This Week's Headline Highlights

2025 ZAA Semi-Annual Meeting and Professional Development Workshops

Thank you to everyone who attended the 2025 ZAA Semi-Annual Meeting and Professional Development Workshops in Issaquah, WA! Your participation made this event a fantastic experience. A special thanks to our incredible speakers for sharing their insights and to Cougar Mountain Zoo for graciously hosting us. We appreciate each of you for making this gathering so impactful!

Accredited Facilities

Congratulations to The Preserve on achieving reaccreditation!

Congratulations to Wild Wonders on achieving reaccreditation!

Calling All Authors for ZAA’s Quarterly Magazine!

We invite you to contribute to ZAA's quarterly magazine! If you have a successful education or conservation program at your facility and want to share your work, we would love to hear from you.

Please note, we are not seeking opinion pieces; instead, we are looking for articles that highlight your facility's achievements and initiatives.

Interested in contributing? Fill out the form below to get started:

ZAA Magazine Contribution Form

Interested in featuring your ad in our magazine?

Take advantage of the opportunity to showcase your business, organization, or product in our quarterly magazine, reaching a dedicated and engaged audience in the industry.

With a variety of ad sizes and competitive rates, there's a perfect fit for everyone. Don't miss the chance to connect with our readers and make a lasting impression.

Click here to explore our ad rates and reserve your space today!

Conservation & More

Metro Richmond Zoo welcomes baby giraffe named Clover

Fathom Realty, LLC Listing: TEFF property/Exotic Feline Sanctuary/Wild Animal Sanctuary in Rhome, Texas

Columbus Zoo's polar pair to 'bear' all on 'Protecting the Wild' TV series

Restoring African grassland habitats makes life more peaceful for humans and wildlife, scientists find

Wildlife crossings provide safe passage

Watching wildlife in the winter

San Antonio Zoo ranks among the top 10 best zoos in the US

Colorado Parks and Wildlife confirms a new, uncollared wolf traveled into Colorado

UGA study: Presence of humans at waterholes cause animals to shift activity patterns

Maned Wolf Program at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute Celebrates Birth of Three Pups

New and Upcoming Workshops

Adopting Choice and Control with Parrots: What Does it Look Like?

February 22, 2025 Full day event, presenting at 1pm EST | Online

Natural Encounters, Inc., Training and Education Center - Virtual 4-Week Course: Parrot Training and Behavior

Tuesdays: February 25, March 4, 11, 18, 2025 | Online

Natural Encounters, Inc., Training and Education Center - "Expanding Your Training Toolbox": 1 Day Training Workshop with Steve Martin

February 26, 2025, 10am-3pm EST | Online

ZAA Professional Development Webinars

Anatomy of a Dangerous Bill

February 19th, 2025

Click here to view the recording

Building Bridges: How and Why to Establish Essential Relationships with Your Representatives

February 26th, 2025

Click here to register

Advanced Animal Training Strategies

March 5th, 2025

Click here to register

An Overview of Blood Draw Training

March 12th, 2025

Click here to register

Breaking Down the Fourth Wall: Creative ways facilities can encourage guests to be active participants vs. passive spectators in everyday presentations

March 19th, 2025

Click here to register

Now Accepting Applications for the 2025 ZAA Conservation Initiatives Grants

Do you have a game-changing conservation project in mind? ZAA is proud to support innovative initiatives that drive species conservation, habitat preservation, and biodiversity enhancement.

Application Window: January 1, 2025 – April 15, 2025

Grant Amount: Up to $5,000 per project

We’re looking for proposals that excel in:

Conservation research
Education and outreach
Community engagement
Field programs and scientific studies
Multidisciplinary approaches to solving conservation challenges

Apply Today

Curious about the impact of these grants? Discover stories of past recipients and their incredible work!

Click here to view past recipients

Upcoming Workshops and Events

Adopting Choice and Control with Parrots: What Does it Look Like?

February 22, 2025 Full day event, presenting at 1pm EST | Online

Natural Encounters, Inc., Training and Education Center - Virtual 4-Week Course: Parrot Training and Behavior

Tuesdays: February 25, March 4, 11, 18, 2025 | Online

Natural Encounters, Inc., Training and Education Center - "Expanding Your Training Toolbox": 1 Day Training Workshop with Steve Martin

February 26, 2025, 10am-3pm EST | Online

Natural Encounters, Inc., Training and Education Center - Immersion Workshop

March 1-6, 2025 | In-Person

Bitesize Behaviour Series Presents: The Science of Behaviour

March 4, 2025 at 2-4pm EST | Online

Small Mammal & Ambassador Symposium

March 5-7, 2025 | Frank Buck Zoo in Gainesville, Texas

Abstracts due December 2nd, 2024

Recall Training with Parrots

March 16, 2025 From 1-3pm EST | Online

SDZWA Safe Capture Training Events

March 17-18, 2025 | St Joseph, Missouri (Missouri Western State Univ.)

March 22-23, 2025 | Lincoln, Nebraska (Univ. of Nebraska-Lincoln)

April 5-6, 2025 | Phoenix, Arizona (Arizona Game & Fish Dept.)

Click here for more information.

Cooperative Care for Low Stress Veterinary Procedures with Parrots

April 12, 2025 From 1-2pm EST | Online

Bitesize Behaviour Series: Raptors Reimagined - A Holistic Approach to Choice-Based Care and Training - Virtual 10 Week Course on Contemporary Raptor Care and Management

Tuesdays beginning April 15, 2025 from 2-4pm EST

Early Bird Registration pricing ends March 15

Practical Zoo Nutrition Management Course - Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation

28 April – 2 May 2025 | Front Royal, VA

Natural Encounters, Inc., Training and Education Center - Virtual 4-Week Course: Ambassador Animal Training and Welfare

Thursdays: May 8, 15, 22, 29, 2025 | Online

Reaching and Helping the Biting Parrot

May 18, 2025 From 1-3pm EST | Online

MAZA Conference

June 17-19, 2025 | Dakota Zoo

Learn more here.

Natural Encounters, Inc., Training and Education Center - Professional Contemporary Animal Training and Management Workshop

November 8-13, 2025 | In-Person

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