A Guide to Zoo Acronyms
Commonly used acronyms in the AZA Ungulate TAGs
ACM - Animal Care Manual
AZA - Association of Zoos and Aquariums
C2S2 - Conservation Centers for Species Survival
PFS - Partnership for Species
PVA - Population Viability Assessment
RCP - Regional Collection Plan
RMC - Reproductive Management Center
RRC - Rhino Research Council
SAFE - Saving Animals From Extinction (AZA Program)
SAG - Scientific Advisory Group
SPA - Source Population Alliance
SPMAG - Small Population Management Advisory Group
SSP - Species Survival Plan
TAG - Taxon Advisory Group
URG - Ungulate Resource Group
A full list of zoo-related acronyms:
AAALAC - American Association for Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care
AAAS - American Association for the Advancement of Science
AABGA - American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta
AAEE - Australian Association of Environmental Educators
AAM - American Association of Museums
AAV - Association of Avian Veterinarians
AAZK - American Association of Zoo Keepers
AAZPA - American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums (legal name of AZA)
AAZV - American Association of Zoo Veterinarians
ABA - American Birding Association
ABC - American Bird Conservancy
ABS - Animal Behavior Society
ABWAK - Association of British Wild Animal Keepers
ACM - Animal Care Manual (AZA)
ACOPAZOO - Asociación Colombiana de Parques Zoológicos
ACORENA - Asociación para la Conservación de los Recursos Naturales (Costa Rica)
ADISC - Animal Data Information Systems Committee
ADZG - Association of Danish Zoological Gardens
AE - Animal Exchange
AEO - Animal Exchange Online
AERSG - African Elephant and Rhino Specialist Group (SSC)
AEZA - Asociación Española de Zoos y Acuarios
AFA - American Federation of Aviculture
AFO - Association of Field Ornithologists
AfRSG - African Rhino Specialist Group (SSC)
AI - Artificial Insemination
ALPZA - Asociación Latino Americana de Parques Zoológicos y Acuarios (formerly LAAZGA)
AMACZOOA - Asociación Mesoamericana y del Caribe de Zoológicos y Acuarios (formerly AMAZOO - Association of Meso-American Zoos)
ANPJZP - Association Nationale de Parcs et Jardins Zoologiques Prives (France)
AOU - American Ornithologists' Union
APHIS - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
ARAZPA - Australasian Regional Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria
ARCS - Annual Report on Conservation and Science (AZA)
ARKS - Animal Records Keeping System
ASIH - American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
ASM - American Society of Mammalogists
ASMP - Australasian Species Management Programme (the Australasian version of SSP)
ASP - American Society of Primatologists
AsRSG - Asian Rhino Specialist Group (SSC)
ASTC - Association of Science and Technology Centers
ASZK - Australasian Society of Zoo Keeping
ATCC - American Type Culture Collection
AVPZA - Asociación Venozolona de Parques Zoológicos y Acuarios
AWA - Animal Welfare Act
AYM - Association of Youth Museums
AZA - Association of Zoos and Aquariums (formerly AZA - American Zoo and Aquarium Association; formerly AAZPA - American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums).
AZCARM - Association of Zoos, Breeders and Aquariums of the Mexican Republic (Asociación de Zoológicos, Criaderos y Acuarios de la República Mexicana)
AZDANZ - Association of Zoo Directors of Australia and New Zealand
AZH - Association of Zoological Horticulture
BFF - Black-footed ferret
BLM - Bureau of Land Management (USDI)
BNHS - Bombay Natural History Society
BPG - Best Practice Guidelines (EAZA)
BRD - Biological Resources Division (US Geological Survey)
BTP - Breeding and Transfer Plan
C2S2 - Conservation Centers for Species Survival
CAM - Conservation and Animal Management Committee (of British Federation)
CAMP - Conservation Assessment and Management Plan
CAP - Conservation Action Partnership (formerly FIG) (AZA)
CAUZ - Consortium of Aquariums, Universities, and Zoos
CAZA - Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums (formerly CAZPA)
CAZA - California Association of Zoos and Aquariums
CAZG - Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens
CBSG - Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (formerly Captive Breeding Specialist Group) (IUCN/SSC)
CCC - CAP Chairs' Committee(pending AZA WCMC approval)
CCF - Cheetah Conservation Fund (Namibia)
CDC - Centers for Disease Control (U.S. Public Health Service)
CDC - Conservation Data Centers (TNC)
CEF - Conservation Endowment Fund (AZA)
CI - Conservation International
CIRCC - Committee on Interregional Conservation Coordination (WZO)
CITES - Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
COGBAZ - Council of Governing Bodies of Australasian Zoos
CONAF - Corporación Nacional Forestal (Chile)
COS - Cooper Ornithological Society
COSEWIC - Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada
CPC - Center for Plant Conservation
CPR - Captive Propagation Rescue
CRC - Conservation & Research Center (NZP)
CRES - Center for Reproduction of Endangered Species (ZSSD)
CREW - Center for Reproduction of Endangered Wildlife (Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden)
