![]() Your Wilds membership helps support endangered species, and entitles you to discounts and access opportunities. Racey said "we welcome the rigor of all our accrediting bodies" but did not answer a question about the ZAA's reputation. Take it from a man who's been there, the work at The Wilds with rare and endangered species is like nowhere else. For now, it's approved as a polar bear "sustainability partner" so it can continue to breed them, and it may apply for that approval for other species, spokesperson Nicolle Gómez Racey tells Axios. Since its creation 30 years ago, the animal programs department has come a long way from being just one of Jack Hannas pioneering visions as the new zoo. What's next: The zoo can reapply to the AZA in the fall. Of note: If the zoo joins the ZAA, rejoining the AZA isn't off the table, as a handful of institutions are dual members. They were then discarded to unaccredited facilities. The park supplied snow leopard cubs for former zoo director Jack Hanna's TV appearances at an age before they could be legally handled by the public.What they're saying: "Running to the ZAA just feels like a race to the bottom, rather than a step in the right direction," says Carney Anne Nasser, the animal protection attorney featured in "The Conservation Game" documentary that first exposed the zoo's controversy.īetween the lines: A ZAA-accredited facility, Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Kansas, was involved in the activity that initially got the zoo in trouble, the film alleges. When's the last time a ZAA member lost their accreditation? I'm not aware of any," AZA president and CEO Dan Ashe tells Axios. The other side: Critics say the ZAA, founded in 2005, exhibits a pattern of rubber-stamping institutions that lose AZA accreditation and exploit animals for entertainment. In order to care for all those animals, it takes a strong and dedicated team. The group was laser-focused on animal welfare at a recent inspection and even caught some minor issues the AZA previously missed, Schmid told board members. The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is home to more than 10,000 animals and 800 species.Zoos seek accreditation to bolster public perception and access the animals and knowledge shared between member institutions.ĭriving the news: At a board meeting last week, new Columbus Zoo CEO Tom Schmid said officials should know in four to five weeks if the ZAA accepts the zoo's application for accreditation.Why it matters: The zoo is working to rebuild its reputation after a year marred by controversy, but this move could further escalate the taxpayer-supported nonprofit's problems. But some animal advocates have criticized the Zoological Association of America for lax enforcement of animal care standards and similar-sounding name. BALTIMORE The two polar bears living at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore are moving to new locations after recommendations from a nonprofit organization which focuses on animal care and welfare. Once the habitat opens in 2019, Columbus Zoo animal trainers will show guests how they work with the sea lions to keep the animals healthy, and explain how. ![]() ![]() After losing its gold-standard status with leading accreditor Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Columbus Zoo has applied to join a different organization.
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