WAZA Welcomes New Members
The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) is pleased to have recently welcomed two new members to the global zoo and aquarium community. L’ Aquàrium de Barcelona, Spain, and Toyohashi Zoo and Botanical Park, Japan, both joined WAZA as Institutional members in September.

L’Aquàrium de Barcelona, recently celebrated its 25th anniversary in September, marking the day it first opened its doors to the public in 1995. The aquarium has since welcomed 37 million people through its doors. The aquarium is situated in the old port of Barcelona and is home to more than 360 fish species and around 200 different species of invertebrates. It is the largest aquarium in the world focused on Mediterranean Sea life.
The aquarium’s motto, ‘Knowing to love, loving to protect, protecting to conserve, conserve to enjoy’, has become the driving force behind all of its activities. L’Aquàrium de Barcelona promotes the study, knowledge, protection and conservation of Mediterranean Sea species. The aquarium was awarded the Barcelona Biosphere Commitment to Sustainable Tourism distinction recognising its commitment to responsible and respectful management of the environment, culture, working conditions, gender equity and social and economic returns.
L’Aquàrium de Barcelona is also a member of the Iberian Association of Zoos & Aquaria (AIZA).

Toyohashi Zoo and Botanical Park, located in the Aichi prefecture of Japan, is a municipal institution owned by Toyohashi city. Known as “Non Hoi Park” to locals, it opened to the public in 1954 and further expanded in 1992. Following the expansion, it became a sprawling park, covering 40 hectares, which includes a zoo, natural history museum, botanical garden and amusement park.
It is the only national and public facility in Japan that integrates an animal and plant park and a natural history museum all in one place.
Toyohashi Zoo and Botanical Park prides itself on its education programmes, which not only support school education programmes but also aim to foster lifelong learning for all local people, across all age ranges. The zoo and natural history museum together provide visitors with a unique opportunity to learn about the evolution of life, from the dawn of Earth to the present day. A day spent at Non Hoi Park walking through the zoo, botanical garden and natural history museum educates visitors about the past and present of earth and encourages them to think about the future. Toyohashi Zoo and Botanical Park is also a member of the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA).

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.