Here are up-to-date numbers for some of the most widely used AZA statistics.
Last updated April 2021.
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
241 accredited zoos and aquariums in 13 countries
- USA: 218 in 46 states and the District of Columbia
- Canada: 6
- 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
15 certified related facilities
Accreditation occurs every 5 years
Approximately 25 facilities undergo the accreditation process every 6 months
Types of Accredited Facilities
- 137 zoos
- 57 aquariums
- 8 both zoo and aquariums
- 19 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
- Approximately 800,000 animals in the care of AZA-accredited zoo and aquarium professionals
- 6,000 species
- 1,000 threatened or endangered species
Conservation
Over $231 million spent in support of conservation projects every year
Species Survival Plan® (SSP) Programs
- 43 Taxon Advisory Groups (TAGs)
- Over 500 Species Survival Plan® Programs
117 reintroduction programs, including more than 50 reintroduction programs for species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act
AZA’s Conservation Grants Fund: $8.2 million supporting over 440 conservation projects since 1991
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
Economy
- Accredited zoos and aquariums contributed more than $22.5 billion to U.S. economy in 2018
- Support 198,000 jobs in the U.S.
- Serve more than 200 million annual visitors worldwide (183 million in the U.S.)
Informal Science Education
- 50 million children visitors with families (annually)
- 12 million student learners on field trips (annually)
- 400,000 teachers trained in informal science education methods over the last decade
AZA Professional Development
- Approximately 1,700 zoo and aquarium professionals educated in last five years
- 18 in-person courses designed to develop a variety of animal management and leadership skills
- A certificate program to guide and recognize significant professional development achievement by AZA members
- An Executive Leadership Development Program to prepare the next generation of executive leaders to successfully advance the zoo and aquarium movement in the future