aza vs zaa accreditationaza vs zaa accreditation

but those are exceptions to the rule and not an overall trend. Officially, relations between the two organizations are supportive and cordial, but in private the enmity between the two is often palpable. They examine the application, the supporting documents submitted by the zoo or aquarium, the inspection team's report, and any information and comments received from outside organizations and individuals. It is a poorly regulated industry, in which facilities that keep animals in deplorable conditions have the same designation as those of the highest quality. This comprehensive document includes standards for: Click the X to close. Participates in AZA SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction, which involves identifying threats and creating actions plans, utilizing corporate partnerships to develop new resources, and increasing public engagement with conservation efforts. This oversight is mandatory and non-negotiable. Each set of standards addresses: Policies: Public contact and restriction on use and handling. ZAA does acknowledge that there may be circumstances in which a facility can present a baby, juvenile or program animal to the public for photos and encounters in a reasonable, but intermittent manner. Although some of the founding members hailed from the more radical animal rights advocacy groups, they banded together to create an organization that advocates for the welfare of captive wild animals in well-researched, effective and practical ways. Download the ZAA Accreditation Application. Thats a big part of why ZAA schismed - AZA as an organization frequently comes across as elitist and condescending towards outsiders. Thank you for the good that you do. Lets talk about private menageries and roadside attractions. AZAs rigorous, scientifically based and publicly-available standards examine the zoo or aquariums entire operation, including animal welfare, veterinary care, conservation, education, guest services, physical facilities, safety, staffing, finance, and governing body. The institution must undergo the complete process every five years to maintain the accredited status. Each ZAA facility is allowed to determine their own contact method (e.g. Heres the link to the ZAA accreditation standards. You can edit the text in this area, and change where the contact form on the right submits to, by entering edit mode using the modes on the bottom right. GFAS-verified facilities are required at minimum to adhere to a specific set of policies about captive breeding (no), tours (cannot be self-guided and must minimize stress), animal removal from enclosures (only for medical reasons), and public having contact with animals (banned, except for limited exceptions for adoption/foster programs). This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. 21st century AZA-accredited institutions and certified related facilities are expected to be leaders in the field and to embrace the highest quality facilities, programs, and staff available. Third party evaluations means that visitors arent dependent on the facilities good word. Enhance the survival of species by the use of professional methods. AZA is pleased to announce the results of the Accreditation Commission hearings held in March 2023 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.Accredited for the first time was: Columbus Zoo & Aquarium, Powell, OhioContinuing accreditation for another cycle are: Aquarium of the Bay, San Francisco, Calif.; Atlantis, Paradise Island, Paradise Island, Bahamas; Dallas Zoo, Dallas, Texas; Fundacin Temaikn, Escobar, Argentina; Los Angeles Zoo, Los Angeles, Calif.; Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey, Calif.; National Aquarium, Baltimore, Md. Origins of AZA vs ZAA The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) was founded in 1924. (ie: that is why the AZA does not condone breeding white tigers, white lions or other inbred animals) Each animal must have a pedigree that traces all the way back to their wild ancestors because many instincts are geographic and thus, if these animals are truly ever to enhance wild populations it is imperative that they are suitable for the areas to which they could one day be returned. Visit our. Its rare that we see any organization choose wellbeing over profit. GFAS accredits/verifies three different types of facilities - all required to be non-profit /non-commercial - with a different definition of structure and function for each: sanctuaries, rescue centers, and rehabilitation centers. In other words, we look at everything! These ancient zoos, like their modern equivalents, hired handlers to care for their animals. Access to view and list on the Available and Wanted Animal List. There are more than 230 zoos and aquariums accredited by the ZAA in 45 states and . PDF ZAA-AZA Accreditation Standards Comparison (Version-: 23 April 2021 The animals may come from sources including, but not limited to, private owners, research laboratories, government authorities, the entertainment industry, and zoos., A rescue center is an establishment that takes in animals and cares for them temporarily, with the goal of placing them in permanent ownership or foster care with approved members of the public, or with accredited or verified sanctuaries. The site is inspected again, and then all of the related information is examined by the accreditation committee. Do not support facilities that claim these things falsely in order to boost the perception of their credibility.. AZA standards are incredibly high and by being a very visible standard of quality to the public they hold the entire animal management field accountable for being the very best it