The Florida Aquarium, ZooTampa at Lowry Park, and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay welcomed a record-breaking 3,011 attendees to Tampa from 13 - 18 September for the AZA Annual Conference 2025.
Organised by AZA, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the event brought together zoo and aquarium professionals to share ideas, explore best practices, connect with colleagues, and discover innovative technologies shaping the industry.
A dedicated team of 253 individuals from the three host facilities contributed a total of 1,117 volunteer hours, supporting the sold-out exhibition hall, which featured 224 exhibitors.
Over the week, attendees participated in 98 committee, SAFE, and animal program meetings, 78 scheduled sessions, and 81 poster presentations, reflecting the scale and collaborative spirit that define this annual gathering.
Saturday – conservation in action
The week kicked off with a behind-the-scenes tour of The Florida Aquarium’s Center for Conservation (CFC) Campus, which houses Coral Care & Rearing Greenhouses, a Coral Spawning Laboratory, and a Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center.
Attendees explored deep-dive foraging pools and the veterinary suite while hearing from conservation scientists working on the front lines of coral restoration and marine animal care.
Timed perfectly with the coral spawning season, participants were able to witness the anticipation and preparation leading up to the spawning events later in the week, providing a living demonstration of the research and resilience behind Florida’s coral restoration efforts.
Saturday also marked the beginning of AZA accreditation hearings, alongside committee, SAFE, and animal program meetings.
By the end of the week, 28 facilities were reaccredited, and three new members joined the AZA community: High Desert Museum (Bend), Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo, and Santa Ana Zoo.
Sunday – policies, partnerships, and purpose
Sunday was dedicated to pre-conference meetings, hearings, and closed sessions, including a member meeting for the Aquarium Conservation Partnership (ACP).
ACP conservation policy manager Mark Losavio and Mallory Hebert, manager of government affairs and policy at Shedd Aquarium, updated attendees on the partnership’s latest ocean and freshwater conservation initiatives.
A highlight was the ACP’s Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA), a renewable energy collaboration that unites more than two dozen aquariums across the U.S. to collectively purchase clean power and reduce carbon footprints.
The session also explored the idea of using joy as a form of institutional resistance, encouraging members to embrace optimism and collaboration as tools for resilience in the face of environmental and operational challenges.
As one ACP colleague reminded attendees, “This is your community, we are your team, and we are here to support you.”
Monday – pre-conference preparations and the zero-waste icebreaker
Pre-conference activity continued on Monday with AZA committees, SAFE programs, and animal management groups convening for closed meetings and working sessions.
In the evening, attendees gathered at The Florida Aquarium for the zero-waste icebreaker, hosted with SSA Group, a best-in-class provider of integrated guest services.
The event combined networking with sustainability, offering locally sourced food and drink, interactive games, and live music. Participants also had the chance to try Sub Sea Systems (SSS)’s SeaTREK diving helmet, a unique glimpse into underwater exploration technology used in aquariums worldwide.
Tuesday – opening session and expo
Tuesday marked the official start of the conference. Thaddeus Bullard (Titus O’Neil) delivered an inspiring general session focused on the role of institutions as community leaders, drawing on his own experiences to show what the right support can offer young people.
AZA CEO Dan Ashe followed with strategic updates and leadership milestones, underscoring the importance of collaboration in confronting the global climate crisis. “As with Apollo 13, it’ll take all of us working together to protect our precious Earth,” Ashe said.
The exhibit hall opened, showcasing 224 exhibitors with the latest products, technologies, and innovations.
On the AZA Expo Live stage, Event Network, a leading operator of retail stores for experiential attractions in the US, announced its role as the exclusive cultural attraction retail vendor for Ridwell Express kits.
Meanwhile, SSA Group previewed its AI-assisted tool, SCOUT.
Rod Findley, CEO of Immotion, a global leader in immersive edutainment, explored emerging technologies poised to shape the future of zoos and aquariums.
Wednesday – keynotes, awards, and sessions
Wednesday included high-impact sessions and inspirational presentations.
The second general session was delivered by Carlton Ward Jr., award-winning conservation photographer and National Geographic Explorer, who highlighted the power of visual storytelling to drive conservation behaviour.
