » Dallas Zoo » San Francisco Zoo » Zoo Miami » Seabird and Penguin Rehab Center 5 African Penguin AZASAFEPROJECTSINACTION Conservationists have responded by trying to develop artificial nests that would provide the African penguins are in trouble and they benefits of the guano burrows, but have had limited success with many birds succumbing need our help. The international conservation to predation or overheating in these designs. Improvements are needed. In 2016, the SAFE community is working with AZA SAFE to project team: address several priorities, including the need to identify individual penguins, and to develop » Identified 15 potential new or improved nest designs effective artificial nests: » Began phase 1 testing of the 15 designs to determine which provided the most suitable #1. A large number of resident, introduced, internal