Association of Zoos and Aquariums

The Seneca Park Zoo Society recently announced that Raji, the female red panda, gave birth to a cub! ❣️ “Raji unfortunately abandoned her cub, which is not uncommon for first-born cubs of red pandas. We have made the necessary decision to bottle-feed the cub,” said Seneca Park Zoo Veterinarian, Dr. Chris McKinney. “The good news is that the cub nursed initially and received colostrum from mom, which is incredibly important to survival.” “Animal health and animal care teams are providing excellent care to ensure he has what he needs,” said Seneca Park Zoo Director, Steve Lacy. “The first thirty days are crucial, and the cub is being monitored and fed around the clock. This adorable red panda is gaining weight appropriately, and we are excited to share this great news with the public.” 🍼 Guests can see the cub at the Animal Hospital on Zoo grounds through a viewing glass in the procedure room, where he will be housed for the short term. Read more about the #Zooborn in Connect: https://bit.ly/4fiMmmG #Zoobaby #EndangeredSpecies #SSP #IUCN #AnimalHealth #RedPanda #NewYork

In honor of National Zookeeper Week, we would love to highlight an animal care professional with the ambassador team at ZooTampa at Lowry Park, Amber Smith! Smith joined ZooTampa in March 2022, after interning with the animal ambassador team the summer prior. Her love for animals began at an early age. “I was that kid who loved to catch lizards and insects in my backyard growing up,” she said. “One of my favorite memories was attending the ZooTampa and Busch Gardens summer camps. I remember finding it inspiring to be able to talk to actual keepers about their jobs and the animals they took care of.” 🐞 🦎 In her role at ZooTampa, Smith connects Zoo guests with wildlife multiple times daily. She feels that she plays an essential role in connecting people to wildlife and educating them. “I try to lead by example every day by being excited about my job as an animal ambassador keeper and the animals I help to take care of,” she said. “Hopefully, my passion shines through and inspires guests of all ages. It is important for children of diverse backgrounds to get the opportunity to visit Zoos to see and learn more about animals and nature.” 🐍 🍃 Learn more about Amber Smith and her important role in Connect: https://bit.ly/4fiMmmG #NationalZookeeperWeek #KeeperWeek #Ambassador #ConservationEducation #Florida #Voices

Celebrating first time parents, Ralf and Opal! 🐣 The National Aviary has announced the first hatching of a hooded vulture chick at the facility. Ralf and Opal have excelled in setting a heartwarming example for the #Chick to observe and learn from, and the family will continue to live in a naturalistic behind-the-scenes #Habitat. Like many species of #Vultures worldwide, the hooded vulture has experienced drastic population declines. Threats are primarily human-caused, such as incidental poisoning, direct persecution and poisoning by poachers, capture for traditional medicine and bushmeat, habitat loss, and collisions with electricity infrastructure. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the species as critically #Endangered, making this hatching all the more critical. Learn more about this important #Zoobaby in Connect: https://bit.ly/3y2A5ls #Conservation #IUCN #Pennsylvania #Zooborn #Hatchling #AnimalHealth

🌊 Happy #CoralAwarenessWeek! Have you heard about the AZA-Florida Reef Tract Rescue Project? 🤝 The AZA-FRTRP is a team effort that includes around 20 zoos and aquariums across the United States dedicated to saving and protecting #Florida corals affected by a serious disease called Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease. This disease is a major threat to the Florida Reef Tract, one of the largest #Coral reef systems in the world. 🌎 In summer 2018, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission identified AZA member facilities as the best-equipped institutions in the U.S. to manage rescued #Corals from the Florida Reef Tract. In response, #AZA created the Florida Reef Tract Rescue Project in November 2019. Since then, AZA-FRTRP has been crucial in saving nearly 2,000 corals. Leading facilities like The Florida Aquarium, Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, and SeaWorld are at the forefront of this mission. These facilities not only provide safe homes for rescued corals but also work with universities, federal and state agencies, and other partners to keep these corals healthy 🏢. The goal is to eventually place new generations of corals back on the reef to restore and sustain Florida's Coral Reef. Visit an AZA-Florida Reef Tract Rescue Project facility near you! 💙 By supporting these facilities, you're directly contributing to the preservation and restoration of our precious coral reefs. Find a facility near you: https://bit.ly/3J3DeUR. #FRTRP #MarineLife #Aquariums #Conservation #FloridaReefTract #Zoos #CoralReef #Reef

Congratulations to Akenji, one of the Woodland Park Zoo's resident gorillas, on her first #zooborn...and it’s a boy! 💙 The Zoo’s gorilla and animal health staff closely observed the birth and post-birth behaviors behind the scenes. Akenji did not show appropriate maternal behaviors despite the months-long #Maternal skills training the gorilla care team provided, so the team stepped in for the baby’s safety and wellbeing. A neonatal exam was performed to ensure the yet-to-be-named #Infant was healthy. The newborn represents the 16th gorilla born at the #Zoo and the third offspring of the father, Kwame. The short-term plan is for the #Gorilla staff to continue caring for the baby gorilla and offering opportunities to unite mother and son. Akenji and her family will be in the viewable outdoor #Habitat mid-morning to mid-afternoon while her baby remains behind the scenes! 🦍 Learn more about this #Zoobaby in Connect: https://bit.ly/3zOqTBA #AnimalHealth #Newborn #Washington #Biology #Mother

