Association of Zoos and Aquariums

MILWAUKEE ZOO HONORED WITH TOP NATIONAL AWARD

CONTACT: Kris Vehrs, AZA 301-562-0777 x 229

TAMPA, FL September 29, 2006 Today the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) honored the Milwaukee Zoo with Top Honors for the Edward H. Bean Award for their long-term propagation and management program for the bonobo, one of the most endangered and least studied great ape species in the world. Zoo officials accepted the award in front of thousands of their professional colleagues at the AZA's 82nd Annual Conference, meeting here this week. AZA honored the zoo with this award in honor of their contributions to help achieve AZA’s vision of building North America’s largest wildlife conservation movement.

A long-term partnership between the Milwaukee County Zoo and the Zoological Society of Milwaukee has resulted in a thriving troop of bonobos at the zoo, as well as significant conservation efforts for the few remaining bonobos in the wild. Since 1992, when the new Apes of Africa complex was completed, a trusting bond has been established between the zookeepers and the bonobos by using voluntary, positive-reinforcement behavioral training. In this secure environment, seven bonobos have been born at the zoo over the last seven years, and all of the offspring are being raised within the troop. This management program will help ensure the propagation of the bonobo in the future.

Each year, AZA presents the Bean Award in recognition of efforts by its member institutions in the long-term management and husbandry of various animal species in accredited zoos and aquariums. The Bean Award was established in 1956, honoring Edward H. Bean, the first director of the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago.

About AZA

Founded in 1924, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation. Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. With its more than 200 accredited members, the AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation, and your link to helping animals in their native habitats.

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