Safeguarding Species for the Future: How Species Survival Plans Protect Wildlife

Published March 9, 2026

When guests walk through Wonders of Wildlife, they often form instant connections with the animals they encounter. From the graceful sweep of a lesser flamingo’s wings to the curious glances of our North American river otters, each animal has a story. What many visitors may not realize is that some of these stories extend far beyond our walls. Several of the species at WOW are part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan Program, a nationwide conservation effort designed to protect wildlife for generations to come.  

A Program Built on Hope and Science 

A Species Survival Plan, often called an SSP, is a collaborative conservation program coordinated by the AZA. At its core, it exists to ensure threatened and endangered species can thrive now and far into the future. SSPs use careful planning, scientific analysis, and cooperation among accredited zoos and aquariums to maintain healthy and genetically diverse animal populations.  

These populations act as protective shields. Should a crisis in the wild push a species closer to extinction, SSPs make sure a strong and stable group exists in human care, ready to support recovery efforts.  

How the Plan Comes to Life Behind the Scenes 

One of the most important tools within an SSP is the studbook, a detailed family history for every individual in the program. By studying each animal’s lineage, studbook keepers such as our Assistant Curator of Animal Wellbeing & Records, Deborah Pears, along with other SSP program leaders, can make informed breeding recommendations. Sometimes that means a particular match is best made at another facility, and an animal may travel across the country to meet its ideal companion. In fact, Martini, one of our former green aracaris, made this exact move when he was recommended for a breeding opportunity at another accredited zoo. 

These decisions are never made by just one person. They are supported by groups of experts who specialize in entire families of species. These teams, known as Taxon Advisory Groups, evaluate conservation needs and the role of each zoo or aquarium in supporting the species’ future. It’s a massive collaboration built on shared purposes and scientific precision. 

Making a Difference in the Wild 

Although SSPs focus on the animals living in accredited facilities, their influence stretches well beyond those boundaries. Many programs contribute to habitat restoration, global research, monitoring of wild populations, and carefully planned reintroductions into safe natural environments. Success stories like the black-footed ferret and California condor remind us population recovery is possible when science and dedication work together.  

The Wonders of Wildlife Pipeline 

Wonders of Wildlife is proud to contribute to multiple Species Survival Plan programs, and several of the animals that guests meet each day play unique roles within these conservation networks. 

Although our flock of lesser flamingos are currently all male — meaning they are not active breeders — they still support the SSP by preserving valuable genetic lines and serving as long-term holders for bloodlines that may be paired in the future. Their presence also helps us highlight the increasing habitat pressures lesser flamingos face across Africa, from shrinking lakes to water pollution. Seeing the flock up close allows guests to connect these vibrant birds with the real-world threats affecting their survival. 

The otters at WOW provide a direct window into the conservation of wetland species. Their exhibit allows guests to see natural swimming, diving, and social behaviors up close, creating a powerful connection to a species whose wetland habitats are rapidly diminishing.  

The tiny but critically important species that is the Panamanian golden frog represents one of the most urgent amphibian conservation crises on the planet. Our Panamanian golden frogs support the SSP by maintaining assurance populations, which safeguard the species from threats like chytrid fungus and habitat fragmentation. Through their delicate presence in the aquarium’s Rainforest exhibit, they help guests understand why so many amphibian species are disappearing, and what conservation partners are doing to protect them. 

Marine species at WOW are part of the effort as well. Our sand tiger sharks and zebra sharks contribute to their SSPs by displaying natural swimming and predatory behaviors that allow guests to better understand the ecological importance of apex predators. These species help tell the story of declining shark populations worldwide and spotlight the impacts of overfishing, habitat degradation, and declining reef health.  

WOW also contributes to a major international aquatic conservation initiative through the Orinoco crocodile head‑start program, one of the most urgent reptile recovery efforts in South America. Two young crocodiles, Guy and Hugo, were raised at WOW as part of a coordinated, multi‑institution effort to restore the critically endangered Orinoco crocodile to the Llanos region of Venezuela. These juveniles arrived from U.S. hatcheries and were cared for according to a strict, AZA‑designed husbandry protocol meant to help them develop natural hunting skills, grow to a safe release size, and retain their wild instincts. After roughly two years at WOW, both crocodiles were transferred in June 2024 to the Dallas World Aquarium, the central hub for this program, where they joined other head‑start individuals for transport back to Venezuela to be released into their native habitat.  

By caring for species like these, whether sharks that illuminate marine ecosystem health or young crocodiles being prepared for reintroduction, WOW helps guests understand how aquariums can directly support wildlife recovery efforts across the globe. 

Protecting Wildlife, One Story at a Time 

The Species Survival Plan Program is one of the most powerful conservation frameworks ever created for animals in human care. It protects species’ genetic health, supports wild populations, and brings together hundreds of institutions, including Wonders of Wildlife, under the shared mission of ensuring vulnerable species have a future.  

The Species Survival Plan Program connects hundreds of institutions, including Wonders of Wildlife, in a united effort to secure the future of threatened species. Our work, and the work of our partners, helps create healthier populations, stronger ecosystems, and brighter futures for wildlife everywhere. Every guest who learns from and cares about these animals strengthens that impact.