An exciting endeavor! 🧡 The Caldwell Zoo has reached a significant achievement in its ongoing efforts to conserve endangered species. Two young male cheetahs, Ichabod and Lee, were successfully flown to Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Australia! This monumental event marks a critical step in the global effort to preserve #Cheetahs, one of the world’s most #Endangered big cats. Maintaining #Genetic diversity is integral to successful breeding. The two cubs bring this healthy #diversity as potential mates to the Taronga Western Plains Zoo breeding program. 🐱 The birth of these cubs served as a beacon of hope during a challenging time, and their transfer represents a significant accomplishment for the Caldwell #Zoo and its #Conservation partners. Learn more about this transfer in Connect: https://bit.ly/3zOqTBA #Zooborns #Partnernship #EndangeredSpecies #AnimalHealth #Australia #Texas

A new way to connect with WILDlife! ⛅ Wilder Institute / Calgary Zoo introduced the world to Wild Canada—a remarkable 21-acre #Redevelopment project aimed at deepening visitors’ connection with iconic Canadian wildlife and the dynamic #Ecosystems they call home! 🌲 🌄 The vision for the redeveloped space was to create a destination that encouraged visitors to reflect on the relationship between humans and the land, deepen their connection to #Wildlife, and foster a sense of renewed hope for the future. From the outset, the Wild Canada redevelopment project was underscored by a commitment to thoughtfully and respectfully incorporate Indigenous worldviews and Ways of Knowing in order to authentically tell these stories throughout the interpretive experience. The #Zoo worked with two Indigenous community engagement consultants from Siksika First Nation to advise, share teachings, and help foster relationships, weaving Indigenous worldviews into the experience. 🌎 “The Canadian zone of our Zoo has educated and inspired generations of conservationists for decades. When it came time to reimagine what this experience could be, we recognized the importance of infusing the journey with stories that reflect our location’s significance and the layers of footprints that have crossed these lands through the centuries,” said Lauryn Record, M.Sc., senior strategist of interpretive planning and creative services at the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo. 💚 Read more about the importance of this new place on our website: https://bit.ly/4cMvcMg #Conservation #Exhibits #Development #Calgary #Canada #CalgaryZoo #Indigenous #FirstNations

🌊 Exciting news from the Oregon Coast Aquarium! 🌊 🎉 The #Aquarium has received a generous $500,000 gift from the Marcia H. Randall Foundation to support the construction of its Sees-Ha Xwee-Nish Marine Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. You can double the impact as well! 🌟 Through the end of this year, the Foundation will match your donations dollar for dollar, up to $500,000, when you give to the Aquarium's wildlife rehabilitation fund: https://bit.ly/4eOnYJn. The Oregon Coast Aquarium is one of only three facilities in the #PacificNorthwest (and the only one in Oregon) authorized to provide critical care to endangered marine animals like sea #Turtles, northern fur #Seals, and snowy #Plovers. 🏥 The rehabilitation center will expand the Aquarium’s capacity to offer immediate and long-term medical attention, giving vulnerable #Wildlife a second chance at survival. 🔬 It will also serve as a research and teaching facility for students and emerging professionals in #Veterinary medicine and #MarineScience. In Connect, learn more about the unique #Education, #Research, and #AnimalCare opportunities the Center will offer: https://bit.ly/3XRgY8t. #Oregon #PNW #MarineLife #AnimalHealth #WildlifeRehab #Veterinarian #VeterinaryMedicine #SeaTurtles #Aquariums

🎺🎺 Fanfare, please! It's time to celebrate the birth of two trumpeter swans at The Maryland Zoo! 🥚 The hatchlings, called cygnets, were part of the eighth group of eggs or “clutch” laid by the Zoo’s trumpeter swans. Over the past decade, parents Scuttle and Buttercup have played a crucial role in the #Conservation of their species. Last year, the cygnets born at the Zoo were released into the wild in #Oregon as part of a trumpeter swan restoration program led by the state’s Department of Natural Resources. 🏞️ This year, one cygnet will follow the same journey to Oregon. The other will become part of AZA’s Trumpeter Swan Species Survival Plan® program and contribute to the growth and sustainability of the species. To prevent the cygnets from imprinting on humans, the Zoo has opted for a hands-off approach for those involved in the #Reintroduction program. The swan parents will raise the cygnets themselves, teaching the young ones essential skills that will improve their chances of survival in the wild. 🌿 Trumpeter swans are the largest #Waterfowl species native to North America and the largest swan in the world. 🦢 In the early 1900s, they were nearly hunted to #Extinction for their skin, feathers, meat, and eggs. Today, federal protections are in place to preserve the remaining trumpeter #Swans. 📰 Read more about these protections in Connect: https://bit.ly/4cI4mEO. #Swan #ZooBorns #MigratoryBirds #Wildlife #Birds #SSP #Baltimore #Maryland #Zoos

Join us for the AZA 2024 Annual Conference, a 5-day event in #Calgary, Canada, from September 14th to 19th. As the largest and most comprehensive gathering for #Zoo and #Aquarium professionals in the country, attending this conference allows you to connect with more than 2,000 dedicated colleagues who share a common vision to protect and save species. You will have the opportunities to: 🐬 Explore ideas and best practices with more than 150 education program sessions, poster presentations, and round-table topic discussions 🐢 Hear updates from meetings of over 75 AZA Committees, SAFE, and Animal Programs 🦊 Discover successes and lessons learned from a community of experienced and emerging professionals in the field 🐒 Experience new technology and services from more than 150 companies and organizations showcasing their latest products Designed for the needs of the #AZA community, this conference aims to foster collaboration, innovation, and professional growth. With a wealth of learning opportunities and networking experiences, you don't want to miss out! Register early now! https://bit.ly/3RVnYxa #WeAreAZA #Zoos #Aquariums