Accreditation

AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums undergo a thorough review that includes a detailed accreditation application as well as a multiple day on-site inspection by a team of experts from around the country.

Want to know more about how accreditation works? Read What is AZA Accreditation?

September 2008 Accreditation and Certification Results

AZA is pleased to announce the results of the Accreditation Commission hearings held in September, 2008 in Milwaukee.

Accredited for another term were Beardsley Zoo, Bridgeport, CT; Blank Park Zoo, Des Moines, IA; Bronx Zoo, Bronx, NY; Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet, SC; Butterfly House, St. Louis, MO; Buttonwood Park Zoo, New Bedford, MA; Calgary Zoo, Alberta, Canada; Chattanooga Zoo, Chattanooga, TN; Chehaw Wild Animal Park, Albany, GA; Clyde Peeling's Reptiland, Allenwood, PA; Ft. Wayne Children's Zoo, Ft. Wayne, IN; Henry Vilas Zoo, Madison, WI; International Crane Foundation, Baraboo, WI; Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, MD; Milwaukee County Zoological Gardens, WI; Oglebay's Good Zoo, Wheeling, WV; Oklahoma City Zoo, OK; Peoria Zoo, Peoria, IL; Queens Zoo, Flushing, NY; Riverside Zoo, Scottsbluff, NE; Rosamond Gifford Zoo, Syracuse, NY; Seneca Park Zoo, Rochester, NY; Smithsonian National Zoo, Washington, D.C.; Virginia Zoo, Norfolk, VA.

This brings the total number of AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums to 217.

Update: 2009 Accreditation Standards

New and revised accreditation standards for 2009 (in PDF) approved by the AZA Board of Directors in 2008.

Certification Moratorium

Moratorium Placed On New Applicants For Related Facility Certification

The AZA Board of Directors has placed a temporary moratorium on accepting new applicants for the category of Related Facility, effective immediately. The Accreditation Commission is in the process of examining the Related Facility category in terms of definition, focus, and alignment with AZA's mission statement and brand platform. The moratorium will remain in place until any changes to the Related Facility category are approved by the AZA Board of Directors and then by the voting membership.

Currently certified Related Facilities are not affected.

Upcoming Reviews

We welcome your comments regarding the AZA members and prospective members under review for accreditation or certification at the next meeting of the AZA Accreditation Commission.

Institution Status

Check these lists of accredited institutions for the expiration date of their current accreditation.

List of Currently Accredited Institutions
Includes accredited-through dates

List of Currently Certified Related Facilities
Includes certified-through dates

Accreditation Rack Cards for Visitors

Show your visitors what your AZA accreditation means! Download the Accreditation Rack Card: