2008 AZA National Conference

Last week, I attended the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) annual conference, hosted by the Milwaukee County Zoo. A mecca for zoo professionals, this year's meeting had about 1,600 registrants. As could be expected, there are many sessions and posters covering research, record keeping, animal welfare, range country conservation, animal transport, behavior, zoonotic disease, and overviews of breeding recommendations. Examples of specific groups that met include antelopes and giraffes, amphibians, apes, aquatic interest, Aruba island rattlesnake, bats, bears, butterflies, cheetah, elephant, equid, giant panda, jaguar, koala, okapi, rhino, rodent, sea turtle, tapir, tiger, tree kangaroo, wild pig, peccary, and hippo.

AZA zoos are not all about animals. With the trend in reduction of governmental support and increased competition for non-profit dollars, marketing, public relations, development, volunteers, and membership were all topics. There were also sessions on educational programs, diversity, governmental affairs, the accreditation process, green practices, new technology, and climate change. Companies that provide specialized products or services to the AZA community displayed their wares in a large exhibit hall.

Presentation titles included "Frogs in the Crosshairs and Conservation at the Crossroads," "The Bricks and Mortar of Capital Campaigns," "Little Zoos -- Big Ideas!" "Hoof Care of Captive Wild Ungulates," "Ed-Boo-cation: The Horrors of Not Educating Your Event Guests," "The Good, the Bad, and the Fuzzy -- Spider City Comes Alive!" "New Media and Podcasting," "Social Behaviors of a Group of Female Nile Hippos," and "Go Green Without Turning Your Bottom Line Red."

My favorite conference session was about plants, offered by the field conservation committee and the Association of Zoological Horticulture. The basic premise was that successful animal conservation depended upon a healthy plant community. Four papers were presented on a reforestation project in Mexico (Oklahoma City Zoo), orchid conservation in Madagascar (Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha), plant propagation to rear rare butterflies (Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle), and plant conservation in Uganda (North Carolina Zoo).

Zoo people love visiting zoos, so there was a sponsored trip to the Milwaukee County Zoo, with many behind-the-scenes areas being open to the delegates. I enjoyed meeting with Gay Reinartz, the bonobo species SSP (Species Survival Plan) coordinator, and Barbara Bell, who is responsible for Milwaukee's excellent training program for their large group of bonobos.

One of the amazing things about the annual AZA conference is that it gives zoo people new ideas and a fresh enthusiasm for their own facility. The advancement of science, along with the networking rekindles the passion for an interesting profession.