SeaWorld Orlando was granted accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) independent Accreditation Commission, according to an announcement on Apr. 2. The decision follows a detailed review process that evaluates animal wellbeing, care, and management at the facility.
The AZA accreditation is considered significant because it represents what the organization calls the global ‘gold standard’ in zoological and aquarium operations. This process aims to ensure that facilities maintain high standards in areas such as animal care, staff training, conservation efforts, financial stability, risk management, governance, and guest services.
“Congratulations to the leadership and staff at SeaWorld Orlando for attaining the global ‘gold standard’ in zoological and aquarium accreditation,” said Dan Ashe, president and CEO of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. “AZA’s standards continuously evolve to reflect best practices in the zoo and aquarium profession, with a strong emphasis on animal care and wellbeing at their core. SeaWorld Orlando has demonstrated a dedication to this exceptional level of care.”
The path to accreditation includes a comprehensive application followed by several days of on-site inspection by an independent team of zoological professionals. These inspectors assess all aspects of operation before submitting detailed reports for evaluation by AZA’s Accreditation Commission. The final step involves interviews with top officials from SeaWorld Orlando during a formal hearing before full or provisional accreditation is granted or denied.
Jon “JP” Peterson, park president at SeaWorld Orlando said: “SeaWorld Orlando is honored to be granted AZA accreditation for another five years, as we have continued upholding this high standard of animal care since we were first accredited 43 years ago. We are proud to be part of this prestigious group of AZA-accredited institutions and we are particularly proud of our teams for their devotion and commitment to providing the ‘gold standard’ of care to our animals.”
Currently there are 240 AZA-accredited institutions along with 14 related facility members across 12 countries worldwide. Facilities must undergo this rigorous process every five years as part of maintaining membership.
