Oregon Zoo maintains its status as a national leader in animal care

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Oregon Zoo has earned another five years of accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The announcement was made during the association's annual conference, which took place in Portland, Ore.

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums is a nonprofit organization that accredits 255 zoos and aquariums globally. To earn accreditation, facilities undergo a detailed application and a multi-day onsite inspection by zoological professionals evaluating animal care and well-being, veterinary care, staff training, educational programs, conservation efforts, financial stability, risk management, governance and guest services.

Dan Ashe, president and chief executive officer of the AZA, commended the institution during the conference. “AZA's standards continuously evolve to reflect best practices in the zoo and aquarium profession, with a strong emphasis on animal care and well-being at their core,” Ashe said. “Oregonians can be very proud of their zoo. It ranks among the top zoos nationally and it doesn't just keep pace. It's a leader in helping to set our ever-rising standards.”

Oregon Zoo Director Heidi Rahn addressed the review panel's feedback during the announcement. “One of the things called out at our accreditation hearing was the incredibly strong community support for this zoo,” Rahn said. “We will never take that lightly and we are committed to continuous improvement.”

The Oregon Zoo and the Philadelphia Zoo were the first two institutions in the world to earn AZA accreditation in 1974. Both facilities have maintained continuous accreditation status since then.

Over the past 15 years, the Oregon Zoo has earned 15 major annual awards from the association. These include six awards for conservation work on behalf of endangered species, two for exhibit design, one for educational programming, one for environmental efforts in daily operations, one for achievement in diversity and three for marketing excellence, alongside the Half-Century Award marking 50 years of continuous accreditation.

The zoo also received an honorable mention in the association's annual poster competition for scientific research. Dr. Carlos Sanchez, the zoo's director of animal health, was recognized alongside Oregon State University experts Dr. Jennifer Johns and Laura Nutter for research on the role of elephant white blood cells in disease processes.