Press Room

The ZAA 2021 award applications are available.  Submission deadline is July 31, 2021.  Applications open to ZAA members.

Award categories:
Excellence in Breeding
In Situ Conservation
Ex Situ Conservation
Educational Award of Excellence
Animal Exhibit Award of Excellence
Comprehensive Immersion Exhibits
Long-Term Commitment and Significant Propagation of a Single Species

ZAA Disaster Relief Fund awards grants
The ZAA Disaster Relief Fund assists members in times of crisis.

ZAA presented the second set of grants from the ZAA Disaster Relief Fund: COVID-19 Relief Food Fund to the following facilities towards the purchase of animal food:

Animal Edutainment
Forest Park Zoo
Frank Buck Zoo
Monterey Zoo
Niabi Zoo
Southwick's Zoo
Washington Park Zoo

Thank you to Mazuri Exotic Animal Nutrition and Spalding Labs for their generous support of the ZAA Disaster Relief Fund.

Please consider supporting the ZAA Disaster Relief Fund with a donation.

The ZAA Journal, Summer 2020 is available online.

Articles inside this issue:

• How the Covid Crisis May Effect Wildlife Conservation
• European Zoo Potpourri
• You Otter Know: Assessing Guest Learning and Perception of North American River Otter Experiences

These are very difficult times during this full blown COVID -19 pandemic sweeping our nation. After being shuttered for 60 days beginning March with no gates and now operating at below 50% capacity, all of us are feeling the effects of the economic challenges as we try to keep our businesses alive and operational.

The pandemic created worse challenges including social distancing, mandatory face covering and travel restrictions, resulting in a reluctance to travel and gather for conferences and social events.

As a result, ZAA regrettably and reluctantly cancels its 2020 ZAA Annual Conference hosted by Fort Worth Zoo.

We thank you for your support and cooperation and apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Hopefully, this will all be over in due course and life will be back to normal as we know it.

We look forward to meeting you and sharing ideas when we figure out the 2021 Mid-Year Meeting and 2021 Annual Conference.

John Seyjagat
Executive Director
Zoological Association of America

Because you can never have enough animal related reading material... For a limited time, ZAA is offering its members only exclusive access to the quarterly Journal FREE to EVERYONE!

Click on the link to keep up to date on industry news!  https://zaa.org/journal

Monterey Zoo earns its first ZAA Accreditation

Home to over 100 animals, the Monterey Zoo collection ranges from African elephants to spiders, with almost everything in-between. This zoological property is unique in that the “entire zoo” is literally brand new, not only offering the many who visit Monterey yet another reason to do so, but also offering the many under-privileged children who live in Monterey’s smaller surrounding agricultural communities an educational opportunity they might otherwise never have for lack of funding to travel hours to a neighboring zoo. Per Charlie, “achieving accreditation from ZAA was always a final goal and very much appreciated achievement that now enables Monterey Zoological to look, feel and move forward as a “real zoo.”

Congratulations to Fossil Rim Wildlife Center for earning its fourth consecutive ZAA accreditation

Fossil Rim Wildlife Center (FRWC) in Glen Rose, Texas has been an accredited member of ZAA since 2005 and was recently awarded accreditation until 2025. FRWC opened to the public in 1984 and is a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to the conservation of species in peril, conducting scientific research, training of professionals, responsible management of natural resources, and public education. FRWC’s 1,800 acres are home to 1,100 animals, most of which roam freely in large pastures in near-natural conditions. FRWC is a conservation breeding facility and its significant breeding programs include Attwater’s prairie chickens, cheetahs, addax, scimitar-horned oryx, American red wolves, Mexican wolves, giraffe, southern white rhinos, and multiple other species. These populations serve as an assurance policy against extinction, and FRWC is also involved in recovery projects in the wild for several of these species.

Montgomery Zoo & Mann Wildlife Museum receives its second consecutive ZAA accreditation

The Montgomery Zoo houses over 400 animal residents.  The zoo offers 42 beautifully landscaped acres with magnificent views of exotic wildlife and endangered species.  The year-round park features attractions including a train ride and Skylift ride that allows visitors to view the animals while on the ground or 40-feet in the air.  Unique opportunities such as the Giraffe Encounter, Petting zoo, Parakeet Cove and Stingray Bay provides the zoo visitor with a connection to wildlife through feeding opportunities.  The Montgomery Zoo contributes to various conservation groups and is currently in the process of building a state-of-the-art reptile facility. 

Congratulations to Zoosiana for its third consecutive ZAA accreditation.

ZOOSIANA is in its 28th year of operation and is excited to enter into its third consecutive cycle of accreditation in the ZAA.  Zoosiana is the only privately-owned, traditional zoo in Louisiana and is home to over 1,000 animals representing over 125 species.  The zoo offers a variety of experiences to its guests, including the Safari Express Train Ride, Jungle George's Gem Mine, Parakeet Feeding Aviary, ZooLive Animal Show, Petting Zoo, Jungle Lodge Playground, Critter Cafe', and Gift Shop - all in a 45-acre facility accented with dozens of centuries-old Live Oak Trees.  Zoosiana has successfully bred and raised numerous species during its nearly 3-decade existence, including many that are endangered.  Some of these include giraffe, red ruffed lemur, scimitar-horned oryx, clouded leopard, squirrel monkey, Bactrian camel, and more.  As always, Zoosiana's mission is to connect guests with animals and fun

ZAA Disaster Relief Fund awards grants

ZAA presented the first grants from the ZAA Disaster Relief Fund: COVID-19 Relief Food Fund to the following facilities towards the purchase of animal food:

     California Living Museum
     NGALA Wildlife Preserve
     Wild Wonders

Thank you to Mazuri Exotic Animal Nutrition and Spalding Labs for their generous support of the ZAA Disaster Relief Fund.

The ZAA Disaster Relief Fund assists members in times of crisis.  The purpose of the COVID-19 Relief Food Fund is to assist ZAA accredited facilities that have been affected by COVID-19 with funds towards animal food.

ZAA will be accepting additional applications for the COVID-19 Relief Food Fund in the future.  Watch the website for updated information.