Association of Zoos and Aquariums

September 26 is Black-Footed Ferret Rediscovery Day! 🍃 The black-footed ferret has an important #Conservation story. A misunderstanding of the #Ecosystem that they inhabited led to a 1900s government-sponsored poisoning campaign targeting prairie dogs and supporting land conversion for cities, livestock production, and #Farming. Even though this misconception has been corrected using science-based #Management, there is still human-wildlife conflict with prairie dogs and human activities. 🦠 The introduction of a #Bacterial disease in North America has also caused devastating losses of both prairie dogs and black-footed ferret populations. AZA's SAFE Black-footed Ferret program addresses the multifaceted challenges of this species by combining scientific expertise, collaborative efforts, public engagement, and strategic resource allocation. The population has grown from the last remaining 24 rescued individuals to nearly 700! 📈 Learn more about the importance and rediscovery of the black-footed ferret: https://bit.ly/3Btkht4. #EndangeredSpecies #BlackFootedFerret #Ferret #Reintroduction #AnimalHealth #Science

On World Gorilla Day, it's important to discuss how we can take action to protect this beloved #Species! 🦍 #SAFE Gorilla's goal is to secure #Sustainable populations of all gorilla subspecies, with a targeted emphasis on protecting the fragile Cross River gorilla #Populations in Cameroon and Nigeria and halting the rapid decline of Grauer's #Gorilla populations in the Democratic Republic of Congo.🍃 Learn more about SAFE Species: https://lnkd.in/ec6-Wh2S. #Conservation #SavingSpecies #WorldGorillaDay #JacksonvilleZoo #Sustainability #EndangeredSpecies

Last week, we held the 2024 AZA Annual Conference at the beautiful BMO Centre in Calgary, Alberta, Canada ⛰️. Each day, attendees brought their energy, knowledge, and ideas to elevate animal care and conservation practices. We expected nothing less, because #ItsInOurNature. Were you in #Calgary? ❤️ Share your favorite moments in the comments! A big thank you to the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo and the BMO Centre staff for helping the week run smoothly with your hard work and diligence. 🎉 We've heard wonderful feedback from attendees! This conference was one of firsts and fanfare. 🏆 This year, we received a record number of award applications and were honored to recognize many phenomenal facilities and individuals from across the AZA community. 📝Also, AZA’s independent Accreditation Commission carefully evaluated accreditation applications from institutions around the globe. The rigorous review process led to the re-accreditation of several facilities and the first-time accreditation of others. These facilities not only enhance the lives of the animals in their care but also set the standard for excellence in the zoological community ⭐. Join us in congratulating the following facilities for earning AZA accreditation: Blank Park Zoo (Des Moines, IA) The Bronx Zoo (Bronx, New York) Brookfield Zoo Chicago (Brookfield, IL) Brookgreen Gardens (Murrells Inlet, SC) Buttonwood Park Zoo (New Bedford, MA) Chattanooga Zoo at Warner Park (Chattanooga, TN) Clyde Peeling's Reptiland (Allenwood, PA) Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo (Bridgeport, CT) Fort Wayne Children's Zoo (Fort Wayne, IN) Greensboro Science Center (Greensboro, NC) Greenville Zoo (Greenville, SC) Henry Vilas Zoo (Madison, WI) Hutchinson Zoo (Hutchinson, KS) International Crane Foundation (Baraboo, WI) Longneck Manor (Fredericksburg, TX) The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore (Baltimore, MD) Miller Park Zoo (Bloomington, IL) Milwaukee County Zoo (Milwaukee, WI) Wildlife Conservation Society's New York Aquarium (Brooklyn, NY) Oglebay's Good Zoo (Wheeling, WV) Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden (Oklahoma City, OK) Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium (Omaha, NE) Peoria Zoo at Glen Oak Park (Peoria, IL) Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium (Pittsburg, PA) Pueblo Zoo (Pueblo, CO) Rosamond Gifford Zoo (Syracuse, NY) SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi (Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates) Seneca Park Zoo Society (Rochester, New York) Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (Washington, D.C.) Utica Zoo (Utica, New York) Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Center (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) Virginia Zoo (Norfolk, VA) Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) Learn more about AZA accreditation: https://bit.ly/3oP37zW. #Zoo #Aquarium #Accreditation #Conservation #AnimalHealth #WildlifeConservation #Sustainability #Science #Zoology

Guess "hoo" is ready to take their ambassador animal programs to the next level? 🦉 Join us for "Principles of Ambassador Animal Management", a course designed for ambassador animal coordinators, managers, education staff, and professionals working with live animals. 📖 Whether you're in a zoo, aquarium, or museum, this course will provide essential tools for success! Participants will gain skills such as creating Ambassador Animal policies, managing animal health and enrichment, and developing training plans for staff. 📅 Dates: November 11-16, 2024 📍 Location: Hosted by the Inn at the Colonnade in #Baltimore, Maryland ⏰ Registration is open until October 10, 2024 Learn more and register here: https://bit.ly/3XTZTu9. #ProfessionalDevelopment #AnimalCare #Education #Zoo #Aquarium #AZA

