Riverbanks' Role :: Riverbanks Zoo and Garden

Riverbanks' Role

What is Riverbanks' current role in the wide array of conservation efforts? From delivering high quality conservation education programs and providing superb veterinary support for SSP and research programs to administering a wide variety of regional and international conservation efforts, the Riverbanks Zoo staff is continuously and actively involved with conservation.

Riverbanks participates actively in Species Survival Plan (SSP) programs for 72 species including the golden-lion tamarin, African lion, siamang, reticulated giraffe, lowland gorilla, African elephant, Amur tiger, ring-tailed lemur, slender-tailed meerkat, spotted hyena, plains zebra, Matschie's tree kangaroo, red kangaroo, Rodrigues fruit bat, Debrazza monkey, Hamadryas baboon, lion-tailed macaque, white-faced saki, golden-headed lion tamarin, black howler monkey, Prevost's squirrel, red-ruffed lemur, Hoffman's sloth, red-necked wallaby, Parma wallaby, king vulture, rockhopper penguin, Gentoo penguin, king penguin, Hyacinth macaw, Bali mynah, blue-crowned motmot, sunbittern, Abyssinian ground hornbill, tawny frogmouth, laughing kookaburra, golden-breasted starling, fairy bluebird, spectacled owl, Lady Ross' turaco, Eurasian eagle owl, Toco toucan, red-legged seriema, boat-billed heron, green woodhoopoe, masked lapwing, blue-faced honeyeater, green-naped pheasant pigeon, Victoria crowned pigeon, keel-billed toucan, red-billed hornbill, thick-billed parrot, American flamingo, Indian pygmy goose, red-billed leiothrix, crested oropendola, Marianas fruit dove, white-headed buffalo weaver, radiated tortoise, Komodo monitor, green tree monitor, Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko, giant leaf-tailed gecko, mossy leaf-tailed gecko, satanic leaf-tailed gecko, Madagascar flat-tailed tortoise, pancake tortoise, Galapagos tortoise, Aruba island rattlesnake, bushmaster, lined seahorse and Mexican red-kneed tarantula.

	AZA Accreditation Commission.
	Animal Welfare Committee.
	Early Adaptor Institution for the new Zoological Information Management Systems (ZIMS) database. Riverbanks is proud to be in the top five percent of ISIS participating institutions in data link rate.
	International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN)/Species Survival Commission (SSC) - Riverbanks staff members serve on the IUCN/SSC’s Crocodile Specialist Group, Tomistoma Task Force, Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, Swan Specialist Group and Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (CBSG) [ learn more ].
	SSP Management Group members for the koala, elephant, Aruba Island rattlesnake, and Chinese alligator SSP Management Groups.
	Medical Advisor for the Piciformes TAG.
	SSP Coordinators for toco toucan, Caribbean flamingo, Nile hippo, Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko, giant leaf-tailed gecko, mossy leaf-tailed gecko, satanic leaf-tailed gecko.
	North American Regional Studbooks/Population Management Plans (PMPs) African lion, Nile hippo, king cobra, false gharial crocodile, fishing cat, fishing cat, lined leaf-tailed gecko, spiny leaf-tailed gecko, spear-pointed leaf-tailed gecko and Pan's box turtle.
	Steering Committee members for the marine fishes, waterfowl, raptor, penguin, marsupial & monotreme, crocodilian, amphibian, lizard, ape, wild pig & peccary TAGs.

	2012 – AZA International Conservation Award – recognizing Riverbanks' support of the Grevy's Zebra Trust.
	2012 – Wildlife Conservation Award by the South Carolina Wildlife Federation.
	2012 – Earth Day Award – for the Riverbanks comPOOst program by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.
	2011 – Edward H. Bean Award – recognizing Riverbanks' efforts in the long-term propagation and conservation of the Bali mynah.
	2010 – Edward H. Bean Significant Achievement Award – recognizing Riverbanks' efforts in the long-term propagation and conservation of black-footed cats.
	2007 – John Behler Scholarship – for herpetology keeper to attend the AZA Crocodilian Management School.
	2005 – Edward H. Bean Award – recognizing Riverbanks' efforts in the long-term propagation and captive husbandry of Malagasy leaf-tailed geckos.
	2004 – Conservation Education Award – in honor of Riverbanks' Helping Hands - Teens in Action in the Community program.
	2003 – International Conservation Award – recognizing Riverbanks’ support of a bat conservation educator on Mauritius.
	2002 – International Conservation Award – recognizing Riverbanks' support of tree kangaroo conservation in Papua New Guinea.
	2002 – Exhibits Significant Achievement Award – for the Riverbanks Avian Program (Bird Conservation Center, Birdhouse at Riverbanks and outdoor aviaries).
	1998 – Edward H. Bean Award – recognizing Riverbanks' long-term success with the captive breeding of Ramphastids (toucans, toucanettes and aracaris).
	1986 – Silver Propagation certificate – in appreciation of Riverbanks' outstanding success with the captive breeding of the black howler monkey.
	1983 – AZA Significant Achievement Award – recognizing Riverbanks' ground cuscus breeding program.
	1981 – Edward H. Bean Award – presented to Riverbanks in honor of outstanding success with the captive breeding of the black howler monkey.
	1981 – AZA Significant Achievement Award – recognizing Riverbanks' pioneering efforts in captive breeding of the white-faced saki.
	1977 – AZA Significant Achievement Award – acknowledging Riverbanks for the first captive breeding of the Toco toucan.

Riverbanks remains a leader and active participant in a wide variety of conservation programs.

Some of Riverbanks' accomplishments: (click each for more information)

+ BB&T Medical Clinic for Raptors and Endangered Species

+ Fort Gordon Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

+ Congaree Creek Heritage Preserve Faunal Survey

+ Eastern diamondback rattlesnake

+ El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center

+ Faunal surveys of the Riverbanks Site

+ International Rhino Foundation’s (IRF) Save the Rhino Campagin

+ Koala Chlamydia Research

+ Power for Wildlife Restoration of Power Line Right-of-Ways