can be. (2) Supplemental information regarding the politics of elephant management and organizational politics was provided by the ZAA communications department as potential supplemental information for this section. This is obviously different in practice for rescues and rehabilitation centers, but the same mentalities are still evidence - rescue animals will have more handling and medical care, and rehabilitation centers will try to minimize interaction aside from medical care as much as possible to keep the animals wild. ZAA was formed in 2005 as the merger of two pre-existing organizations - The International Society of Zooculturists and the United Zoological Association. It isnt that there is any real threat of competition between the two organizations; only a matter of confusion to the public. Full contact (free-contact with staff temporarily not in control of the animal) for guests with Carnivora and Crocodylia that weigh not more than twenty-five (25) pounds; Chimpanzees, orangutans, and gorillas that are not less than six (6) months of age and weigh not more than twenty-five (25) pounds; Gibbons and siamangs not less than four (4) months of age and not more than two (2) years of age; Elephants and rhinos as approved. Some AZA standards may be more stringent than existing laws and/or regulations and, in these cases, the AZA standards must be met. So be sure to look for the "Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums" logo on websites, in advertisements, and at the gate! Now, facilities get caught in choosing which accrediting organization is best in line with the needs and funding of their facility and are getting caught up in the politics that come with both. Accreditation is not the be-all and end-all of the captive animal world - there are definitely valid reasons that a good facility might choose to not pursue accreditation - but seeing if they have one and what it is is a great place to start when youre trying to learn more about a place youd like to visit or support. Upholding accreditation ensures high-quality care for the animals, making the behind-the-scenes transparent. Conservation should be the higher purpose of any modern zoological facility and has consistently been a required element of accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Then well talk politics. The Zoological Association of America (ZAA) is a non-profit membership-based accrediting organization dedicated to responsible wildlife management, conservation, and education. Recently, however, some facilities are choosing to move away from AZA accreditation due to differences in opinion regarding free-contact elephant management;ZAA believes that "accredited zoos provide superior animal care and management when allowed to tailor their husbandry protocols to the specific needs of their collection. dues will be billed at this time. A huge money maker for many animal facilities is guest interactions with animals. However, we work to prevent such difficulties by providing organizations with standards of operations, educational resources and mentorship (GFAS - For Sanctuaries). During the Age of Enlightenment, zoos became a vessel for zoological research. Possess and abide by all required federal, state, city, county, local, international and any other related permits. It took us long enough. Annual membership dues for facilities will be $2,500 beginning January 1, 2017 (they currently stand at $750). Many of these small facilities dont hold any accreditations. The Lowry Park Zoo was able to regain their AZA accreditation after firing Lex Salisbury in 2008 for his allegedly self serving trades of more than 200 of the zoos animals to his own privately held animal collection. Very interesting! The large zoos with high standards of care in the United States are accredited by a well established and respected professionally run organization called the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, commonly known by the acronym AZA. Much time and money has been spent on branding so that zoo-goers know if they are supporting a good zoo or a bad zoo. aza vs zaa accreditation - databaseen These SSPs are managed by experts for each species of animal. Luckily, zoo accreditation can provide some insight. (GFAS - Definitions), Adherence to standards on animal care including housing, veterinary care, nutrition, animal well-being and handling policies, as well as standards on physical facilities, records and staff safety, confirmed by an extensive questionnaire, site visit, and interviews, Ethical acquisition and disposition of animals, Restrictions on research, limited to non-invasive projects that provide a health, welfare or conservation benefit to the individual animal and/or captive animal management and/or population conservation, The existence of a contingency plan if the property where the sanctuary is located is not owned by the sanctuary or its governing organization.. This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. Aquatic Collections Sustainability Committee, Ambassador Animal Scientific Advisory Group, Institutional Data Management Scientific Advisory Group, Molecular Data for Population Management Scientific Advisory Group, Reproduction and Endocrinology Scientific Advisory Group, Small Population Management Advisory Group, Social Science Research and Evaluation Scientific Advisory Group, Board-Approved Policies and Position Statements, Guidelines & Sample Documents, Programs, and Policies, Strategic Framework for the Wellbeing of Animals, Animal Program Sustainability Designations, Annual Report on Conservation and Science, Black-footed Ferret Recovery and Reintroduction Program Analysis, SAFE Granting Program Review and Selection, Resources