AZA-accredited institutions work tirelessly for the wellbeing of the hundreds of thousands of animals in our care. We protect threatened and endangered species around the world. And we commit our lives to creating a future where all people respect, value, and conserve wildlife and wild places. When it comes to care, education, and conservation—it’s in our nature. See how we’re making an impact at https://www.aza.org/. #ItsInOurNature #Conservation #Zoo #Aquarium #WildlifeConservation #AZA2024

🍁 For the first time in 40 years, Canada is hosting the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Annual Conference, and we’re thrilled to welcome it right here in Calgary from September 14-19, 2024! 🎉 We’re proud to showcase our dedication to protecting wildlife and wild places while connecting with over 2,200 zoo and aquarium professionals from around the world. 🌱🐾 This week will be packed with 150+ educational sessions, tours of Alberta’s iconic destinations like Banff and Lake Louise, and ZooDay on September 19th, where attendees will experience our animal care, conservation, and sustainability practices firsthand. As we mark this milestone, we’re also excited about the substantial economic benefits and cultural value this conference will bring to our vibrant city. 🌟 We look forward to connecting with fellow conservationists and making a lasting impact on our local community and the broader zoological field. Read more: https://bit.ly/4emosp0 #YourZooYYC #AZA2024 #blueskycity Tourism Calgary

Has professional development been on your mind? It's been on ours! Now is the perfect time to register for one of AZA's courses! 📋 On the agenda: "Creating Successful Exhibits"! 🛠️ 🍃 This course, designed for zoo/aquarium staff, provides an integrated overview of a team-based #Exhibit development process. "Creating Successful Exhibits" follows the phases of an exhibit project from the formation of the team, through concept planning, #Design and #Construction, to #Operation. 📔 Full attention is given to techniques that improve an exhibit's impact on #Visitors. This program is a classroom-based workshop and does not include hands-on training in fabrication. The course will take place from November 11th to the 16th in Baltimore, MD! Registration is open until October 10. Are you an AZA Pathways Member? Early Bird rates have been extended until October 10! 🕙 Learn more and register: https://bit.ly/3zgSThp. #ProfessionalDevelopment #AZAServices #CreatingSuccessfulExhibits #Baltimore

How do YOU feel welcomed at AZA-accredited facilities? 🌍 Across cultural attractions, there is a tremendous focus on ensuring guests feel welcomed with a diverse, equitable, accessible, and inclusive visitor experience. “Over the years we’ve seen cultural attractions adapt to the needs and wants of guests and it’s important that we continue to...[extend] hospitality in ways that are unique, meaningful and respectful...", said Sean McNicholas, who is part of the ownership team at SSA Group. "It is fundamental to how we operate." With more than 90 #Zoos, #Museums, and #Aquarium partners, each with a unique approach to #DEAI, SSA strives to ensure that every visitor feels welcomed and valued. Important #Leaders in DEAI include Rory James at the Saint Louis Zoo, Jess Kohring at the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, and Elkin Alfred at the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance, who recently all shared their perspectives in Connect. 🤝 Learn more about the actions these innovators are taking: https://bit.ly/47kZfJ3. #GuestExperience #Hospitality #Diversity #Equity #Accessibility #Inclusivity #SaintLouis #LosAngeles #Denver

AZA is excited to announce the 46th SAFE Species program, which focuses on conserving the Thick-billed Parrot 🦜. This program is a result of collaborative partnerships between AZA-accredited institutions, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Arizona Game and Fish Department, regional partners in Mexico and the United States, and others to promote the recovery and conservation of Thick-billed Parrot within the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains of northern #Mexico. 🌎 After disappearing from the U.S. in the 1930s, the Thick-billed Parrot now only lives in a small area of high-elevation pine forests 🌳. These vibrant birds play a vital role in maintaining their ecosystem by eating seeds before they can spread. 📝 The main goals of this #SAFE program will be to increase awareness about the Thick-billed Parrot, utilize its status as an umbrella species to focus broader habitat and #Ecosystem conservation activities, and most crucially, stabilize, protect, and restore the last wild populations in Mexico, which are currently estimated at around 2,000 individuals. 🍃 Learn more about the program and how you can get involved: https://bit.ly/3MCNC6Z. #SAFE #Parrots #Conservation

🎉 The highly anticipated "Animal Welfare: Evidence-Based Management" course is now open for registration! Hosted by Brookfield Zoo Chicago from October 13-18, this unique course provides hands-on experience in the science of animal welfare and its practical applications. Building on the entry-level online course developed by the AZA Animal Welfare Committee, you'll learn directly from experts and develop essential skills to implement evidence-based management programs that promote the highest standards of animal welfare. 📝 🤝 Join fellow community members and instructors from leading institutions, including Detroit Zoological Society, Birmingham Zoo, and The Toledo Zoo & Aquarium. Participants will gain key knowledge of animal welfare science and AZA standards, enhance their ability to assess and improve welfare programs, and strengthen leadership strategies for evidence-based management. ⏰ Registration closes on September 20! AZA Pathways Members: Early Bird rates have also been extended until the deadline on the 9/20! You can learn more about course registration here 🔗: https://bit.ly/3zi9Tnp. #AnimalScience #AnimalWelfare #AnimalManagement #AZA #ProfessionalDevelopment #Zoo #Aquarium