Zoo and Aquarium Statistics
Some of the most widely used AZA statistics, updated annually.
Annual Survey Results
AZA members (Individual Professional category members and Primary Contacts of Conservation Partner, Commercial, Related Facility and Institution Members) may log in and download the results of the most recent AZA Annual Survey of Members.
Accreditation
239 accredited zoos and aquariums in 13 countries (Updated April 2022)
- USA: 215 in 46 states and the District of Columbia
- Canada: 7
- Mexico: 5
- Bahamas: 1
- Bermuda: 1
- Dominican Republic: 1
- Argentina: 1
- Colombia: 1
- Spain: 1
- Hong Kong: 1
- Singapore: 2
- South Korea: 2
- United Arab Emirates: 1
14 certified related facilities
Accreditation occurs every 5 years
Approximately 25 facilities undergo the accreditation process every 6 months
Types of Accredited Facilities
- 136 zoos
- 58 aquariums
- 8 both zoo and aquariums
- 17 safari and theme parks
- 16 science and nature centers
- 2 aviaries
- 2 butterfly houses
- 54% non-profit
- 35% public
- 11% for-profit
Animals in AZA-Accredited Facilities
- Over 730,000 animals in the care of AZA-accredited zoo and aquarium professionals
- Over 8,500 species
- Over 800 Vulnerable, Endangered, Critically Endangered, and Extinct In The Wild species as categorized by the IUCN Red List
Species Survival Plan® (SSP) Programs
- 43 Taxon Advisory Groups (TAGs)
- Nearly 500 Species Survival Plan® Programs
AZA Reproductive Management Center
Supports SSP® programs by monitoring the safety and efficacy of contraceptives used for all mammalian species and helping bring new contraceptive methods to the zoo, aquarium and wildlife community
AZA Population Management Center
Population planning for 500 species for the next 100 years
Conservation
- Over $208 million was spent on field conservation in 115 countries in 2020
- 223 species and subspecies that benefited are listed as Endangered or Threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act
- Nearly $25 million was spent on AZA SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction species programs in 2020
AZA’s Conservation Grants Fund
Over $8.5 million supporting over 450 conservation projects since 1991
Economy
In the most recent survey in 2018, AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums:
- Contributed more than $22.5 billion to U.S. economy
- Supported more than 198,000 full-time jobs in the U.S.
- Served more than 200 million annual visitors worldwide (183 million in the U.S.)
Informal Science Education
Based on the Education Programs survey data from 2019,
- AZA members provided teacher professional development, curriculum resources and free planning visits that reached more than 96,000 teachers
- 5.5 million individuals were reached through field trips, outreach programs and education resources targeted to K-12 students
- 124 facilities reported more than 1,200 education programs that include content about connecting to nature, reaching more than 33 million.
- Nearly 2,000 zoo and aquarium professionals completed AZA courses from 2016-2020
- AZA offers 17 in-person and 5 virtual courses team-taught by professionals in the field designed to develop a variety of animal management, education, and leadership skills
- AZA's Executive Leadership Development Program prepares the next generation of executive leaders to successfully advance the zoo and aquarium movement in the future. More than 70 leaders have completed the program since 2014, with 20 having been promoted to the role of Executive Director or CEO.