Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums
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| Founded | 1975 |
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| Type | National not-for-profit organization |
| Focus | Zoo and aquarium accreditation and advocacy |
| Location | |
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Area served
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Canada |
| Method | Accreditation |
| Slogan | The national voice of the zoo and aquarium community |
| Website | www.caza.ca |
Canada's Accredited Zoos and Aquariums - CAZA (French: Aquariums et Zoos Accrédités du Canada - AZAC) is an accreditation and advocacy organization representing zoos and aquariums within Canada. The organization states that its member zoos and aquariums care for more than 100,000 individual animals representing over 2000 species of wildlife, observed by an estimated 11 million visitors each year. The organization is a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
The organization was founded in 1975 at a conference of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (then named the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums).
The organization's original name was Canadian Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums - L'Association Canadienne des Jardins Zoologiques et des Aquariums. In 1997 the name was changed to the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums – L'Association des Zoos et Aquariums du Canada. In 2012, the name was changed again to its current name, Canada's Accredited Zoos and Aquariums - Aquariums et Zoos Accrédités du Canada (CAZA-AZAC).
CAZA-AZAC's main vehicle is its accreditation program. Standards of conduct are set out for animal care, animal transport, human and animal contact; as well as operational matters such as staffing, physical facilities, and emergency preparation. Inspection teams, including at least one veterinarian and a senior zoology professional, audit all aspects of the operation of the potential member.
Members must agree to a Code of Ethics. Included in the Code is agreeing to "Ensure that when animals are obtained from the wild, that such acquisitions will not have a deleterious effect upon the wild population and are acquired incorporating all legal and ethical approval methods and documentation." Further, mutilation of any animal for a cosmetic purpose or changing the animal's physical appearance without valid husbandry or medical reasons is also not permitted.
Full re-inspections of members' facilities are made every five years. If, during that period, a concern is raised about any aspect of a member institution, the Accreditation Commission or Ethics Committee may conduct an interim review.
The organization states that member organizations have a long history of working to restore biodiversity and preserve species in Canada and abroad, collaborating regularly with government agencies, NGO's and volunteer organizations with those aims. Members "participate in close to 800 conservation and science programs within their facilities and are directly involved in 20 field projects, most linked directly to helping save endangered species."
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