Association of Zoos and Aquariums

Global Conservation Leadership

Over the last five years, AZA-accredited institutions supported 3,693 conservation projects with $89,000,000 in more than 100 countries. In addition, zoo and aquarium scientists contribute to hundreds of conservation, biology and veterinary science publications.

Saving Endangered Species

AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums are leaders in the protection of endangered species. Twenty years ago, AZA established the Species Survival Plan (SSP) program, a long-term plan involving genetically diverse breeding, habitat preservation, public education, field conservation and supportive research to ensure survival for many threatened and endangered species. Currently, AZA members are involved in 110 SSP programs that include more than 160 species.

Experts In Animal Care

Accredited zoos and aquariums are providing excellent care for more than 700,000 animals. As part of AZA's mandatory accreditation process, AZA members have met rigorous, professional standards for animal welfare and management, veterinary care, wildlife conservation and research, education, safety, staffing, and more.

More Visitors Than Professional Sports

With 217 accredited members, AZA is building North America's largest wildlife conservation movement by engaging more than 175 million visitors every year, reaching more people than the annual attendance of all NFL, NHL, MLB and NBA games combined.

Economic Engines

Accredited zoos and aquariums enhance their local economies each year by attracting over 143 million visitors, employing more than 45,000 full-time workers, investing over $1.5 billion in operating budgets, and spending more than $200 million on outside services.

Conservation Volunteerism

Annually, more than 58,000 volunteers invest over 3,000,000 hours of their time supporting virtually every aspect of zoo and aquarium operations. As centers for conservation volunteerism, AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums offer the public a great way to discover connections to their environment and to learn how they can make a difference in conservation.

Science Education

In the last 10 years, AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums formally trained more than 400,000 teachers, supporting science curricula with effective teaching materials and hands-on opportunities to study the natural world for more than 12,000,000 students every year.

Look for the AZA Logo

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) is a leader in global wildlife conservation, and your link to helping animals in their native habitats. Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting an institution dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things.