Philippine Spotted Deer! Cloud Rats! Delacour's Langur! Visayan Warty Pig! Red-vented Cockatoo!  . . .

Endangered species without a lobby?

The ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY FOR THE CONSERVATION OF SPECIES AND POPULATIONS (ZGAP) was founded in 1982 by a small group of committed conservationists in Munich, Germany, and was soon registered as a non-profit, tax deductable organization.

The main goal of the Society is to contribute to the conservation of little-known endangered species. Thousands of highly endangered species exist, whose names are often not even known by specialists. Many such species have already disappeared during recent decades, because of this lack of knowledge.

Few had ever heard of the Philippine Spotted Deer (Cervus alfredi) when the ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY FOR THE CONSERVATION OF SPECIES AND POPULATIONS took an interest in this species in 1984. The deer was not even listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatenend Animals, although, as investigations soon demonstrated, it was on the brink of extinction. Like many other species, the deer had "fallen into oblivion".

Since then, ZGAP has worked to develop an intensive rescue program for the Philippine Spotted Deer in co-operation with other specialists, such as the IUCN/SSC Deer Specialist Group. Financial support is provided by ZGAP, the Zoo of Mulhouse in France and other zoos in Europe, Australia and the United States. As a result of the program, there are plans for a new national park on the island of Panay. Posters with pictures and information about the deer are distributed in the Philippines.

In close co-operation with the Philippine government, a captive breeding program has been set up at the Silliman University in the Philippines and at the Zoo of Mulhouse. The first offspring were born at these places in 1991, and the current breeding population consists of more than 100 animals.

In co-operation with the English biologist William Oliver the ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY FOR THE CONSERVATION OF SPECIES AND POPULATIONS has expanded its activities in the Philippines and helped initiate research projects for endangered Cloud Rats (Phloeomys spp. and Crateromys spp.) which are among the largest and most attractive rodents in the world. Conservation measures for the Philippine Spotted Deer and the Cloud Rats, as well as new activities for Fruit Bats (i.e. Pteropus spp.), the Visayan Warty Pig (Sus cebifrons), the Red-vented Cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia), Hornbills (Penelopides spp. and Aceros spp.) will be carried on.

The ZGAP strives to include local biologists and students in the projects. In this way, the conservation projects can not only be accomplished more economically, but it often offers the only opportunity for many young people to contribute to species conservation within their own countries. In addition, they are important local conservation ambassadors for the future. Activities such as those described in the Philippines are pushed ahead by the ZGAP in other countries as well.

One example is Vietnam, where the ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY FOR THE CONSERVATION OF SPECIES AND POPULATIONS was among the first conservation societies in close cooperation with the IUCN (The World Conservation Union) to conduct and finance a survey for endangered primate species. Zoologist H. Jörg Adler tracked down the critically endangered Delacour's Langur (Trachypithecus delacouri) and the little-known Owston's Palm Civet (Chrotogale owstoni). Conservation measures for these species were developed in cooperation with the Frankfurt Zoological Society/ Help for Threatened Wildlife. A rescue and breeding facility for confiscated illegally held primates has been built in Cuc Phuong National Park. Trained zoo keepers from Zoos in Germany took on the care for the animals and the education of Vietnamese keepers.

Numerous projects and surveys are co-financed and looked after by the ZGAP. For instance, the Riverine Rabbit (Bunolagus monticularis) in South Africa, the Simian Wolf (Canis simensis) in Ethiopia or the Sichuan Hill-partridge (Arborophila rufipectus) in China.

The FUND FOR ENDANGERED PARROTS which was founded by a group of ZGAP members particularly committed to the protection of Psittacides supports conservation measures for the Citron-Crested Cockatoo (Cacatua s. citrinocristata), the Uvea Horned Parakeet (Eunymphicus cornutus uvaeansis) and the Red-and-blue Lory (Eos histrio) and other species.

Click here to read more about other supported projects.

These projects are just a few of the numerous activities of the ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY FOR THE CONSERVATION OF SPECIES AND POPULATIONS. Supervision of most of the projects as well as publication of a bi-annual journal in German language, is done honorary without payment.

The chairman of ZGAP, Roland Wirth, and some society members also work in several IUCN Specialist Groups. Therefore, good co-ordination of species conservation projects of ZGAP with other organizations is possible and money is spent most effectively.

Even though funds and personnel of the ZGAP are limited, the IUCN Species Survival Commission has included the ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY FOR THE CONSERVATION OF SPECIES AND POPULATIONS on a list of 27 worldwide nature conservation societies that have made outstanding contributions to species conservation. (Heckel, 2000)

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