Zoo & Aquarium News
Earning AZA accreditation
TIM LEWTHWAITE A
ccredita- tion from the asso- ciation of
Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) ensures that the animals you visit at accredited zoos and aquariums receive excellent care every day. An institution that has been through
AZA’s accreditation process has met man- datory, rigorous and professional standards for animal welfare and management, veteri- nary care, behavioral enrichment, nutrition and staff training. AZA standards exceed currently established local, state and fed- eral guidelines in the United States. And, because AZA’s top priority is care for ani- mals, AZA’s accreditation standards are continuously reviewed and enhanced.
“Over the past decade, AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums have
educated 12,000,000 students every year”
Once accredited, every zoo and aquarium
must continue to advance. AZA continually monitors accredited institutions, and every zoo or aquarium goes through the entire accreditation process every fi ve years. All AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums
are leaders in conservation, participating in a long-term plan involving habitat preser- vation, public education, fi eld conservation, genetically diverse breeding and supportive research to ensure survival for many threat- ened and endangered species. T rough AZA’s Conservation Endowment Fund, they support thousands of wildlife con- servation programs around the world. At the core of every AZA-accredited zoo
and aquarium is the commitment to engage the public in signifi cant conservation edu- cation programs. Over the past 10 years, AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums have trained more than 400,000 teachers with award-winning, proven science curricula and educated 12,000,000 students every year in the classroom or in the fi eld.
Tim Lewthwaite, publications manager, AZA
12 Singapore aquarium opens
The Maritime Experiential Museum and Aquarium (MEMA), the fi rst ever mar- itime-themed attraction for Singapore, has been unveiled at the Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) waterfront. An iconic steel and
glass hull-shaped build- ing, which was designed by Ralph Appelbaum of Ralph Appelbaum Associates, pro- vides a home for the new attraction. Exploring the mar- itime history of Asia and the Middle East, MEMA will off er special talks; children’s work- shops; and the exploration of life-sized replica historical vessels and live exhibits. Interactive exhibits include a musical
T e aquarium is the city-state’s fi rst maritime-themed visitor attraction
ensemble featuring instruments from a range of ports of call along traditional trade routes, such as Kenyan bongo drums and an Iranian santur. A 150-seat, 360-degree multimedia
theatre called the Typhoon T eatre is also available, with visitors given the opportu- nity to “board” an Arabian-bound ship that encounters a storm. RWS director of attractions Jason Horkin
said: “We want it to be a place where everyone in the community can learn and experience.”
Survey: zoo-goers ‘more educated’
PGAV Destinations, the St Louis, US-based attractions design company and mas- terplanner, has published its latest Destinology report which includes a survey into the US zoos and aquariums visitor markets. PGAV commissioned H2R
Market Research to perform an online customer analysis and the results – based on data from 505 respondents – suggest that zoo visitors are more affl uent and have a higher education than those visiting attractions such as theme and water parks. “Zoo-goers are generally more educated,
more ethnically diverse and earn higher incomes than other attractions guests,” the introduction to the report claims.
T e research claims that zoo visitors have a more affl uent background T e report also highlights the need for ‘spe-
cial experiences’ – such as behind-the-scene tours and opportunities to interact, touch and swim with animals – to ensure repeat visits.
New experience for Clearwater Marine Aquarium
A new themed visitor “experience” based around the fi lm Dolphin Tale has launched at Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Florida, US, which aims to increase visitor numbers. Oldsmar-based theming and design stu- dio Wacky World Studios was behind the
Read Attractions Management online
attractionsmanagement.com/digital
installation, which incorporates a new entrance façade for the Atlantis T eater. Wacky World Studios president Bruce Barry
said: “T e entrance to the theatre was almost invisible and the aquarium wanted something that would attract a visitor’s attention.”
AM 4 2011 ©cybertrek 2011
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