What better way to celebrate Earth Day, Endangered Species Day, and World Ocean Day than with the planet’s amazing and diverse wildlife? AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums across North America are throwing a Party for the Planet, making it the largest combined Earth Day, Endangered Species Day, and World Ocean Day celebration!
Party for the Planet offers families unique opportunities to visit their local AZA-accredited zoo and aquarium, celebrate the Earth’s biodiversity, and learn how they can take action to make a difference. Scheduled Party for the Planet events include education and conservation presentations, keeper talks, environmental activities and more!
Party for the Planet®:Spring into Action campaign is supported by the Disney Conservation Fund from Earth Day to World Ocean Day. This Campaign leverages the reach and resources of AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums to "Spring into Action" by providing family-friendly volunteer and conservation action opportunities that improve our planet.
Party for the Planet®: Spring into Action is collective conservation action that families and individuals can do at home with a direct impact on the planet to support healthy habitats. This year we are focusing on three action areas: Conserve, Create and Connect to nature. Whether your activities are clean-ups, creating native-species habitats, or connecting to nature, these actions help to make the earth a better place for plants, animals and humans alike.
This year, AZA is hosting a photo contest in conjunction with Party for the Planet! From April 22 to June 9, visitors to AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums can enter one photo into the contest.
We are excited to have five categories for the contest this year:
- Zoo Visit
- Aquarium Visit
- Silly Animals (at an AZA-accredited facility)
- Native Wildlife and Plants
- Indirect Volunteering: creating habitats, clean-ups, etc. (at/with an AZA-accredited facility)
Read the official rules and enter on the My AZA Visitor Photo Contest webpage.
Looking for a playlist to listen to for an energy boost when participating in a cleanup or when you miss your zoo or aquarium? Follow AZA on Spotify!
Nature is essential to the health, well-being, and prosperity of every family and every community in America. America the Beautiful is a call to action that we work together to conserve, connect, and restore 30 percent of our lands and waters by 2030 for the sake of our economy, our health, and our well-being. This initiative is a decade-long challenge to pursue a locally-led and voluntary, nationwide effort to conserve, connect, and restore the lands, waters, and wildlife upon which we all depend. Learn how you can participate in 30x30 efforts.
AZA is partnering with The National Wildlife Federation to expand native habitats across AZA-accredited facilities and their members. NWF’s Certified Wildlife Habitat® program helps to create and restore habitat and wildlife populations. Turn your yard, balcony container garden, schoolyard, work landscape, or roadside greenspace into a Certified Wildlife Habitat® to make an easy and lasting difference for wildlife.
Spring into Action with AZA and NWF and create native habitats near you!
Connecting with nature is healthy for us mentally and physically. Connect with Nature and record your observations outside through the iNaturalist app. Participate in a community science bioblitz as a fun way to observe nature, enjoy quality family time, and contribute to real scientific research pertaining to the wildlife in your backyard, local parks, trails, neighborhood and community.
Join AZA's Party for the Planet 2023, and connect with nature!