In late September, almost 3,000 zoo and aquarium professionals gathered in Seattle, Washington for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ 2018 Annual Conference. The Conference provided an opportunity to network with colleagues, discuss best practices, share new research and explore cutting-edge products and services.
This past year, AZA achieved several significant milestones, all of which were celebrated throughout a special week in the Pacific Northwest:
• We have expanded AZA SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction to 19 species.
• We welcomed the Wildlife Trafficking Alliance as a new partner program.
• AZA accredited members donated $220 million to field conservation. This was the second year running the community has surpassed the $200 million mark, setting the community well on the way to investing over $1 billion in five years to saving wild animals and wild habitats.
In the Plenary, we heard from one of the world’s leading voices in conservation and ecology, tiger expert and Wildlife Conservation Society’s Director for Science-Asia, Dr. Ullas Karanth. This year, AZA also welcomed guest speakers Collin O’Mara, president and chief executive officer of the National Wildlife Federation, who talked about how AZA and NWF will collaborate in a wide range of areas. Sally Jewell, the 51st U.S. Secretary of the Interior under President Barack Obama provided insights on cultural, environmental and economic issues close to all our hearts.
I am a strong believer in the politics of addition, and hearing from Dr. Karanth, Collin O’Mara and Sally Jewell demonstrated how long lasting partnerships—and being open to differing points of view—can further conservation efforts and enrich the entire community.
We announced the accreditation of 24 zoos and aquariums and certification of two facilities during the September cycle. The Accreditation Commission makes our accreditation what it is—the “Gold Standard” for 21st century zoos and aquariums.
We celebrated significant achievement within our zoological community, recognizing over 30 accredited zoos and aquariums with national awards for excellence in, exhibit design, conservation work, educational programs, sustainable business practices, volunteer opportunities, diversity initiatives, and more. We also honored four individuals for their lifelong commitment and contributions to the zoological profession: Dr. Jackie Ogden, Dr. Terry Maple, J. Stephen McCusker, and the late Dr. Michael Hutchins. AZA has the top zoos and aquariums, and these awards highlight all the ways zoos matter.
Throughout the week, AZA members attended program meetings, roundtables, and workshops on topics ranging from animal management, health and animal welfare to volunteer and docent management, conservation, and much more.
Attendees experienced new technology and services in the Exhibit Hall featuring 195 AZA commercial members showcasing the latest wares available to the community.
Social events included visits to the Seattle Aquarium and Woodland Park Zoo. Thank you to both of our generous hosts for giving us a great time.
The lessons learned at these conferences enable members to remain leaders in conservation, saving species, animal care and animal welfare. A sincere thank you goes out to our Platinum level sponsors who helped to make this event possible: A Thru Z Consulting & Distributing, Inc., CLR Design, Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment, Event Network, National Geographic, PGAV Destinations, San Diego Zoo Global, Schultz & Williams, Service Systems Associates (SSA), Sodexo, Torre Design Consortium, Ltd., The Weber Group, and Zoo Advisors.
See you all next year!
#WeAreAZA! 