The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Mid-Year Meeting, held from 21 - 26 March in Atlanta, Georgia, welcomed 1,247 attendees from 46 states and 10 countries to participate in more than 100 meetings addressing key issues facing the zoo and aquarium community.
With programming designed for front-line and mid-level staff, the meeting provides opportunities for AZA committees and advisory groups to collaborate and engage about animal care and wellbeing, conservation and organizational culture.
Crowd during welcome address at AZA Mid Year-Meeting 2026Image credit AZA
The meetings’ sponsors included platinum sponsors Tianyu, Orkin, HanArt Culture; gold sponsors Rodent Pro, Immersive Productions, CypherWorx, A Thru Z, Exotic Animal Supply, Walltopia Adventure, and CCS Fundraising; and media partner blooloop.
In addition, 40 companies exhibited and showcased products and services for the zoo and aquarium community, including the latest in technology, animal care and guest relations. Meeting attendees engaged with exhibitors during meals and networking opportunities.
The 2026 AZA Mid-Year Meeting was co-hosted by Georgia Aquarium and Zoo Atlanta.
AZA accreditation
At the meeting, AZA accredited 27 world-class institutions, bringing the total AZA-accredited institutions to 254 across 12 countries.
Each application was evaluated by the independent Accreditation Commission and determined to meet AZA's standards for animal wellbeing, care and management.
"Earning AZA accreditation shows an institution's commitment to the global standard of animal care and wellbeing," said Dan Ashe, president and CEO of AZA.
"Each year, we raise and adapt our standards to meet the evolving needs of the animals in our care and the communities we serve. We congratulate the leadership and staff whose hard work and dedication make this achievement possible."
Image credit AZA
AZA accreditation includes a detailed application and a meticulous multiple-day on-site inspection by an independent team of zoological professionals. Detailed reports from the inspection team and the facility are then thoroughly evaluated by the Commission.
Finally, the Commission interviews top officials from the facility at a formal hearing, after which accreditation is fully granted, provisionally granted for one year or denied.
A thorough review ensures that each facility has met and will continue to meet ever-increasing standards. As a condition of Association membership, AZA facilities are required to complete this rigorous and comprehensive accreditation process every five years.
The following facilities earned AZA accreditation:
- Aquarium of the Pacific — Long Beach, California
- Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum — Tucson, Arizona
- Atlantis Dubai — Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Butterfly Pavilion — Westminster, Colorado
- Caldwell Zoo — Tyler, Texas
- Discovery Cove — Orlando, Florida
- Disney's Animal Kingdom — Lake Buena Vista, Florida
- Honolulu Zoo — Honolulu, Hawaii
- Jacksonville Zoo and Botanical Gardens — Jacksonville, Florida
- Landry's Downtown Aquarium Denver — Denver, Colo.
- Landry's Downtown Aquarium Houston — Houston, Texas
- Lubee Bat Conservancy — Gainesville, Florida
- Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium — Sarasota, Florida
- Parc Omega — Québec, Canada (newly accredited; Pathway Toward Membership program participant)
- San Diego Zoo — San Diego, California
- San Diego Zoo Safari Park — Escondido, California
- Santa Barbara Zoo — Santa Barbara, California
- SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium — Grapevine, Texas
- SeaWorld Orlando — Orlando, Florida
- SeaWorld San Diego — San Diego, California
- Singapore Oceanarium — Singapore
- St. Augustine Alligator Farm — St. Augustine, Florida
- Steinhart Aquarium — San Francisco, California
- Zoo Atlanta — Atlanta, Georgia
- Zoo Knoxville — Knoxville, Tennessee
- Zoo Miami — Miami, Florida
- ZooTampa at Lowry Park — Tampa, Florida
General Sessions: workforce development and animal population sustainability
During Strengthening Hiring, Retention, and Leadership Pathways, the meeting’s first General Session, panelists discussed attracting and retaining skilled animal care professionals in an evolving labor market.
With strong demand for qualified staff, the interactive session emphasized building clear advancement pathways, investing in leadership development, and creating workplace cultures where employees feel valued and prepared for long-term success.
