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AIZA’s Animal Welfare Evaluation Process complies with the WAZA 2023 Animal Welfare Goal
Posted: 20 March 2026
Last Saturday in Lagos, Portugal, WAZA had the pleasure of announcing that the Animal Welfare Evaluation Process of the Iberian Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AIZA) now complies with the global benchmark established by the WAZA 2023 Animal Welfare Goal.
The recognition was formally presented during the AIZA Annual Congress, whose theme this year was “Committed to Animal Welfare”. This milestone reflects the association’s commitment to robust, science-based and transparent animal welfare evaluation processes.
During the congress, WAZA delivered the official diploma to Dr Javier Almunia, President of AIZA, recognising this important achievement for the association and its members.
The WAZA 2023 Animal Welfare Goal aims towards confirming that the Animal Welfare Evaluation Processes used by the WAZA member national and regional associations include specific principles of animal welfare, and thus, to see these principles consistently across WAZA’s global membership. By working towards this strategic Goal, WAZA has taken a significant step towards positioning itself as the global leader advancing Animal Welfare in zoos and aquariums.
Rosa Pons, Head of Communications at WAZA, also delivered a plenary session highlighting the growing importance of evaluation frameworks in strengthening public trust in zoos and aquariums.
It was a pleasure to attend this productive meeting, meet with colleagues from AIZA and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), connect with WAZA members, and witness the strong collaborative spirit across the AIZA community.
Our sincere thanks to AIZA and the team at Zoo de Lagos for their warm hospitality.
The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) is the global alliance of regional associations, national federations, zoos and aquariums, dedicated to the care and conservation of animals and their habitats around the world.
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