Association of Zoos and Aquariums

Our 2024 Connect Photo Contest is officially open! 📸 If you're a photographer working or volunteering at an AZA-accredited facility, we want to see your best shot. Each participant can submit one photo, so make it count! Whether it’s animals, people, or a captivating scene from your facility, we’re eager to see what you’ve captured this year. 🖼️ The winning photo will be featured on the December 2024 cover of Connect Magazine, and other outstanding entries may be showcased inside the magazine, on AZA’s website, and on social media. 📅 Submit your photo by SEPTEMBER 15TH to be considered! 🔗 Find more contest details here: https://bit.ly/44KEwMo. 📷 Photo by #2023ConnectPhotoContest winner, Bertrand Duhamel from Zoo de Granby #2024ConnectPhotoContest #ConnectPhotoContest #ConnectMagazine #ConnectMag #PhotoContest #Photography #AZA

🌍 Happy International Orangutan Day! 🦧 Today, we celebrate the incredible efforts of the #SAFE Orangutan program, which is dedicated to protecting and restoring wild orangutan populations and their habitats. Through public awareness, increased funding, and on-the-ground fieldwork, the program aims to ensure a future for these magnificent creatures. While the AZA Orangutan Species Survival Plan (SSP) focuses on managing orangutan populations in human care, the Orangutan SAFE program goes a step further by prioritizing the #Conservation of wild populations. With more AZA-accredited institutions joining as partners each year, our reach and impact grow, engaging the public to take action. 🗣️ Sadly, all three #Orangutan species are now listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, facing threats from habitat loss, #Poaching, and the illegal pet trade. Thanks to the dedication of 38 AZA members, over $1.4 million has been invested in orangutan conservation, focusing on habitat protection, restoration, and animal health. Let’s continue to work together to save these incredible animals and their homes. Learn more about how you can help at https://bit.ly/3A1Zbxw. 🌿 #Orangutans #Primates #GreatApes #OrangutanDay #SSP #WildlifeConservation #WildlifeTrafficking

This year marks a significant milestone for the Lubee Bat Conservancy #Florida as it celebrates thirty-five years of dedicated service to bat welfare, #Conservation, and education. Since its inception in 1989, the Conservancy has advocated for the preservation and protection of #Bat species worldwide. Established with the mission of saving bats and their habitats through conservation, education, and awareness, with a focus on children and #CommunityEngagement, Lubee has consistently worked towards raising understanding about the vital ecological role bats play in our #Ecosystems. 🍃 Through innovative animal care and welfare initiatives, #Education projects, strategic partnerships, and social media outreach, the Conservancy has made substantial strides in promoting the conservation of bat populations globally 🌎. With ongoing challenges such as habitat destruction, illegal #Poaching, and persecution due to misinformation, their work is more crucial than ever. 👏 Over the past thirty-five years, Lubee has achieved remarkable milestones, including nearly 800 births at the conservancy and funding over 200 conservation programs. Additionally, Lubee has built schools, created jobs, protected forests, supported women’s groups, and partnered with local organizations to assist underprivileged and disadvantaged children. In celebration of the anniversary, Lubee will be hosting a series of events through the end of the year, including Painting with Bats, Yoga and Bats, and their largest event, the 20th Annual Florida Bat Festival, taking place in October. These events aim to engage the community, raise awareness about bat conservation issues, and highlight the importance of preserving #Biodiversity. Learn more about Lubee’s accomplishments in Connect: https://bit.ly/3XalEWj. #Bats #CommunityPartnerships #CommunityOutreach #AnimalCare #Sustainability #Gainesville

