Blog

Conservation Is a Collective Commitment: WAZA at IAAPA Expo Europe 2025 Posted: 10 October 2025 “Conservation is everyone’s responsibility” With these powerful words, Paula Cerdán, Head of Conservation and Animal Welfare at the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), set the tone for her participation at IAAPA Expo Europe 2025, during the event’s Sustainability […]

Scimitar-Horned Oryx Day: A Testament to Conservation in Action Posted: 8 August 2025 On 16 August, the global zoo and aquarium community comes together to celebrate one of conservation’s most inspiring success stories: the return of the scimitar-horned oryx to the wild.  Previously listed as Extinct in the Wild on the IUCN Red List, the

WAZA Mid-Year Meeting 2025: A Global Community United for Conservation Posted: 1 August 2025 WAZA Mid-Year Meeting 2025: A Global Community United for Conservation  The 2025 WAZA Mid-Year Meeting marked a significant moment for the global zoo and aquarium community, as professionals from around the world came together online to connect, exchange insights, and collaborate

New Standards Prove Why Zoos Need to Be Embedded in Politics Posted: 30 May 2025 Dr Jo Judge, CEO of BIAZA writes for WAZA on how they achieved world-leading zoo licensing standards in the UK.  On 24 May, the UK Government announced a set of new zoo licensing standards. As well as much media interest,

WAZA’s Commitment to Sustainability: The PalmOil Scan App and Its Role in Combating Deforestation Posted: 2 May 2025 Deforestation issue and how palm oil commodity is contributing to it Deforestation is a major environmental issue, with palm oil being one of the key commodities linked to large-scale deforestation. Palm oil is found in a wide

Representing the Global Zoo and Aquarium Community at the 33rd CITES Animals Committee By Loïs Lelanchon, Head of Partnerships and Advocacy, WAZA As the global alliance of regional associations, national federations, zoos and aquariums, WAZA represented its global membership at the 33rd meeting of the CITES Animals Committee, which took place in Geneva, Switzerland, from

Enhancing Collaboration: Insights from the 5th Joint TAG Chairs Meeting Posted: 15 May 2024 From the 8-9 May, the 5th Joint Taxon Advisory Group (TAG) Chairs Meeting brought together zoo and aquarium colleagues from around the world, providing a platform to strengthen connections and discuss key topics, innovative ideas and the opportunities to strengthen our

The World Species Congress: A Critical Forum for Global Conservation Posted: 6 May 2024 The first ever World Species Congress is a significant event that will bring together conservationists, researchers, policymakers, and advocates from around the world to address the most pressing challenges facing the planet’s biodiversity. As we look ahead to this crucial event,

CoP28 and Why it Matters to the Zoo and Aquarium Community Posted: 15 December 2023 CoP28 is the 28th annual United Nations (UN) climate meeting which sees a large participation by governments as well as civil society, to discuss how to limit future climate change. This year, the summit took place in Dubai, in the

Towards a New Vision for WAZA Posted: 6 June 2023 Founded in 1935 as the International Association of Directors of Zoological Gardens, WAZA has a long history of working with the international community to promote best practices in animal welfare and conservation in zoos and aquariums. Over the years, however, it became apparent that there