About WAZA
The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) is the global alliance of regional associations,
national federations, zoos and aquariums, dedicated to the care and conservation of animals andtheir habitats around the world.
WAZA’s vision is to be a globally recognized and trusted leader advancing conservation and animalwelfare.
The WAZA 2023 Animal Welfare Goal
1.1. Background
In its 2015 World Zoo and Aquarium Animal Welfare Strategy, the World Association of Zoos andAquariums (WAZA), highlighted the importance of making welfare-based accreditation a priority. In2016, representatives from WAZA-member national and regional associations met in Singapore todiscuss a pathway to implement this within the WAZA community; and in 2019 another meeting washeld in Barcelona, which ironed out additional details to implement what would be known as theWAZA 2023 Animal Welfare Goal, a a global Goal aimed at establishing a global benchmark forregional and national animal welfare evaluation processes.
1.2. The WAZA 2023 Animal Welfare Goal
After consultation with WAZA regional and national zoo and aquarium association members(through meetings in August 2016 and June 2019), WAZA Council in July 2019, approved the goalthat by 31 December 2023:
1. WAZA National and Regional Associations must have an animal welfare evaluation process inplace and such a process must include specific elements approved by WAZA.
2. All WAZA institutional members must be compliant with this process.

1.3. What the WAZA 2023 Animal Welfare Goal is NOT:The WAZA 2023 Animal Welfare Goal is not a certification, accreditation or a standard. WAZA is not
an accrediting body and therefore does not set standards nor engages in any accreditation schemeor homologous processes for individual zoological institutions. Instead, WAZA works closely withnational and regional associations to meet and develop joint priorities to establish globalbenchmarks.
1.4. What the WAZA 2023 Animal Welfare Goal IS:
The WAZA 2023 Animal Welfare Goal aims at confirming that the Animal Welfare Evaluation
Processes utilised by the WAZA member national and regional associations, include specific highlevel principles of animal welfare, and thus, to see these principles consistently across the world.
The WAZA 2023 Animal Welfare Goal intends to ensure that all regions represented within WAZA,
adopt a holistic and compelling approach to animal welfare through their animal welfare evaluation
processes.
Going forward, meeting this Goal will be a prerequisite for all WAZA members.

WAZA Animal Welfare Goal

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PAAZA meets the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Animal Welfare Goal, a global
benchmark for Animal Welfare Evaluation Processes
PAAZA is proud to have completed the review process mandated by the World Association of Zoos
and Aquariums (WAZA) through the WAZA 2023 Animal Welfare Goal. The WAZA 2023 Animal
Welfare Goal is a Goal aimed at establishing a global benchmark for regional and national animal
welfare evaluation processes.
The review of PAAZA’s animal welfare evaluation process, has involved a peer-review andinvolvement from several experts around the world. The result of this process has confirmed thatPAAZA meets the requirements towards achieving the WAZA 2023 Animal Welfare Goal.
The requirements set by the global association set the stage and fundamentals for holistic animal
welfare evaluation processes worldwide, including several animal welfare elements with a positiveimpact on the welfare of the animals under human care.
The below was proudly received by PAAZA at the WAZA 2023 Conference:

WAZA Animal Welfare Goal

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12 October 2023