The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), the global alliance of regional associations, national federations, and institutions, has revealed the winners of the 2025 WAZA Awards.
Announced at the Association's 80th Annual Conference Gala Dinner, the awards recognise achievement in animal welfare, conservation, environmental sustainability, and professional excellence across the international zoo and aquarium community.
This year’s awards spotlighted the outstanding leadership, innovation, and impact of WAZA Members across the globe, and included a new institutional honour, the WAZA Animal Welfare Award. With this new accolade, WAZA strengthens its global dedication to advancing animal welfare.
Martín Zordan, WAZA chief executive officer, says: "These awards showcase the very best of our community – institutions and individuals who are redefining excellence in animal welfare, conservation science, and sustainability.
"Their work demonstrates how modern zoos and aquariums are driving tangible progress for wildlife, ecosystems, and people around the world."
Excellence in zoos and aquariums
WAZA’s highest honour for individual professional excellence, the Heini Hediger Award, went to Professor Theo B. Pagel, director and CEO of Cologne Zoo in Germany.
This honour reflects more than three decades of outstanding leadership in animal welfare, conservation, and education, as well as Pagel's global contributions as WAZA president (2019–2021) and co-founder of the Reverse the Red movement with the IUCN Species Survival Commission.
Dolf De Jong (left), CEO of Toronto Zoo, receives the WAZA Animal Welfare Award from Dr Alejandro Grajal (right) ©Cali Zoo and WAZA 2025
The first WAZA Animal Welfare Award honoured Toronto Zoo in Canada for its holistic, evidence-based approach to animal welfare that combines innovation, compassion, and technology. Dr Alejandro Grajal, chair of the WAZA Ethics and Animal Welfare Committee, presented the award.
Seattle Aquarium in the US was recognised with the WAZA Environmental Sustainability Award for its transparent, science-based sustainability strategy, including a LEED Gold-certified facility and active leadership in environmental policy and wildlife protection.
The WAZA Conservation Award was presented to Fundación Temaikèn in Argentina for its long-term project to conserve threatened endemic flora within the Osonunu Reserve, illustrating how plant conservation can drive broader biodiversity protection.
Sergio Guerra (left) and Paula González (middle) from Fundación Temaikèn receive the WAZA Conservation Award from Dr Judy Mann (right) ©Cali Zoo and WAZA 2025
Presenting the WAZA Animal Welfare Strategy 2025
Also at the conference, WAZA announced the WAZA Animal Welfare Strategy 2025: Advancing Animal Welfare – The World Zoo and Aquarium Animal Welfare Strategy. This extensive, science-based framework guides zoos and aquariums globally in advancing the care, protection, and welfare of animals.
First published in 2015, the Strategy has now been thoroughly updated to reflect a decade of scientific advancements and evolving best practices. Created with input from over 40 experts within the WAZA membership, the new edition highlights a holistic and evidence-based approach to animal welfare.
The WAZA Annual Report 2024 was officially launched at the conference, celebrating a year of partnership, progress, and global impact. This highlights key milestones, such as strengthened engagement in international policy forums like the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and ongoing progress on the Animal Welfare Evaluation Process across WAZA member associations.
It also demonstrates the cooperative spirit that characterises the WAZA community, as acknowledged at the 79th WAZA Annual Conference held at Taronga Zoo Sydney, and in the Association's 90th anniversary year, invites readers on a visual journey through its shared history and global impact with '90 Years of WAZA in 90 Images'.
Celebrating 90 years
The awards ceremony took place during the 80th WAZA Annual Conference, a milestone edition that marks 90 years of WAZA. Hosted by the Cali Zoological Foundation in Colombia and also online, the event gathered an international delegation under the theme 90 Years and Beyond: Uniting for a Thriving Planet.
"Ninety years on, WAZA continues to bring together a global community united by purpose," says Zordan. "This year’s conference in Colombia celebrated not only our shared history but also our collective determination to build a future where biodiversity and human wellbeing thrive together."
Over the five-day programme, attendees explored strategies to bolster resilience, innovation, and collective action across the worldwide zoo and aquarium network.
Highlights included keynote presentations by Wade Davis, Rosamira Guillén, Andrés Link, and Susana Cárdenas, as well as sessions on global conservation collaborations, education, and the implementation of WAZA’s Animal Welfare and Conservation Goals.