Super Cutie now has a couple of super cuties of his own! In July, Dickerson Park Zoo - Springfield, MO welcomed two adorable cotton-top tamarin twins, born to dad Super Cutie and mom Kiki. 🧡 This special pairing was made through AZA’s Species Survival Plan®, which works to ensure a healthy, genetically diverse population of these critically endangered #Primates. 🌳 Native to #SouthAmerica, cotton-top tamarins are critically endangered and one of the world’s rarest primates, making the birth of the twins even more exciting. The #ZooBorns are thriving, demonstrating signs of good health such as nursing, climbing, and lifting their heads. While the family has made a public appearance, they still have access to their indoor area if they desire more privacy. 📰 Read more about this super cute family in Connect: https://bit.ly/3XGE92i. #ZooBaby #Tamarins #SSP #AnimalHealth #Twins #EndangeredSpecies #Missouri

🌹 Calli the corpse flower has bloomed! For the first time, a rare titan arum plant named Calli bloomed at the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House in #Missouri. On the evening of August 3rd, the Butterfly House invited plant lovers to view the rare corpse flower during a free event. 👨👩👦👦 Over 600 visitors came to see and smell the bloom. Corpse flowers are large and fast-growing #Aroid plants native to the rainforests of #Indonesia. They are famous for the intense, foul odor they emit when blooming. 🍃 The Missouri Botanical Garden, which operates the Butterfly House, grows these plants as part of its commitment to plant #Conservation. Although an increasing number of #CorpseFlowers exist in cultivation, the plant is listed as Endangered in the wild by the IUCN. A titan arum typically takes five to ten years to reach its first bloom. 🌙 The bloom usually opens quickly in the late afternoon, with peak bloom often occurring after dark. Since 2012, the Missouri Botanical Garden has hosted at least fifteen corpse flower blooms. However, the August event was special for several reasons. It was the first time the Garden hosted a bloom at a different site and also the debut bloom of Calli, a gift from the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden. This bloom at the Butterfly House provided visitors with a unique opportunity to explore the flower's pollination process. “I have always stressed how a flower’s sole purpose is to attract the pollinator,” said Garden Horticulturist Emily Colletti. 🦋 “Size, shape, color, and smell are all about attracting a pollinator. The Butterfly House, whose mission is to highlight plant/pollinator relationships, is the perfect place to host this odoriferous giant of the plant kingdom.” In Connect, discover why the unique corpse flower's smell actually ATTRACTS pollinators: https://bit.ly/3XGE92i. #CorpseFlower #Aroids #Sustainability #BotanicalGarden #Pollinators #PlantLovers

🐱 Facing shared challenges, leaders of four small cat Special Survival Plan programs united to create the Small Cat Alliance (SCA) in 2022. Pooling resources, this team aims to protect black-footed cats, fishing cats, Pallas’s cats, and sand cats. 📉 With wild populations declining and zoo numbers critically low, the SCA is driving strategic discussions to boost small cat populations. Habitat degradation and prey loss are pushing these species toward extinction, making the SCA’s mission vital. The alliance’s strategic plan focuses on two main goals: creating sustainable populations of these small cats within AZA-accredited facilities and raising awareness about them. Two years in, the SCA has seen success through collaborative efforts and targeted resources for #Zoos and educational initiatives. The SCA’s engagement includes social media, professional development opportunities, and increasing visibility through publications 📱💼📰 . In Connect, read more about how these efforts are educating and connecting with both colleagues and the public: https://bit.ly/3yKf6UG. #SSP #Cats #Education #StrategicPlanning #SocialMedia #ProfessionalDevelopment