CRG - Conservation Resource Guide (AZA)
CSZF/USCZG - Union of Czech and Slovac Zoological Gardens
CWGBT - Cooperative Working Group on Bird Trade
CWS - Colonial Waterbird Society
CZA - Central Zoo Authority (India)
DAPTF - Declining Amphibian Populations Task Force (IUCN/SSC)
DOE - Department Of Energy (US)
DRG - Division of Research Grants (NIH)
EAZA - European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (formerly ECAZA)
EARAZA - Euro-Asian Regional Association of Zoos and Aquaria (Russia)
ECAZA - European Community of Zoological Gardens and Aquaria (now EAZA)
ED - Department of Education
EEP - European Endangered Species Programme (European version of SSP)
EIS - Environmental Impact Statement
EPA - Environmental Protection Agency
ESA - Ecological Society of America
ESA - Endangered Species Act
ESP - Ecosystem Survival Plan
ET - Embryo transfer
EUAC - European Union of Aquarium Curators
EZE - European Zoo Educators
FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization (UN)
FASEB - Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
FCC - Field Conservation Committee (AZA)
FFI - Fauna and Flora International
FGE - Founder genome equivalent
FIC - Founder importance coefficient
FIG - Fauna Interest Group (now CAP) (AZA)
FUNDAZOO - Fundación Pro Zoológico (Foundations for Zoos) (Costa Rica)
FUNPZA: Fundacion Nacional de Parques Zoologicos y Aquarios (Venezuela)
FWS - US Fish and Wildlife Service
FZGGB - Federation of Zoological Gardens of Great Britain and Ireland
GASP - Global Animal Survival Plan (now GCS) (CBSG)
GCAP - Global Captive Action Plan (now GCAR) (CBSG)
GCAR - Global Captive Action Recommendation (formerly GCAP) (CBSG)
GCS-Global Conservation Strategy (formerly GASP)
GDAWR - Guam Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources
GHSP - Global Heritage Species Program
GIS - Geographic Information System
GLAZE -Gay and Lesbian Association of Zoo Employees
GLT - Golden lion tamarin
GMPWG - Global Management Plan Working Group
GSA - General Services Administration
GU - Genome uniqueness
HCP - Habitat Conservation Plan
HL - Herpetologist League
HSUS - Humane Society of the United States
IAAAM - International Association for Aquatic Animal Medicine
IAATE - International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators
IACUC - Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
IAFWA - International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
IBA - Important Bird Areas (National Audubon Society)
IBAMA - Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Natural Renewable Resources
IBPGR - International Board for Plant Genetic Resources
ICBP - International Council for Bird Preservation (IUCN)
ICC - Invertebrate Conservation Center (ZSL)
ICP - Institutional Collection Plan
ICSI - Intracytoplasmic sperm injection
IDMAG- Institutional Data Management Advisory Group
IGBP - International Geosphere and Biosphere Program
ILAR - Institute of Laboratory Animal Research
IMATA - International Marine Animal Trainers Association
IMLS - Institute of Museum and Library Services
IPAM - International Partnerships Among Museums
IPCC - International Panel on Climate Change
IPPL - International Primate Protection League
IPS - International Society of Primatologists
IRF - International Rhino Foundation
ISEC - International Society for Endangered Cats
ISIS - International Species Information System
ISPTR - International Society for the Preservation of the Tropical Rainforest
IUCN - The World Conservation Union (formerly the Int’l Union for the Conservation of Nature)
IUDZG - International Union of Directors of Zoological Gardens (now WZO)
IVF - In vitro fertilization
IVM - In vitro maturation
IWC - International Whaling Commission
IZDA - Indian Zoo Directors Association
IZE - International Zoo Educators
IZN - International Zoo News
IZPA - Indonesian Zoological Parks Association
IZY - International Zoo Yearbook
JAZAE - Japanese Association of Zoo and Aquarium Educators
JAZGA - Japanese Association of Zoological Gardens and Aquariums
JGI - Jane Goodall Institute
JMSC - Joint Management of Species Committee (JMSG)
JMSG - Joint Management of Species Group (SSP‑like program in UK)
JWPT - Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust (now Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust)
KV - Kinship value
LAAZGA - Latin American Association of Zoological Gardens and Aquariums (now ALPZA)
LSIG - Librarians Special Interest Group (AZA)
LTER - Long-Term Ecological Research Sites (NSF)
LTM - Lion-tailed macaque
MAI - Maximum avoidance of inbreeding
MAP - Museum Assessment Program
MBTA - Migratory Bird Treaty Act
MEDARKS - Medical Animal Records Keeping System
MET - Ministry of Environment and Tourism (Namibia)
MK - Mean kinship
MM - Mobile male
MMPA - Marine Mammal Protection Act
MOP - Memorandum Of Participation
MOU - Memorandum of Understanding
MVP - Minimum viable population
NAAMP - North American Amphibian Monitoring Program
NACAP - Conservation Action Partnership: North America (formerly NAFIG) (AZA)
NAS - National Academy of Sciences
