AZA - Drowning in Failure - - National Animal Welfare Assco

Updated: January 31, 2023

As 2022 starts, we enter into the "Year of the Tiger" , seen every twelve years. Definitely something positive to look towards considering how the bad fate the tiger species was subjected to in 2021 by several zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, (AZA)

While good research certainly defies simple conceptualization, it is this process of constant reflection, open-mindedness, sharing of information, and interpretation of solid facts (not politics) that renders the animal welfare discussion process fluid, dynamic, and accurate in order for owners to make sound decisions related to any species that may be in their care. So when failures occur it is important to examine and to learn from these events.

There are many good associations out there. Many offer an accreditation program within their thoughts and beliefs related to animal care and welfare. If zoo's and related facilities place all their beliefs in just one association's standards and practice, (especially with one that will not show the accreditation process), such tragic event(s) should be scrutinized even more carefully.

The tiger species has been subjected to much in 2021, all related to the AZA.  We looked into just the last twelve months of such tragedies within the tiger population of these AZA accredited zoos and found a very disturbing pattern.

The short answer is:

Taser: YES

OC Spray: MAYBE

Tasers: The critical thing to remember is that there is generally a big difference between a "taser gun" and a "stun gun". Tasers are much more powerful than hand-held stun guns. The most important thing is that tasers are only useful in limited situations with big cats.

Tasers fire two probes on 15- to 35-foot lines, and to be effective, both probes must hit. When they do, 50,000 volts (compared to most stun guns at about 5,000 volts) jam the nervous system, causing temporary paralysis and a jolt of pain. As a last resort, the drive stun on the gun itself can inflict pain without incapacitating. Tiger's, which can reach 500 pounds, are susceptible to both.

In 2004 the St. Johns County Sheriffs Department (FL) was successful with such an incident and credited for saving lives. The type of taser that was used then was what was called the Mark 5 Taser (produced by Taser International). At the time, the Mark 5 was the best and most advanced taser on the market. Today, most law enforcement departments are equipped with the Taser X26,  which is also produced by Taser International, but the technology has been extremely advanced.

OC capsicum spray (pepper spray): The topic of pepper spray strength is often a confusing and misinterpreted subject. This may be because potency levels are often purposely misconstrued by some manufacturers to seem stronger (Hint: 5.3 Million Scoville Heat Units) or other times due to misinformation. There are two common inaccurate measures of pepper spray strength and one true indicator of strength.

The one correct indicator of pepper spray potency, as recognized by the EPA & US Federal Government, is Major Capsaicinoids (MC). MC represents the strength of the entire formulation within your pepper spray. Typical sprays range from 0.18 to 1.33% MC. The higher the MC of the pepper spray, the greater the potency. Sprays with higher MC are more effective as well. A good example, Gasoline, is typically 87, 89 or 91 Octane. The higher gasoline's octane rating, the greater the fuels performance. Proof, another example, is the measure of liquor strength. The higher the proof, the stronger the liquor.

For hyper carnivores, (tigers, lions, bears), the spray must measure between 1.0% to 2.0% or higher of Major Capsaicinoids.

The pepper sprays mainly concentrate on the target's pH levels to gain the desired results. Most humans have around a pH level of 7- 7.8, while a bit cat can be between 11 -13. OC spray lowers the pH level low enough to start the irritation affects (ocular and nasal discharges and other irritants). So the OC spray used to be effective on a big cat that already has a higher pH level to start with, obviously needs to be stronger to bring the pH level lower to induce the effective desired results.

The two inaccurate measures of pepper spray strength are Oleoresin Capsicum percentages (OC%) & Scoville Heat Units (SHUs). Pepper sprays contain anywhere from 2-10% OC, but OC% only measures the amount of raw pepper or Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) within the pepper spray formulation. The OC% does not take into account the actual potency of that OC. SHUs are an inaccurate measure because they only measure the strength of the previously mentioned raw OC, which is then diluted from 90 to 98% because OC only measures between 2-10% of the formulation. Here is an example of how SHU can be misleading:  a 5.3 Million SHU spray with 2% OC measures only 0.71% MC. while a 2 Million SHU spray with 10% OC measures 1.33% MC. So, which spray would be more potent? The 1.33 MC pepper spray is nearly twice the strength.