for Greening Business Practices, Green Practices: Third-Party Certifications, Nature Play Begins at Your Zoo & Aquarium, Southern California Wildlife Confiscations Network, Modeling Zoos and Aquariums of Inclusive Communities of Science, AZA Professional Development Course Policies, Animal Training Applications in Zoo and Aquarium Settings, Animal Welfare: Evidence-Based Management, Avian Management, Biology and Conservation, Behavioral Husbandry Best Practices for Your Animal Welfare Program, Crocodilian Biology and Professional Management, Effective Leadership: Foundation & Development, Environmental Enrichment in Zoos and Aquariums, Managing Animal Enrichment and Training Programs, Population Management I: Data Management and Processing, Population Management II: Data Analysis and Breeding Recs, Principles of Ambassador Animal Management, Gary Clarke & Clayton Freiheit Scholarship, Margaret A. Dankworth Management Scholarship, John Hargleroad Emerging Professional Scholarship, Ted A. Beattie Executive Leadership Development Program, Angela Peterson Excellence in Diversity Award, North American Conservation Award Winners, William G. Conway International Conservation Award, William G. Conway International Conservation Award Winners, R. Marlin Perkins Award for Professional Excellence, Animal Welfare Lifetime Achievement Award, Tim O'Sullivan Award for Professional Development, The Devra Kleiman Scientific Advancement Award, Wendy Fisher Award for Professional Excellence, Zoo and Aquarium Safety: Example Practices, Learn more about the AZA Accreditation process, AZA members and prospective members under review for accreditation or certification. ZAA does not encourage the breeding of any hybridized animals, and while they acknowledge that it can occasionally happen in mixed species herds or flocks, they strongly condemn and will cite any facilities who purposefully breed hybrids for ethics violations. In order to receive ZAA accreditation, a facility has been visited by two professional members of the ZAA and found to meet all requirements laid out in the accreditation standards linked above. Cooperate with colleagues and the broader conservation community to assist in animal propagation, husbandry, care and conservation in both the managed and wild populations. AZA is continuously raising its standards as science continues to learn more and more about the species in our care. Currently, GFAS does much more than just accredit responsible facilities across the globe. That means that these private facilities can range from high standards all the way down to shady and abusive practices. Would volunteering at a ZAA accredited hurt my chances of volunteering/working at the AZA-accredited zoo? Ensure accurate animal and medical records by our members. ZAA Zoological Association of America - 911 Animal Abuse The inspectors then write a detailed report about everything they saw and evaluated and submit it to the Accreditation Commission. Salisbury's exotic animal park, Safari Wild, is not yet open but already is accredited by the ZAA. The facility is studied closely to make sure the facility embodies the ethos of the organization for animal management, research, and conservation as well as meeting all accreditation standards for safety, cleanliness, proper protocol, veterinary care, internal organization, and more. Please apply for professional fellow prior to submitting your accredited facility application. Annual Maintain accurate animal and medical records. The main accrediting organizations for zoological facilities, aquariums, wildlife parks, sanctuaries, and rescue/rehab centers in the United States are: The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), The Zoological Association of America (ZAA), The Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS). I cant speak to any husband-murdering drama, but the facility itself does meet standards and has maintained those standards for over a decade. The site inspections will be conducted at the expense of the applicant. Accreditation process includes interviews with the executive director, other staff such as animal care directors, and at least one volunteer. In addition to a very lengthy written application, AZA also requiresan intense multiple-day on-site inspection and an in-person hearing in front of the Accreditation Commission. Pros and Cons of ZAA - ZooChat Or ride an elephant? GFAS also stands ready to be of assistance to any accredited or verified sanctuary which runs into difficulties. AZA has been the primary accrediting body for zoos and aquariums for over 40 years. The AZA requires its members to be open to the public. List of ZAA accredited facilities (I've visited exactly 30 out of the 63 zoos): GFAS offers two different types of recognition - verification and accreditation. Some still resemble the zoos from the Age of Enlightenment. AZA believes that nothing is more important than assuring the highest standards of animal welfare and care, and our accreditation process does just that! Most facilities that can get AZA accreditation will not choose to apply for only ZAA accreditation - those than can will apply for both. Gives staff access to yearly conferences and library databases of material for professional advancement and skill-shares, often funded by facilities in order to help staff continue to learn and grow. As of this article being updated in July of 2015, 5 of the 63 ZAA accredited facilities hold dual accreditation with AZA:African Safari Wildlife Park, the Fort Worth Zoo, Fossil Rim, Wildlife Center,Lion County Safari, and the San Antonio Zoo. ZAA ACCREDITATION Standards The ZAA Accreditation Standards provide guidance in best practices to ZAA accredited facilities. 2.1.