Honolulu Zoo Director Baird Fleming said he expects most, if not all, of the exotic animals will stay put despite the facility’s recent loss of accreditation.

Speaking to reporters Friday for the first time since news broke March 22 that the zoo would be losing its Association of Zoos and Aquariums accreditation, Fleming said AZA officials liked the progress being made under his guidance but revoked its endorsement because the zoo lacked both consistent leadership and a sustainable source of funding.

About 90 of the estimated 870 animals at the zoo are on loan from outside institutions. Loss of AZA accreditation allows those other institutions to cancel their agreements with Honolulu.

Fleming acknowledged that some of the loaned animals might have to be returned. But because the care and welfare of the animals were not cited among the concerns raised by the AZA, Fleming said, “I personally doubt that we will be losing any animals. We don’t know that yet. It depends on the individual institution the animal’s on loan from.”

Honolulu also has at least as many animals on loan to other institutions, he said.

“I am hoping and expect that we aren’t going to have to remove any animals,” Fleming said. “There are institutions that have it written in their rules that they only deal with other AZA institutions, but those are few and far between.”

Fleming said he’s already received assurances from San Diego Zoo that it will not seek the return of Violet, a female orangutan now residing at Honolulu alongside veteran zoo denizen Rusti. A male lion on loan from the Bronx Zoo also is expected to stay, he said.

The zoo is putting together a list of the animals it has on loan and will distribute it to news outlets, he said.

Meanwhile, Honolulu is continuing to pursue loan agreements with other AZA institutions, including acquiring a female African wild dog and loaning out one of its male African wild dogs, he said.

The city Thursday received formal notice that it had been denied AZA accreditation.

The two-page letter, addressed to Fleming, said the zoo animals are “being well cared for by a staff of very dedicated professionals under your leadership.” It also cited the increased support in the upcoming budget and plans by the Honolulu Zoo Society to step up fundraising.

However, it went on to state, “The Accreditation Commission believes that completing these actions, in combination with enacting your strategic plan to make the Honolulu Zoo the most recognized and impactful conservation organization in Hawaii, will take more than one year to yield outcomes. Denying accreditation … now will provide sufficient time for the Honolulu Zoo to demonstrate sustained, directorial leadership, productive collaboration between the City/County governing authority and Zoo Society, and consistent financial support.”

“I was very happy to see that AZA was happy about our forward progress and the direction that we’re going in now,” said Fleming, who became director in February 2015 and is the fifth person to hold that job in six years. “They love what we’re doing with our animals — they loved the welfare, the husbandry, the conservation that we’re really pushing. That’s exactly what they want to see, and that’s the key point about being an AZA institution.”

Fleming said AZA officials told him last week in Omaha, Neb., that they denied accreditation because “they just want to see sustained support, they want to see sustained leadership.”

AZA officials are pleased with Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s planned $6.8 million budget for the coming year, Fleming said. Stabilizing that level should help the zoo regain its accreditation. The current year’s budget is $6 million, and last year’s was $5.6 million.

As for the zoo society, it has committed to increasing its contributions to the zoo, Fleming said. “That is an integral component as we move forward as well,” he said.

Five new animal keepers were hired this year, and those positions are slated to become permanent, full-time positions next year, he said. The city is also adding another animal keeper position, as well as reactivating positions for a horticulturalist, a groundskeeper supervisor and a zoo attendant.

Fleming said he’s satisfied with the number of personnel he now has.

Under AZA rules the city cannot reapply for accreditation for at least one year. The letter cites March 1, 2017, as the earliest date Honolulu could submit an application.

AZA allows for a zoo that loses accreditation to appeal within 30 days. Fleming said Honolulu has not yet decided whether it will do so. He reiterated that the main concern raised was sustainability and that AZA officials want more proof that is happening.

“Can we do that in 30 days? We may but it’s doubtful,” he said.