The AZA has an extensive Tiger Husbandry Manual which address "Safety and Containment" in detail, (starting on page 14)

The Tiger Species Survival Plan manages three tiger populations as recommended by the 1992 Tiger Global Conservation Strategy and by the AZA Felid Taxon Advisory Group (TAG) - Amur (Panthera tigris altaica), Sumatran (P.t. sumatrae), and Malayan (P.t. jacksoni) tigers - with 150 spaces currently allotted to each.

As of August 2020, 272 tigers are maintained in 102 AZA or partner institutions, including 51 Malayan, 72 Sumatran, and 117 Amur tigers, as well as 32 generic (unknown pedigree) tigers. An additional 16 generic tigers are held by the International Exotic Feline Sanctuary (IEFS) in Boyd, Texas but as of October 2021 this "sanctuary" is out of "business", and no longer an AZA member facility.

The AZA also manages the Generic Tiger Species Survival Plan - Red List.  This so called "Survival plan" is more of a contradiction in the title it touts, as this program is designed for one priority - to completely snuff out any other species of tigers that AZA is not controlling through it's SSP program.  

The Generic Tiger Species Survival Plan - Red List was formed in 2009 for the purpose of managing non-pedigreed tigers of unverified origin and taxonomy to extinction in AZA member zoos. It is highly unlikely that any of these tigers are of pure taxonomic status and/or are unrelated to the existing managed SSP populations for Amur, Sumatran and Malayan tigers. However many scientist disagree - see - Subspecies Genetic Assignments of Worldwide Captive Tigers Increase Conservation Value of Captive Populations.

To provide a comparison between an SSP that strives to save a species of tiger, verses a SSP that's single goal is to drive a particular tiger class to extinction, we looked at the Amur Tiger SSP and the Generic Tiger SSP and their past to present inventories, targeted goals, history, plans, and more. What we noticed was astonishing to the level of pernicious, so hold on !

The Amur Tiger SSP was established in 1981 and intentionally reduced tiger numbers, (Generic Tiger SSP) through demographic management to meet it's target population size of 150 individuals. The population was maintained at 130-160 individuals for over 20 years; however, low recruitment and a reduction in spaces has led to decline (~4% annually) over the past eight years. Reproductive success of recommended pairs and cub survival has been lower than expected in recent years, and "so-called" space constraints have limited breeding attempts.

As of 15 August 2021, there are 39 "generic tigers"  (14 males; 25 females) at 12 AZA institutions in the US and Canada.

Of these 39 generic tigers, 25 are considered to be occupying "spaces" for tigers in 11 AZA-accredited institutions, while 14 are housed at the now failed Texas sanctuary, International Exoctic Feline Sanctuary, (IEFS) which was AZA-accredited sanctuary but no longer.

As "IEFS" is no longer an AZA member institution as of October 2021; when combined with three tiger deaths in August-September 2021, this leaves 22 tigers (8 males; 14 females) at 9 AZA institutions as of October 2021.

AZA member institutions were requested to refrain from acquiring or breeding generic tigers from 2006-2009 but generic tiger numbers continued to rise. This management action became mandatory in Fall 2009 with the establishment of the Generic Tiger SSP. Since active management of the generic tiger population in AZA institutions began in 2009, the non-sanctuary population has declined by 78% - from 114 in 2009 in 42 institutions to 25 in 2021 in 11 institutions.

It is no secret that many zoo's argued with AZA over their mandate in 2009 especially since a large number of the "generic tigers" were white in color and AZA took the stance that white tigers had no conservation value.  There is a mountain of documentation that this is far from the truth.

In fact AZA touts that since the launch of the Tiger SSP 2012  the Tiger Conservation Campaign which purpose is to encourage zoos to raise awareness about the plight of wild tigers and funding for their conservation the campaign has raised $1.2 million. ($1.2 million total for the last decade, $120,000 per year on average)

However here are just a couple of examples of contributing conservation efforts provided by the white tiger:

Before this, small facilities and private owners worked within a network to ensure good breeding and family lines for everything from zebras and reticulated pythons to parrots.   In fact, when AZA started their specialized breeding programs, they sourced their animals from the aforementioned type facilities.   Over time AZA began to change their tune and turn the other cheek to the same folks that helped jump-start their zoo populations.   Today, AZA has come out in support of the Big Cat Public Safety Act that would make those same small facilities and private owners completely illegal and force them to turn over their big cat collections to, you guessed it, AZA zoos and GFAS (Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries, a spin-off of HSUS) sanctuaries.    

