Ex Situ Breeding programmes
Colchester Zoo has 200 different species; many of these are classified as threatened, endangered or critically endangered in the wild. There are many species at Colchester which are part of either the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) or the European Studbook (ESB). Our zoological management team are committee members for a number of these breeding programmes.
Clive Barwick, Curator:
- Co-chair BIAZA elephant focus group
- Committee member for the Amur leopard EEP
- Committee member for the African hunting dog EEP
- Committee member for the Common squirrel monkey EEP
- Committee member for the Red panda EEP
- Committee member for the African elephant EEP
- Committee member for the Komodo dragon EEP
- Committee member of the Yellow-breasted capuchin EEP
- Committee member of the Coppery titi monkey EEP
- Committee member of the Pied tamarin EEP
- ESB coordinator for Malayan Sun Bear
Angela Matthews, Head Keeper:
- EAZA Monitor Smooth Coated, North American River, Spotted-necked and Sea Otter
European Endangered Species Programme (EEP)
EEPs are the most intensive form of population management. Each EEP has a coordinator who is assisted by a species committee. The coordinator collects information on the species in all EAZA zoos and aquaria, produces a studbook, carries out demographical and genetical analyses, and produces a plan for the future management of the species. With the assistance of the species committee, recommendations are made each year on which animals should and should not breed and which species should move to another collection.
Mammals (40 EEPs)
- African elephant (Loxodonta africana)
- African lion (Panthera leo)
- Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis)
- Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica)
- Barbary Macaque (Macaca sylvanus)
- Binturong (Arctictis binturong)
- Black & white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata variegata)
- Buffy-headed capuchin (Sapajus xanthosternos)
- Bush dogs (Speothos venaticus)
- Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)
- Cherry-crowned mangabey (Cercocebus torquatus torquatus)
- Colombian black spider monkey (Ateles fusciceps robustus)
- Common chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes)
- Common squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus)
- Coppery titi monkey (Callcebus Cupreus)
- Crowned Lemur (Eulemur coronatus)
- Fennec fox (Vulpes zerda)
- Gelada baboon (Theropithecus gelada)
- Geoffroy’s marmoset (Callithrix geoffroyi)
- Giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)
- Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)
- Golden-headed lion tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysomelas)
- Golden lion tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia)
- Grey wolf (Canis lupus)
- L’hoest’s monkey (Cercopithecus lhoesti)
- Lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus)
- Mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx)
- Orang-utan (Pongo pygmaeus)
- Patagonian sealion (Otaria byronia)
- Pied tamarin (Saguinus bicolor)
- Pileated gibbon (Hylobates pileatus)
- Pygmy hippopotamus (Hexaprotodon liberiensis)
- Red-bellied lemur (Eulemur rubriventer)
- Red panda (Ailurus fulgens)
- Red river hog (Potamochoerus porcus)
- Ring tailed lemur (Lemur catta)
- Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta)
- Visayan spotted deer (Rusa alfredi)
- Visayan warty pig (Sus cebifrons negrinus)
- White rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum)
Reptiles (3 EEPs)
- African pancake tortoise (Malacochersus tornieri)
- Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis)
- Radiated tortoise (Astrochelys radiata)
Birds (6 EEPs)
- African White backed Vulture (Gyps africanus)
- Andean condor (Vultur gryphus)
- Humboldt penguin (Spheniscus humboldti)
- Rufous hornbill (Buceros hydrocorax)
- Ruppell’s vulture (Gyps rueppellii)
- Wreathed hornbill (Rhyticeros undulatus)
European Studbook Breeding Programme (ESB)
This is a less intensive form of population management. The programme’s studbook keeper collects information on his/her respective ESB species, such as births, deaths and transfers. This information is entered into a computer system so it can then be analysed. This allows the studbook keepers to judge whether a species is doing well or not in EAZA collections, and enables them to decide whether a species needs more rigid management to maintain a healthy population. In this case, the studbook keeper can propose that a species be managed on an EEP programme. EAZA collections can also ask the studbook keeper for recommendations on breeding and transfers.
Mammals (8 ESBs)
- Aardvark (Orycteropus afer)
- Greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros)
- Kirk’s dik dik (Madoqua kirkii)
- Linne’s two toed sloth (Choloepus didactylus)
- Malayan sun bear (Helarctos malayanus)
- Rock hyrax (Procavia capensis)
- Southern tamandua (Tamandua tetradactyla)
- Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus)
Reptiles (7 ESBs)
- Emerald tree monitor (Varanus prasinus)
- Fiji banded iguana (Brachylophus fasciatus)
- Giant Asian pond turtle (Heosemys grandis)
- Madagascan tree boa (Sanzinia madagascariensis)
- Rhinoceros iguana (Cyclura cornuta)
- Slender snouted Crocodile (Mecistops cataphractus)
- Spiny hill turtle (Heosemys spinosa)
Birds (3 ESBs)
- Blue crane (Anthrapoides paradisea)
- King vulture (Sarcorhamphus papa)
- Victoria crowned pigeon (Goura Victoria)