The highest priority of the AZA is wildlife conservation.
Specifically, the objectives of the AZA are: a. Wildlife
Conservation and Management Committee (WCMC). AZA studbooks are
primarily used as a tool for monitoring and managing captive
populations and can be either regional or international.
Studbook information is often used to make breeding decisions
that ensure genetic variation. Endangered species have the
highest priority for studbook development; however, non-
endangered species are also eligible for studbooks. As of 1994,
Sea World keeps two endangered species studbooks, one for the
white-winged wood duck (Cairina scutulata), and one for the red-
fronted macaw (Ara rubrogeys). Sea World also keeps the studbook
for the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), a non-
endangered species. Requests for copies of the international
studbooks are submitted to the Studbook Coordinator (the editor
of International Zoo Yearbook), and endorsed by the IUCN/World
Conservation Union and the IUDZG. Sea World keeps st