As AZA has evolved, a few notable and important events have shaped how they present themselves as a non-governmental organization trying to regulate with the same authority as the federal government , 1;) their partnership with HSUS a few years back and 2;) their requirement for all newly hired keeper staff to have a bachelor's degree in life science, or animal science field.   Once HSUS's influence took hold, the entire face of zoos changed completely, and it only took one decade.   

Think of all of the new interns that went through the system to make that happen.   Any people with free contact management backgrounds are immediately cast aside for fresh, new, and impressionable graduates that have very little animal experience.   This has created a culture of keepers that go by a textbook instead of hands-on experience.   This has also birthed another dangerous facet in keeping "code red" animals - a false sense of security.   Because the keepers have never been up close with their animals, they do not understand a true physical relationship brought on by years of trust and consistency.   This can lead to fatal errors for both animals and humans.   

AZA touts itself as the "gold standard" of animal care in North America.   It markets its accreditation to the general public and the government as the ultimate saving grace that separates them from private owners and so-called "roadside" zoos.   After Dan Ashe, a good buddy of Wayne Pacelle, formerly of HSUS, started this description of AZA, that's when things started to get sketchy.   They purposefully used this language to snub ZAA (Zoological Association of America) facilities in an effort to discredit them; a tactic they would go on to use time and time again to use in their favor for exemptions in legislation regarding exotic animals.   

Recently, a male tiger killed his mate at the Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, WA after they were put into the same habitat to breed as directed by the powers that oversee the SSP.   Despite careful introductions, the male inflicted severe wounds so severe the female succumbed to her injuries.    

A pattern has developed in zoos that follow this strict SSP model where despite careful consideration, one of the two mates dies during the interaction.   Put plainly; if it had been a circus, it would have been shut down immediately.   What is disturbing is that these fatalities are noted and then chalked up to just another routine day in the life of a zoo animal since they could have potentially died in the wild of the same fate.   However, they are not in the wild and should not be managed as such.   They are in our care and deserve to be completely safe and protected. Otherwise, what would be the point of a so-called species survival plan?

A species survival plan that has lost 4 adult tigers in the past 15 months.   One that mandated no direct contact with a mother tiger and led to the death of a cub that was not receiving enough milk when nursing and therefore starved to death.   Survival is not the priority if ALL measures of safety and husbandry are not considered when managing the animals.   

When the AZA brings an animal into the SSP program, the AZA garnishes a tremendous amount of controlling "say so" within that animal's home territory.  However, India, the home of the Bengal tiger species (panthera tigris tigris) has not participated (or given in) in the AZA's SSP, and thus has maintained the control of the conservation activities with this species.

India's wild Bengal tiger population has soared over 33% in the last 5 years, and now India has about 71% of the world's wild tiger population. None of the tiger species that the SSP are currently managing have seen any significant increase over the decades.  In fact, the AZA Tiger SSP is now making their number one task to "maintain sustainable, genetically diverse tiger populations as a "genetic insurance policy" for their wild counterparts".

So while India is showing the rest of the world that true and realistic wild tiger conservation works, the AZA and it's SSP program, along with it's $22 billion dollars a year in revenue, seem to be telling us that the end is near for the tiger species in it's control. But don't worry, they will have captive breeding stock, right?

By definition, Ashe may well be right.  Merriam-Websters definition of the "gold standard" is "a monetary standard under which the basic unit of currency is defined by a stated quantity of gold and which is usually characterized by the coinage and circulation of gold", and is an outdated standard that was dropped in the 1930's.

To put that in a little perspective, $22 billion dollars would fully equip two nuclear aircraft carriers will all their aviation assets, 100%.

As noted, just the last fifteen (15) months, eight (8) big cats in the AZA-SSP have died under these "gold standards";

Big cats are not the only lost species to the "so-called" AZA's gold standard of animal care. The Dallas Zoo has experienced several notable deaths in recent years:

In the meanwhile in the midst of these failures the AZA is constantly petitioning law makers on all levels to exempt facilities under its accreditation from laws related to zoos and other related exhibits and parks.