Here are up-to-date numbers for some of the most widely used AZA statistics.

Last updated October 2018.

Annual Survey Results

AZA members (Individual Professional category members and Primary Contacts of Conservation Partner, Commercial, Related Facility and Institution Members) may log in and download the results of the most recent AZA Annual Survey of Members.

Accreditation

233 accredited zoos and aquariums in 9 countries

• USA: 215 in 45 states and the District of Columbia
• Canada: 6
• Mexico: 5
• Bahamas: 1
• Bermuda: 1
• Argentina: 1
• Colombia: 1
• Hong Kong: 1
• Singapore: 2

15 certified related facilities
Accreditation occurs every 5 years
Approximately 25 institutions undergo the accreditation process every 6 months

Types of Accredited Institutions

• 134 zoos
• 53 aquariums
• 8 both zoo and aquariums
• 18 safari and theme parks
• 16 science and nature centers
• 2 aviaries
• 2 butterfly houses

• 54% non-profit
• 35% public
• 11% for-profit

Animals in AZA-Accredited Institutions

• Approximately 800,000 animals in the care of AZA-accredited zoo and aquarium professionals
• 6,000 species
• 1,000 threatened or endangered species

Conservation

$220 million spent in support of conservation projects every year

Species Survival Plan^® (SSP) Programs

• 46 Taxon Advisory Groups (TAGs)
• Over 450 Species Survival Plan^® Programs

115 reintroduction programs, including more than 40 reintroduction programs for species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act

AZA’s Conservation Grants Fund: $7.7 million supporting over 400 conservation projects since 1991

Wildlife Contraception Center Supports SSP^® programs by monitoring the safety and efficacy of contraceptives used for all mammalian species and helping bring new contraceptive methods to the zoo, aquarium and wildlife community

AZA Population Management Center: Population planning for 500 species for the next 100 years

Economy

• Accredited zoos and aquarium contributed more than $22.5 billion to U.S. economy in 2016
• Support 208,000 jobs in the U.S.
• Serve more than 195 million annual visitors

Informal Science Education

• 50 million children visitors with families (annually)
• 12 million student learners on field trips (annually)
• 400,000 teachers trained in informal science education methods over the last decade

AZA Professional Development

• Approximately 1,700 zoo and aquarium professionals educated in last five years
• 18 in-person courses designed to develop a variety of animal management and leadership skills
• A certificate program to guide and recognize significant professional development achievement by AZA members
• An Executive Leadership Development Program to prepare the next generation of executive leaders to successfully advance the zoo and aquarium movement in the future