Reintroduce captive-bred wildlife into restored or secure habitat as appropriate and necessary. The Species Survival Plan, or SSP, began in 1981 as a cooperative population management and conservation program for selected species at North American zoos and aquariums. Each SSP carefully manages the breeding of a species in order to maintain a healthy and self-sustaining captive population that is both genetically diverse and demographically stable. Beyond this, SSPs include a variety of other cooperative conservation activities, such as research, public education, reintroduction, and field projects. Most SSP species are endangered or threatened in the wild and have the interest of qualified professionals with time to dedicate toward their conservation.
Examples are the giant panda, Siberian tiger and lowland gorilla.
Each SSP has a qualified species coordinator who is responsible for managing its day-to day activities. Management committees composed of various experts assist the coordinator with the conservation efforts for the particular species, including aspects of population management, research, education and reintroduction when feasible. In addition, each institution holding an SSP animal has a representative who attends the relevant SSP meetings and coordinates the SSP activities at their institution. Non-member institutions may participate in SSPs, but must adhere to AZA's Code of Professional Ethics and have appropriate facilities and expertise to care for the animals. Plan An SSP Master Plan outlines the goals for the population.