NAS - National Audubon Society
NCI - National Cancer Institute
NEA - National Endowment for the Arts
NEH - National Endowment for the Humanities
NEPA - National Environmental Policy Act
NERP - National Environmental Research Parks (DOE)
NFHZG - National Federation of Hungarian Zoological Gardens
NFRZG - National Foundation for Research in Zoological Gardens (Netherlands)
NFWF - National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
NGO - Nongovernmental organization
NHP - Natural Heritage Program (TNC)
NIC - National Institute for Conservation
NIH - National Institutes of Health
NMFS - National Marine Fisheries Service
NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOAH - National Online Animal Histories (Regional ISIS‑like database system in the UK and the Netherlands)
NOAHS - New Opportunities in Animal Health Sciences (NZP)
NPS - National Park Service (USDI)
NSF - National Science Foundation
NSF-ISE - National Science Foundation-Informal Science Education
NTIS - National Technical Information Service
NVD - Nederlandse Vereniging van Dierentuinen (Dutch Federation of Zoos)
NWF - National Wildlife Federation
NWRA - National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association
NZP - National Zoological Park
OC - The Ornithological Council
OMA - Office of Management Authority
OSA - Office of Scientific Authority
OSI - Office of Scientific Integrity (NIH)
PAAZAB - Pan African Association of Zoological Gardens, Aquaria and Botanical Gardens (formerly PAAZGABG ) (South Africa)
PADU - Protected Areas Data Unit (World Conservation Monitoring Center)
PAWS - Performing Animal Welfare Society
PERC - Portable Elephant Restraining Chute
PETA - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
PFC - Population founder coefficient
PHPA - Nature Conservation and Forest Protection (Indonesia)
PHVA - Population and habitat viability analysis
PKBSI - The Indonesian Zoological Parks Association
PMP - Population Management Plan (AZA)
PSG - Pacific Seabird Group
PVA - Population Viability Analysis
PVO - Private Voluntary Organization
PZS/PZDA - Polish Zoological Society
RCC - Research Coordinators Committee (AZA)
RCP - Regional collection plan
REGASP - Regional Animal Species Collection Plan
RRC - Rhino Research Council
SAFE - Saving Animals From Extinction (AZA Program)
SAG - Scientific Advisory Group (AZA)
SAIO - Salim Ali Institute of Ornithology
SASZ - Swiss Association of Scientific Zoos
SAVE - Save African Endangered Wildlife Foundation
SAZA - Swedish Association of Zoos and Aquaria (formerly SAZPA)
SB - Studbook
SCB - Society for Conservation Biology
SCOPE - Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment
SEAZA - South East Asian Zoo Association (Indonesia)
SER - Society for Ecological Restoration
SMCC - Species Management Coordinating Council (ARAZPA and COGBAZ)
SNDPZF - Syndicat National des Directeurs de Parcs Zoologiques Francais
SPARKS - Single Population Analysis and Record Keeping System
SPMAG - Small Population Management Advisory Group
SSAR - Society for the Study of Amphibian and Reptiles
SSC - Species Survival Commission (IUCN)
SSCJ - Species Survival Committee of Japan
SSPSC - Species Survival Plan Subcommittee (AZA WCMC; no longer exists)
STF - Save the Tiger Fund
SZB - Socieda de Zoologicos do Brazil
TAG - Taxon Advisory Group (AZA)
TFAP - Tropical Forest Action Plan
TMA - Taxon Management Account
TNC - The Nature Conservancy
TP&WD - Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
TRAFFIC - Trade Records Analysis of Flora and Fauna in Commerce
UCSZG - Union of Czech and Slovak Zoological Gardens
UIZA/ UIGZ - Unione Italiana dei Giardini Zoologici
UNEP - United Nations Environmental Programme
UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
URG - Ungulate Resource Group
USAID - United States Agency for International Development
USDA - United States Department of Agriculture
USDI - United States Department of the Interior
USFWS - United States Fish and Wildlife Service
USGCRP - United States Global Change Research Program
USGS - United States Geological Survey (USDI)
USMAB - United States, The Man And the Biosphere Program
VDZ - Verband Deutscher Zoodirektoren (German Zoo Union)
WCMC - Wildlife Conservation and Management Committee (AZA)
WCMC - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (Great Britain; formerly IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre)
WCS - Wildlife Conservation Society
WII - Wildlife Institute of India
WOS - Wilson Ornithological Society
WPTC - Wildlife Preservation Trust Canada
WPTI - Wildlife Preservation Trust International
WRI - World Resource Institute
WSPA - World Society for the Protection of Animals
WWF - World Wildlife Fund (US)
WWF - World Wide Fund for Nature (International)
WZO - World Zoo Organization (formerly IUDZG)
ZB - Zoo Biology
ZCOG - Zoo Conservation Outreach Group
ZOO - Zoo Outreach Organisation (India)
ZPOT - Zoological Park Organization of Thailand
ZRA - Zoo Registrar Association
ZSL - Zoological Society of London
ZSM - Zooresearch Studbook Management (European computer studbook manager)
ZSSD - Zoological Society of San Diego