At the Honors and Awards lunch, AZA recognised standout accredited members for their contributions to animal welfare, research, diversity, advocacy, and education. Top winners included:
●Advocacy Impact Award – Top Honors: Fresno Chaffee Zoo – Coexist with Wildlife California
●Angela Peterson Excellence in Diversity Award – Top Honors: Toronto Zoo – Zoo for All DEAI Program
●Earned Media Excellence Award (Campaign, 1M+ guests/year) – Top Honors: Georgia Aquarium – Operation Beluga: Rescuing Whales from War-torn Ukraine
●Education Award (Over $8M budget) – Top Honors: Lincoln Park Zoo – Malott Family Research Apprenticeship Program
●Exhibit Award (Over $8M budget) – Top Honors: Fresno Chaffee Zoo – Kingdoms of Asia
●Facility Award (Over $8M budget) – Top Honors: Houston Zoo – Houston Zoo Headquarters
●Green Award – Innovation: The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk – Commitment to a Green Future
●North American Conservation Award – Top Honors: San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance – Southwest Conservation Program
●Research Award – Top Honors: Houston Zoo – Saving a Generation: Advancing Diagnostics, Treatment, and Prevention of EEHV in Juvenile Elephants
●Volunteer Engagement Award (Over $8M budget) – Top Honors: Cleveland Metroparks Zoo – Zoo Ambassador Volunteer Program
Concurrent sessions offered in-depth explorations of critical industry topics.
In Weather or Not?: Coping with Severe and Challenging Climate Impacts, representatives from North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island, Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium, Friends of the WNC Nature Center, and South Carolina Aquarium explored how extreme weather affects facilities, staff, and animals, sharing strategies for operational adaptation.
Julia Wilder, executive director and co-founder of ZDR3, contributed insights on emergency transport challenges, resolution strategies, and lessons learned from the 2024–2025 California wildfire season.
In Construction Mistakes Were Made, teams from Oregon Zoo, Nashville Zoo, North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island, National Aquarium, and Houston Zoo shared lessons learned from exhibit projects that didn’t go as planned.
Additional sessions, including Beyond Cute: Building Empathy for Less Charismatic Animals and Strengthening Business Operations Through Leadership Operations, offered practical tools for fostering team cohesion and improving guest engagement.
Thursday – Sustainability, Climate Resilience, SAFE 10th Anniversary, and Zoo Day
Thursday morning focused on sustainability and climate resilience.
Florida Aquarium’s Debborah Luke led The Power of Partnerships, joined by Jane Casanta of Event Network, Matthew Beaudin of SSA Group, Zack Alvarez from Le Roots, and Daniel Lawse of Verdis Group, highlighting how collaborative, mission-aligned partnerships can advance conservation goals and help institutions achieve zero-waste operations and net-zero carbon emissions.
In a second session, Wayne Warrington of Verdis presented "AZA Environmental Megatrend: Building Climate Resilience – Strategic Planning for Future Weather Events," alongside Rick Holzworth of the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society, Brian Walsh of the New England Aquarium, Andrew Fischer of SSA, and Doug Piekarz of the Akron Zoo.
This session examined the anticipated increase in climate-related disasters over the next decade and provided strategies to enhance institutional resilience and long-term planning.
Later, attendees enjoyed Zoo Day, co-hosted by ZooTampa at Lowry Park and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, exploring behind-the-scenes areas, meeting keepers, and taking part in hard-hat sneak peeks of new developments.
The SAFE 10th Anniversary celebration also highlighted a decade of collaborative conservation achievements.
Conclusion
The AZA Annual Conference 2025 emphasised the importance of collaboration, innovation, and climate resilience in the zoo and aquarium community.
From high-impact sessions and inspirational keynotes to hands-on tours and institutional recognition, attendees left Tampa inspired by a shared commitment to conservation, sustainability, and education, reinforcing the crucial role AZA institutions play in shaping a better future for wildlife and communities alike.
Attendees will gather next year in Portland, Oregon, from 26 September to 1 October for the AZA Annual Conference 2026.
