Association of Zoos and Aquariums facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Association of Zoos and Aquariums

Abbreviation	AZA
Founded	October 1924; 100 years ago (1924-10) (as American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums)
Type	Not-for-profit organization
Legal status	501(c)(3)
Focus	Accreditation of zoos and aquariums; conservation; advocacy
Headquarters	Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S.
Area served	International
Method	Accreditation
Chair	Berto Castro
President, Chief Executive Officer	Dan Ashe
Executive Vice President	Craig Hoover
Revenue (2016)	$12,786,124
Expenses (2016)	$10,427,633
Employees (2016)	42
Volunteers (2016)	350

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) is a group that helps zoos and aquariums be the best they can be. It started in 1924. AZA works to protect animals, teach people about wildlife, and support science and fun activities at zoos and aquariums.

AZA is based in Silver Spring, Maryland. It checks and approves zoos and aquariums to make sure they meet high standards for animal care. As of 2025, there were 238 zoos and aquariums approved by AZA. Most are in the United States, but some are in other countries too.

History of AZA

How AZA Started

In October 1924, AZA began as the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums. It was part of a larger group called the American Institute of Park Executives.

Later, in 1966, it became a part of the National Recreation and Park Association. This new group had taken over the American Institute of Park Executives.

Becoming Independent

In 1971, the members of the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums decided to become their own independent group. On January 19, 1972, they officially became the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums. Their main office was in Wheeling, West Virginia, at the Oglebay Park Good Zoo.

In 1994, the group changed its name to the shorter "American Zoo and Aquarium Association" (AZA).

Helping Fight Illegal Wildlife Trade

In 2018, AZA took over the Wildlife Trafficking Alliance. This was done to help more people learn about buying and selling illegal animal products in the United States.

In 2017, 195 million people visited the 236 zoos and aquariums that were approved by AZA.

What AZA Does

AZA does many important things. These include checking and approving zoos, making sure animals are cared for well, running education programs, and helping with conservation. They also support research and speak up for zoos and aquariums.

Checking and Approving Zoos

AZA is like a special checker for zoos and aquariums. They make sure that approved places take better care of animals than what the law simply requires. Zoos and aquariums are checked every five years to keep their approval.

As of March 2025, AZA had 238 approved places. These are in the US and 13 other countries. Some of these countries include Canada, Mexico, Spain, and Singapore.

Caring for Animals

About 800,000 animals live in AZA-approved places. These animals belong to 6,000 different types, including 1,000 types that are in danger of disappearing.

AZA also helps with special plans called Species Survival Plans (SSPs). These plans help manage animal populations in zoos. They make sure animals have healthy families and stay genetically diverse. This helps protect species for the future.

Other Activities

AZA holds a big meeting every September. It is one of the largest events for zoo and aquarium experts in the US.

AZA also runs a program called FrogWatch USA. This program lets regular people help scientists by reporting on frogs and toads they hear.

How Zoos Get Approved

In the United States, any public place with animals needs licenses and checks from different government groups. These groups make sure animals are treated well and that laws are followed.

Zoos in North America can also choose to get approved by AZA. This means they agree to follow even higher standards.

AZA's Definition of a Zoo

AZA has a special definition for zoos and aquariums. They say a zoo is a place that:

• Keeps wild animals.
• Has a team of experts to care for the animals.
• Shows animals to the public regularly in a nice way.
• Focuses on showing, protecting, and saving animals.
• Also works on education and science.

The Approval Process

To get AZA approval, a zoo must apply and pass an inspection. They must meet AZA's high standards for animal health, how they raise money, how many staff they have, and how they help with worldwide conservation.

Three experts visit the zoo to check everything. These experts are usually a veterinarian, an animal care expert, and a zoo management expert. After their visit, a group of twelve experts reviews their findings. If everything looks good, the zoo gets approved. This approval process happens every five years.

AZA believes there are about 2,800 animal places with government licenses as of 2019. Less than 10% of these are approved by AZA. Some places that are not usually open to the public can also get a special certification from AZA.

Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE)

AZA's Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) program brings zoos and aquariums together. They work as a team to help species that are very vulnerable. SAFE uses existing plans to help save animals and teach the public. In 2017, AZA zoos and aquariums spent $15.6 million on SAFE programs.

Some of the animals helped by the SAFE program include:

• African lions
• African vultures
• Asian elephants
• Black-footed ferrets
• Black rhinoceros
• Cheetahs
• Giraffes
• Gorillas
• Sea turtles
• Orangutans
• Red wolfs
• Sharks and sting rays
• Whooping cranes

As of 2019, more than 20 types of animals were part of this program.

Conservation and Science Report

AZA has a computer database called the Annual Report on Conservation and Science. This helps them keep track of all the research projects AZA is involved in around the world.

AZA zoos and aquariums give $220 million to conservation projects each year. They help with 115 programs that reintroduce animals back into the wild. More than 40 of these programs are for species listed as threatened or endangered.

In 2017, AZA members reported working on projects that helped over 860 species in 128 countries. AZA zoos and aquariums also spent $25 million on research. They published many books, articles, and papers. Most of their research (68%) is about animal care, health, and saving species and their homes.

AZA Member Zoos and Aquariums

To be a member of AZA, a facility must be either approved (accredited) or certified.

Approved Facilities

Approved facilities have professional staff and good animal care. They are open to the public regularly. This list is from 2025.

Certified Related Facilities

Certified facilities also have professional staff and good animal care. However, they are not always open to the public.

Former Members

These facilities were once members of AZA.

People to Know

• Melanie R. Bond, a biologist and writer who studies primates.

More to Explore

• List of zoo associations
• World Association of Zoos and Aquariums

See also

In Spanish: Asociación de Zoológicos y Acuarios para niños