Seventh International Tapir Symposium

Crowne Plaza Houston River Oaks Hotel
Houston, Texas, United States
November 14-18, 20147

Organizers

IUCN/SSC Tapir Specialist Group (TSG)
Houston Zoo, USA
Copenhagen Zoo, Denmark
Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) Tapir Taxon Advisory Group (TAG)
European Association of Zoos & Aquaria (EAZA) Tapir Taxon Advisory Group (TAG)

Dear Friends:

The IUCN/SSC Tapir Specialist Group (TSG) has the pleasure to announce the upcoming Seventh International Tapir Symposium to be held in Houston, Texas, United States, from 14 to 18 November, 2017. Our local host will be our long-term tapir conservation partner, the Houston Zoo, and we could not be more grateful for their support!!! Additional partners on the organization of the conference are the Copenhagen Zoo, Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) Tapir Taxon Advisory Group (TAG), and European Association of Zoos & Aquaria (EAZA) Tapir Taxon Advisory Group (TAG).

Previous International Tapir Symposiums were held in San José, COSTA RICA (2001), where we brought together for the very first time 85 tapir experts and conservationists from 21 different countries worldwide, Panama City, REPUBLIC OF PANAMA (2004); Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA (2006); Cancun, MEXICO (2008); Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA (2011); and, Campo Grande, BRAZIL (2014). We are now very excited to bring our conference to the United States for the very first time!!!

Throughout its history, the International Tapir Symposium has demonstrated to be a critical moment for tapir conservation worldwide. The Seventh International Tapir Symposium will once again bring together a multi-faceted group of tapir experts and conservationists, including field researchers, environmental educators, academics, veterinarians, marketing and communication experts, captivity specialists, governmental authorities, politicians and other interested parties and stakeholders.

The first part of the conference usually features paper and poster presentations as well as keynote speakers, while the second part is devoted to workshops and round-tables addressing specific topics relevant to tapir conservation worldwide. Specific topics discussed during the conference include tapir research and conservation, population management, veterinary and genetic issues, population modeling and action planning, husbandry and captive management, environmental education and outreach, training and capacity-building, involvement of local communities, re-introductions and translocations, marketing, fundraising, governmental regulations and permits, and human-tapir conflicts among many other topics. Any suggestions for topics you would like to see included in our program this year, as well as potential keynote speakers, will be MORE THAN WELCOME.

Main Objectives of the Conference Include

Exchange and discussion of current data on field and captive studies through the presentation of papers, posters and keynote speeches by current tapir conservationists
Opportunity to foster our global network of tapir researchers and supporters
Revision of TSG Strategic Planning 2015-2017 developed and prioritized during the Sixth Symposium in Brazil, and evaluation of what has been accomplished in the past three years
Development of the TSG Strategic Planning for 2018-2020, which will allow for the conference recommendations to be carried out, helping to direct the activities and initiatives of the TSG in the following three years until the next symposium
Evaluation of the work of the TSG Action Plan Implementation Taskforce established in Mexico in 2008 with the main objective of overseeing and promoting the implementation of the IUCN/SSC Tapir Action Plan finalized in 2007
Creation of committees made up of representative tapir conservationists who will develop and prioritize key research, conservation, management and financial issues affecting the plight of endangered tapir species worldwide

Members of the symposium’s planning committee have been working together with staff from the Houston Zoo on putting together the local logistics for the conference.

Symposium sessions will be carried out and most participants will be staying at the Crowne Plaza Houston River Oaks Hotel. Participants will be requested to arrive throughout the day on the 13th of November, Monday. Sessions will start the following morning, on the 14th, Tuesday, and end in the evening of the 18th, Saturday. We will host an icebreaker on either the 13th or the 14th (date TBC), Zoo Day on the 16th, and Final Dinner on the 18th. Participants will depart on the 19th, Sunday.

PLEASE make sure to put the Seventh International Tapir Symposium on your schedule for 2017!

We would love to have you all with us in Houston!

Patrícia Medici
Chair, IUCN/SSC Tapir Specialist Group (TSG)

Registration Options

OPTION 1 – FULL CONFERENCE SINGLE OCCUPANCY
Crowne Plaza Houston River Oaks (Conference Hotel)
US$1,150 per person

Price Includes: SIX (6) nights hotel accommodation at the conference hotel – Crowne Plaza Houston River Oaks – SINGLE occupancy, including taxes and service charge (13/14/15/16/17/18 November); buffet breakfast at Crowne Plaza Houston River Oaks (14/15/16/17/18/19 November); buffet lunch at Hotel Crowne Plaza Houston River Oaks (14/15/17/18 November); session coffee breaks; ICEBREAKER reception (Nov. 13th); ZOO DAY at Houston Zoo (Nov. 16th, including lunch and dinner); FINAL DINNER (Nov. 18th); conference materials (name tag, conference folder, notebook, pen, t-shirt, and a 1GB memory stick including the symposium Program and Book of Abstracts).

Price does NOT include: Airport transfers (arrival on the 13th; departure on the 19th); dinner on the 13, 14, 15, 17 of November; airport entrance/departure taxes; personal expenses such as phone calls, internet access, laundry, mini-bar etc.

Increased Registration Fee after September 15, 2017
Until September 15: US$1,150 per person
After September 15: US$1,250 per person

OPTION 2 – FULL CONFERENCE DOUBLE OCCUPANCY
Crowne Plaza Houston River Oaks (Conference Hotel)
US$825 per person

Price Includes: SIX (6) nights hotel accommodation at the conference hotel – Crowne Plaza Houston River Oaks – DOUBLE occupancy, including taxes and service charge (13/14/15/16/17/18 November); buffet breakfast at Crowne Plaza Houston River Oaks (14/15/16/17/18/19 November); buffet lunch at Hotel Crowne Plaza Houston River Oaks (14/15/17/18 November); session coffee breaks; ICEBREAKER reception (Nov. 13th); ZOO DAY at Houston Zoo (Nov. 16th, including lunch and dinner); FINAL DINNER (Nov. 18th); conference materials (name tag, conference folder, notebook, pen, t-shirt, and a 1GB memory stick including the symposium Program and Book of Abstracts).

Increased Registration Fee after September 15, 2017
Until September 15: US$825 per person
After September 15: US$925 per person

SPOUSE RATE – DOUBLE OCCUPANCY
Crowne Plaza Houston River Oaks (Conference Hotel)
US$460 per person

Price Includes: SIX (6) nights hotel accommodation at the conference hotel – Crowne Plaza Houston River Oaks – DOUBLE occupancy, including taxes and service charge; buffet breakfast at Crowne Plaza Houston River Oaks (14/15/16/17/18/19 November); icebreaker reception (Nov. 13th); Zoo Day at Houston Zoo (Nov. 16th, including lunch and dinner); final dinner (Nov. 18th).

Price does NOT include: Airport transfers (arrival on the 13th; departure on the 19th); Conference materials; meals other than breakfast, icebreaker, lunch/dinner during Zoo Day, and final dinner; airport entrance/departure taxes; personal expenses such as phone calls, internet access, laundry, mini-bar etc.

Increased Registration Fee after September 15, 2017
Until September 15: US$460 per person
After September 15: US$560 per person

OPTION 3 – PARTIAL REGISTRATION
DOES NOT INCLUDE HOTEL ACCOMMODATION
US$400 per person

Price Includes: Session coffee breaks; buffet lunch at Hotel Crowne Plaza Houston River Oaks (14/15/17/18 November); icebreaker reception (Nov. 13th); Zoo Day at Houston Zoo (Nov. 16th, including lunch and dinner); final dinner (Nov. 18th); conference materials (name tag, conference folder, notebook, pen, t-shirt, and a 1GB memory stick including the symposium Program and Book of Abstracts).

Price does NOT include: Hotel accommodations; breakfast; dinner on the 13, 14, 15, 17 of November; airport transfers; airport entrance/departure taxes; personal expenses such as phone calls, internet access, laundry, mini-bar etc.

Increased Registration Fee after September 15, 2017
Until September 15: US$400 per person
After September 15: US$500 per person

DAY RATE – SINGLE OCCUPANCY
Crowne Plaza Houston River Oaks (Conference Hotel)
US$210 per day/night

Price Includes: ONE (1) night hotel accommodation at the conference hotel – Crowne Plaza Houston River Oaks – SINGLE occupancy, including taxes and service charge; buffet breakfast at Crowne Plaza Houston River Oaks; session coffee breaks; buffet lunch at Hotel Crowne Plaza Houston River Oaks; conference materials (name tag, conference folder, notebook, pen, t-shirt, and a 1GB memory stick including the symposium Program and Book of Abstracts).

Our venue and accommodations for the Symposium will be:
Crowne Plaza Houston River Oaks
2712 Southwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77098
Phone: 713-523-8448 Fax: 713-523-3689

Airport Information:
Houston is serviced by two airports within easy driving distance to the Crowne Plaza River Oaks Hotel.

George Bush Intercontinental Airport – airport code IAH – is our larger international airport and is 24 miles north of our venue. All major airlines fly into this airport.
William P. Hobby Airport – airport code HOU – is our regional airport with service from Southwest Airlines, Delta Airlines, and American Airlines. Southwest Airlines also has International flights into HOU from Mexico and Central America.. This airport is 14 miles from our venue.

Both airports offer shared ride van service through Super Shuttle. DISCOUNT CODE: BLAJ5 DISCOUNT VALID DATES: November 11th through 21st LANDING PAGE: http://group.supershuttle.com/group-page/international-tapir-symposium/ WHERE TO ENTER YOUR CODE: To use your code simply enter it in the “DISCOUNT CODE” box on the first page of the website when making your reservations at: http://www.supershuttle.com DISCOUNT: Your discount gives you $2.00 off one-way and $4.00 off round-trip SuperShuttle shared ride service, as well as $5.00 off one-way and $10.00 off round-trip ExecuCar private vehicles made online. Discount does not apply to exclusive/non-stop vans (which are already discounted).

There are dozens of restaurants in the area surrounding the Crowne Plaza Hotel, with twenty of them within one mile or less.

For more information on things to do, events, restaurants, and museums in and around Houston please visit:

https://www.visithoustontexas.com/