General session at AZA Mid-Year Meeting 2026Image credit AZA
The second general session, Hot Topics in Population Sustainability, was led by AZA's Animal Population Management Committee and used a "Mythbusters"-style format to unpack misconceptions about animal programs.
Speakers highlighted how institutional collection plans can serve as measurable tools for assessing conservation impact and encouraging facilities to align species management decisions with long-term sustainability goals.
The session reflected AZA's broader commitment to evidence-based population planning.
See also: From accreditation to action: AZA’s impact on the future of conservation
Summits offer engagement in advancement and development, environmental sustainability, diversity, and workplace safety
The Mid-Year Meeting offered four in-depth multiple-day summits focused on fundraising, green practices, diversity and safety.
The Diversity Summit explored how communication shapes culture, leadership, and inclusion at zoos and aquariums. The Green Summit discussed waste management and sustainability across the AZA community.
During their Summit, the Advancement Committee held roundtable discussions on membership benefits, corporate sponsors, and the use of AI and metrics in fundraising. The Safety Summit focused on building a working culture that promotes safety.
These interactive sessions allowed attendees to have a deep dive into issues affecting business practices at AZA institutions.
AZA SAFE
Last year, AZA members reported investing more than $300 million in activities directly benefiting animals and habitats in the wild, and AZA SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction grew to 56 species programs, adding programs to benefit African hornbill, American burying beetle, bonobo, eastern massasauga rattlesnake, pangolin, and peninsular pronghorn.
At the Mid-Year Meeting, more than 25 SAFE species programs met and strategized about the work being done to save species in the wild.
Animal wellbeing strategies
Animal wellbeing sessions included an in-depth workshop on reimagining comprehensive wellbeing programs. Discussions emphasized multidisciplinary approaches that integrate veterinary care, behavioral science, and lifecycle planning.
Attendees explored tools for developing species-specific wellness strategies, improving cross-department communication, and ensuring long-term program sustainability.
Navigating regulatory complexity
The AZA Government Affairs Committee's workshop on federal wildlife permitting provided attendees with practical guidance on navigating the regulatory landscape.
With a focus on U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service processes, the session walked participants through permitting timelines, compliance considerations, and their implications for animal acquisition and population planning.
As regulatory requirements grow more complex, such sessions underscore the need for operational fluency in policy alongside animal management expertise.
Icebreaker at Georgia Aquarium
Attendees kicked off the week with the Mid-Year Meeting Icebreaker at Georgia Aquarium, the largest aquarium in the US.
Full access to all nine galleries and the Oceans Ballroom provided exclusive views into the Ocean Voyager and beluga whale habitats.
AZA Mid-Year Meeting 2026 Icebreaker at Georgia AquariumImage credit Georgia Aquarium
Guests encountered African penguins, Amazonian piranhas, jellies, sharks, dolphins, sea lions, and the massive 6.3-million-gallon Ocean Voyager exhibit, home to manta rays and a whale shark.
The Icebreaker featured live entertainment and music while attendees networked and explored the exhibits.
Zoo Day at Zoo Atlanta
The next day, attendees explored Zoo Atlanta, home to over 200 species, including one of North America's largest gorilla populations in the Ford African Rain Forest and the new African lion complex in the African Savanna.
The event included exclusive behind-the-scenes tours with Animal Care and Veterinary Teams, Keeper Talks, and conservation spotlights.
Zoo Day at Zoo AtlantaImage credit Zoo Atlanta
Evening festivities featured chef-inspired tasting stations by Proof of the Pudding, themed cocktails and mocktails, dessert bites from SSA and live entertainment.
A collaborative path forward
The AZA Mid-Year Meeting successfully brought together zoo and aquarium professionals to develop actionable strategies to strengthen their institutions.
The AZA community collectively thanks the Georgia Aquarium and Zoo Atlanta Host Committee, staff and volunteers.
The 2027 AZA Mid-Year meeting will be held from 13 - 18 March in Louisville, Kentucky, and will be hosted by the Louisville Zoo. Before then, the AZA Annual Conference 2026 will take place from 26 September to 1 October in Portland, Oregon, and will be hosted by Oregon Zoo.
