Minutes
PACT TAG Meeting
26 September 2000
Chair: Martin Vince
Vice Chair: Robert Webster
Secretary: Peter Luscomb
Steering Committee Members :
Ken Reininger, Dave Rimlinger, John Azua, Scott Barton, Ted Fox, Patty McGill, Jimmy Pichner, Lee Schoen, Aliza Baltz, John Rowden, Stan Searles, Greg Toffic.
Listserve information, Mark MyersA listserve has been developed to facilitate communication between TAG participants. Contact Mark Myers to get information on subscribing to this listserve.
Recent History of TAGIn July 2000, the PACT TAG was re-formed following the departure of the previous Chair and Co-chair. During the reformation, a listserve was created, and is maintained, by Mark Myers / Audubon Zoo. From this list, a Steering Committee was elected, from which the new Officers were elected. The TAG's first Regional Collection Plan (RCP) was issued in 1996. For this, the then TAG, under the Chairmanship of Jon Seltz / Sedgwick County Zoo, deserve great credit. Since 1996, the WCMC have directed TAGs towards more structured RCPs that comprise space surveys, and species selection criteria which meet the goals of the TAG and can be applied without bias to all species in the relevant Order/s.
The immediate objective of the newly formed PACT TAG is to lay the foundation for a new RCP. To achieve this, we will work on a space survey, and develop selection criteria which can be applied to our 4 Orders to produce a WCMW-compliant RCP. We hope to start work on the RCP at the Regional Conference in Tennessee 2001. Once the RCP is approved by WCMC, we will be more or less autonomous, and able to approve/disapprove our own studbooks.
Using current small population analysis thinking, it seems impossible to accommodate a representative range of PACT species in NA zoos. The challenge ahead is therefore not to simply re-do the RCP, but to manipulate it in such as way that all recommended species will actually fit in available zoo spaces. To this end, something substantial has to change: either we need to reduce the number of PACT species we want to keep, or (perhaps the more preferable idea) reduce the period over which we model our populations: reduce planned management from 100 years to say 30 or even 20 years. This is a departure from the norm, but we will have to consider such options if we are to fit the several square pegs of the PACT TAG in one round hole!
Greg Bockheim updated
committee on the status of the sturnid survey (see attachment 1). A total of 171
questionnaires
were returned from
71 Zoos, 30 U.S. zoos and 41 foreign zoos including information on 27 species. Final
report will
be provided at a later
time.
5. Tanager update: Patty McGill
Anne Oiler and Kathy Pingry, cochairs of the Tanager SIC provided current collection data for Blue-gray Tanagers, Silver-beaked Tanagers and Turquoise Tanagers. (see attachment 2 ) The tanager studbook has been updated and should be published in October 2000. Brookfield staff will be trying to get registries for blue Dacnis and euphonias approved and started.
Brookfield Zoo is working with Dr. Greiner on atoxo screening for tanagers. Their veterinary staff will be contacting other zoos for assistance in additional research on atoxo.
Listserve developed for tanagers. Tanagers@lists.aza.org Contact Mark Myers for information on subscribing to this listserve. Additional information will be available on the TAG listserve.
6. PACT TAG Mission statement:
To foster public awareness and support for the conservation of PACT TAG species in ecosystems worldwide by promoting responsible management for sustainable populations.
The steering committee will review and refine the Mission statement and goals for the PACT TAG. This will be the top priority for the steering committee. These documents will provide the direction for all TAG activities.
7. Status of Passerines in North American collections
Robert Webster provided the committee with a inventory report for all TAG species held in captivity during the time period; 1985 through 1999. Robert also circulated a list of most commonly kept passerines (see attachment).
8. Review of Interest Groups
Martin Vince reviewed the Interest Groups and identified groups with assigned leaders.
Joseph Lindholm had previously put together a taxonomic breakdown of PACT TAG SIGs according to both Howard and Moore (1994) and Sibley and Monroe (1993). A decision will have to be made on which taxonomic system to use for the PACT TAG.
A list of all SICs will be posted on the Listserve and persons will be asked to sign up for the Interest Committees that they would like to participate on.
9. Duties of Interest Group Leaders
Peter Luscomb reviewed the organization and management system used for the flycatcher interest committee. It was felt that the flycatcher interest committee might be an appropriate model for the other SICs. Peter will put together an outline of a SIC management plan for the steering committee to review and approve.
10. Advisors and Committees:
Veterinary advisor: Terry Norton / St Catherine's Island (Bali mynah SSP
veterinary advisor).
Nutrition advisor: No one is identified at this time. A request will need to be
made to the Nutrition advisory committee to assign someone to the PACT TAG
Education advisor: Brad Parks
SPMAG advisor: No one is identified at this time.
Native birds - IMBD Ken Reininger
11. Development of the Regional Collection Plan
It was determined that a space survey will be needed before we can complete our Regional Collection Plan. A discussion was held on how best to develop a space survey for the Tag. It was decided that Scott Barton and Peter Luscomb will put together some ideas for a space survey and submit their ideas to the steering committee for review and approval. An attempt will be made to complete the space survey prior to the next regional meeting.
A discussion was held on the possibility of working on the RCP at the next regional meeting. It was felt that the following actions needed to take place before we can complete the RCP: a) complete the space survey; b) develop collection guidelines for the Interest Groups. Tentatively the RCP will be worked on at the next national meeting.
12. Conservation proposal development
Discussions were held on the direction of TAG conservation programs. There was a general feeling that conservation efforts should be directed at the ecosystem level. The extractive reserve concept was brought up. The concept proposes that AZA would facilitate the development of natural area reserves in targeted ecosystems. The reserve would be managed to support the conservation of the ecosystem. Programs to use the resources of the ecosystem would be developed to generate monies to support biodiversity conservation. Possible examples of activities that can help support the reserve are: ecotourism, agroforestry, insect farming, shade grown coffee, selling cultural art and crafts etc.
A side benefit could be an agreement that could allow AZA facilities the option to acquire animals from the reserve on a sustainable basis to support and augment our captive populations. It was stated that very few of our PACT TAG species have populations that are self sustaining and will need occasional imports from the wild to maintain them.
13. Web page
This is the PACT TAG's web page. The TAG's documents, projects etc will be kept here so that everyone has easy access to them.
14. Other issues brought up for discussion