The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), the global alliance of regional associations, national federations, and institutions, has opened nominations for the 2025 WAZA Awards.
Association and institution members of WAZA can nominate candidates who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in the worldwide zoo and aquarium community.
See also: WAZA: a global force for conservation, animal welfare, and sustainability
The awards include the new WAZA Animal Welfare Award, which launched in April. This is the highest honour for institutional leadership in animal welfare and recognises organisations that support and align with the Association’s dedication to advancing animal welfare worldwide.
It joins a lineup of institutional awards, including the Heini Hediger Award, the WAZA Conservation Award, and the WAZA Environmental Sustainability Award, and further enhances the Association’s recognition framework.
All award winners will be celebrated during the Gala Dinner at the 80th WAZA Annual Conference, which is being held in Cali, Colombia, from 26 to 30 October 2025.
Celebrating excellence
With the new Animal Welfare Award, the Association now celebrates excellence across four award categories:
The WAZA Animal Welfare Award. This award reflects WAZA’s dedication to animal welfare, outlined in Caring for Wildlife: The World Zoo and Aquarium Animal Welfare Strategy, and follows the organisation’s work in implementing the WAZA 2023 Animal Welfare Goal.
It will be presented to an institution that demonstrates a holistic, science-based animal welfare strategy that is integrated into its organisational culture. This has resulted in demonstrated positive animal welfare outcomes for the animals housed there and positions the organisation as exemplary and a leader within the wider zoo and aquarium sector.
The Heini Hediger Award. Since 1996, this accolade has been the Association’s highest recognition for individual professional excellence. It honours an individual who has shown outstanding dedication to animal welfare, conservation, sustainability, and education, and is actively advancing these issues within the zoo and aquarium sector and the worldwide conservation community.
The WAZA Conservation Award. Established in 2016, this award is presented to an institution for an excellent, well-defined conservation programme that achieves measurable, beneficial effects for wildlife and ecosystems.
The WAZA Environmental Sustainability Award. This award, established in 2018, recognises comprehensive and innovative sustainability strategies that reduce environmental impact while demonstrating leadership in responsible operations.
Full nomination information can be found on the Association’s website. Nominations close at 23:59 CEST (GMT+2) on 15 July.
“The WAZA Awards are more than recognition—they provide a platform to share your institution’s values, achievements, and impact with the wider zoo and aquarium community. Whether advancing animal welfare, leading conservation action, or creating sustainable change, your work helps shape the future of our field,” says the Association.
Being recognised at the awards raises the institution’s global visibility, acknowledges the team’s commitment and excellence, and strengthens a shared dedication to ongoing improvement and partnership.
Last month, WAZA opened registrations for its 80th Annual Conference. The conference celebrates the Association’s 90th anniversary, with the theme 90 Years and Beyond: Uniting for a Thriving Planet. Both registrations and proposals for presentations and posters are now open.
