Association of Zoos and Aquariums honors 28 award recipients

Silver Spring, Md. (October 15, 2024) The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) is proud to announce the 2024 honors and awards winners. Out of the record-breaking 83 applications across 17 categories, 28 projects from 24 facilities were recognized during AZA's Annual Conference held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, during September 14-19. The ceremony celebrated the work of facilities across the zoological community, from conservation to facility design to volunteer engagement.

"These awards highlight the most impactful work being done across our membership," said Dan Ashe, president and CEO of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. "These facilities have gone above and beyond the high expectations set by AZA's accreditation standards and strengthen the impact of our entire community. Congratulations to all of this year's honorees!"

This year, AZA established two new awards: the Advocacy Impact Award and the Edward H. Bean Population Sustainability Award. The Advocacy Impact Award recognizes excellence and innovation in executing strategic, proactive advocacy efforts that provide opportunities to advance policy and legislation. The Edward H. Bean Population Sustainability Award celebrates the initiatives of Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) and Species Survival Plan® (SSP) programs that have an impact on the long-term sustainability of a species' managed and/or wild population.

"I would like to extend my gratitude to all of the staff at our member facilities for submitting their outstanding work and to the many Association of Zoos and Aquariums' committees, especially the Honors and Awards Committee, who took the time to review all of the award applications," said Brian Aucone, chief conservation officer of the conservation sciences division at the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance and chair of the AZA Honors and Awards Committee. "Your dedication is truly appreciated."

The 2024 Honors and Awards recipients are as follows:

Advocacy
Top Honors - Vote Yes for Clean Air, Clean Water, and Wildlife Campaign
Brookfield Zoo Chicago, Brookfield, Ill.

Angela Peterson Excellence in Diversity Award
Top Honors - We Have an IDEA: Houston Zoo's Journey to Work Where You Belong
Houston Zoo, Houston, Texas.

Significant Achievement - Age-friendly Initiative
Akron Zoo, Akron, Ohio.

Earned Media Excellence Award
Under 1 Million Guests Annually
Significant Achievement (Campaign) - Sharing Kamaia's Story
Franklin Park Zoo/ Zoo New England, Boston, Mass.

Over 1 Million Guests Annually
Top Honors (Campaign) - Galápagos Islands at the Houston Zoo
Houston Zoo, Houston, Texas.

Top Honors (Campaign) - California Academy of Sciences: A Century of Steinhart Aquarium
Steinhart Aquarium at the California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, Calif.

Top Honors (Project) - Georgia Aquarium + Today Show: First Live Broadcast Underwater with Sharks
Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, Ga.

Significant Achievement (Project) - Fox 8 "Behind the Scenes" special on Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Cleveland, Ohio.

Education Award
Under $8 Million Operating Budget
Significant Achievement - Cool Blue Bridgeport
Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo, Bridgeport, Conn.

Over $8 million Operating Budget
Top Honors - Houston Zoo Teen Programs Wildlife-Saving Campaigns
Houston Zoo, Houston, Texas.

Significant Achievement - Nature Play in the City: Enhancing Family and Community Connection with Nature
Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance, Denver, Colo.

Innovation - Beloved Pets Ofrenda
Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Los Angeles, Calif.

Edward H. Bean Population Sustainability Award
Innovation - Artificial Insemination African Elephant Breeding Program
Indianapolis Zoo, Indianapolis, Ind.

The Green Award
Top Honors - Conservation Action Plan
National Aquarium, Baltimore, Md.

Top Honors - Sustainability Program
Houston Zoo, Houston, Texas.

Significant Achievement - Atlas Project
Atlantis Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Excellence in Marketing Award
Under $175,000 Campaign Budget
Top Honors - Whole Lotta Otta
North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher, Kure Beach, N.C.

Over $175,000 Campaign Budget
Top Honors - Together for Wildlife
Oregon Zoo, Portland, Ore.

Significant Achievement - It's Time to Visit Woodland Park Zoo
Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, Wash.

Research Award
Top Honors - Identifying Heat-Tolerant Corals to Develop Conservation Interventions for Future Climate-Resilient Reefs
John G. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, Ill.

Volunteer Engagement Award
Over $8 Million Operating Budget
Top Honors - ECHO Teen Volunteer Corps
The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, Norwalk, Conn.

Facility Award
Over $8 Million Operating Budget
Top Honors - Caring Cove
Seattle Aquarium, Seattle, Wash.

Innovation - Treetop Trail
Minnesota Zoo, Apple Valley, Minn.

Innovation - The Santa Barbara Zoo Ranger Station
Santa Barbara Zoo, Santa Barbara, Calif.

Exhibit Award
Over $8 Million Operating Budget
Top Honors - Galápagos Islands at the Houston Zoo
Houston Zoo, Houston, Texas.

Significant Achievement - Sobela Ocean Aquarium
Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium, Kansas City, Mo.

Significant Achievement - Asia
Albuquerque Biological Park, Albuquerque, N.M.

North American Conservation Award
Innovation - Blunt-Nosed Leopard Lizard Conservation Program
Fresno Chaffee Zoo, Fresno, Calif.

About AZA
Founded in 1924, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, animal welfare, education, science, and recreation. AZA is the accrediting body for the top zoos and aquariums in the United States and 13 other countries. Look for the AZA accreditation logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. The AZA is a leader in saving species and your link to helping animals all over the world. To learn more, visit www.aza.org.

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