Zoological Association of America (ZAA)

Synonyms

ZAA

Definition

A nonprofit accrediting organization for wildlife parks, zoological facilities, animal sanctuaries, aquariums, and animal rehabilitation centers.

The Zoological Association of America is a nonprofit accrediting organization established in the early 2000s through the merger of two other related organizations, the International Society of Zooculturists (ISZ) and the United Zoological Association (UZA). With the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the ZAA is one of the primary accrediting bodies in the United States for zoological facilities, aquariums, animal rehabilitation centers, wildlife parks, and animal sanctuaries.

Part of the motivation for the merger and the formation of a second accrediting body for those holding exotic animals in captivity was the concern expressed by private breeders and some other publically owned animal collections that their needs and views were not adequately represented by the only accrediting organization available at the...