⏰ Today is the last day for early bird registration for our Annual Conference in Calgary, Canada held September 14-19 and hosted by Wilder Institute/ Calgary Zoo. Register now: https://bit.ly/45kMk8Z. Still have questions? Below are some FAQs that might help: 🏢 Where is the Conference Taking Place? 🏢 All meetings, program sessions, General Session events, and Exhibit Hall events will take place at the BMO Centre on Stampede Parke. The BMO Centre on Stampede Park is located about a mile from the conference hotels — a 15-20 minute walk or train ride. Accreditation Hearings and Executive Leadership Development Program will take place at the Calgary Marriott Downtown. 🎫 Do I Need To Be a Member to Attend the Conference? 🎫 Attendees representing a zoo, aquarium, non-profit organization, or government agency are not required to be individual members of AZA or work for an AZA-accredited institution in order to register for the Conference. ✈️ What Do I Need to Enter Canada? ✈️ Depending on where you are traveling from you may need a visa, Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), or only your passport. Visit our Know Before You Go page on the conference website to learn more about how to prepare for your trip. 🚋 What is There To Do in Calgary? 🚋 Renowned for its warm western hospitality, Calgary prides itself on being the Ultimate Host City. With one of the world’s most modern, welcoming airports, world-class accommodations and venues, an exploding culinary, arts and culture scene, and an impressive list of attractions and activities to suit every type of visitor. 🏞️ Can I visit the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo during the Conference? 🏞️ Yes, the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo is offering free admission for Conference attendees, September 9-22. Show your name badge or registration confirmation for admission. For guests, Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo is part of the Reciprocity program. AZA members receive a 50% discount on admission for up to 4 guests. 📃 Have more questions? Visit for more info: https://bit.ly/3MaIPJw.

Exciting news from Audubon Nature Institute! 🐤 Two critically endangered blue-crowned laughingthrush chicks have successfully hatched, marking a huge win for the species' survival. With fewer than 300 of these #Birds left in the wild, every new chick brings hope for the future. These chicks are the first of their kind to hatch at the Wings of the World exhibit, highlighting the incredible work of Audubon Zoo’s Bird Department. 🌏 The #Zoo is part of a global effort, joining over 60 other zoos across the U.S., Asia, and Europe in a Global Species Management Plan dedicated to saving these unique birds from extinction. Native to southeastern #China, the blue-crowned laughingthrush is named for its call, which sounds just like laughter. These small birds enjoy a diet of seeds, fruits, berries, and insects. 🌳 Sadly, they face critical endangerment due to habitat loss and illegal wildlife trade. “These chicks are a true example of zoos holding the line against extinction,” says Dr. Steven Whitfield, Audubon Nature Institute’s director of terrestrial and wetlands conservation. 📰 Learn more about how AZA-accredited zoos are working to protect endangered species in Connect: https://bit.ly/46KCiyV. #ZooBaby #ZooBorns #EndangeredSpecies #Zoos #WildlifeTrafficking #NewOrleans #Louisiana

Have you listened to Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom The Podcast yet? They’re featuring professionals from AZA-accredited facilities including executive director at ZooMontana, Jeff Ewelt, about cloning and black-footed ferret conservation. Later this season, they’ll feature Santa Barbara Zoo, Saint Louis Zoo, and the Endangered Wolf Center. Listen to these positive stories of conservation happening within our wonderful organization weekly wherever you get your podcasts. 🎧 https://lnkd.in/eVA242P3

🐘 In honor of #WorldElephantDay, we're excited to highlight the inaugural initiative hosted by the IUCN's Center for Species Survival. This important event took place from March 29-31, marking a big step forward in elephant #Conservation. 🌳 Held near the beautiful Kaziranga National Park in #Assam, India, the workshop focused on developing guidelines to reduce conflicts between humans and elephants. Solving these conflicts is key to protecting both local communities and elephant populations across #Asia. In collaboration with Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Wildlife Trust of India, and the IUCN Species Survival Commission, the workshop centered on the priorities of the Kathmandu Declaration for Asian Elephant Conservation, which promotes a shared vision to promote Asian elephant conservation across all their native habitats. 🏞️ The event brought together 55 representatives from 12 of the 13 countries where Asian elephants are found 🤝. This including experts from the IUCN’s Asian Elephant Specialist Group and Adam Felts, who leads AZA's #SAFE Asian Elephant program and is the senior curator of animal care at the Columbus Zoo and The Wilds. This workshop is an important first step toward building communities where humans and #Elephants can peacefully coexist. 📰 Read more about this collaborative workshop in Connect: https://bit.ly/3XGE92i. #AsianElephant #Elephant #Wildlife #EndangeredSpecies #Sustainability #AnimalHealth #India