Lufkin’s Ellen Trout Zoo Passes Rigorous Inspection, Gains AZA Accreditation

The Ellen Trout Zoo recently announced that the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) has included the zoo in Lufkin among the facilities that received the agency's accreditation. The independent Accreditation Commission evaluated 33 facility applications. Of those, the Commission granted accreditation to 30 facilities and denied three.

These Facilities Earned AZA Accreditation

• Akron Zoological Park - Akron, Ohio.
• Albuquerque Biological Park - Albuquerque, N.M.
• Aquarium du Québec - Québec City, QC, Canada.
• Cheyenne Mountain Zoo - Colorado Springs, Colo.
• Como Park Zoo and Conservatory - Saint Paul, Minn. 
• Cosley Zoo - Wheaton, Ill.
• Ellen Trout Zoo - Lufkin, Texas.
• Idaho Falls Zoo at Tautphaus Park - Idaho Falls, Idaho.
• John Ball Zoo - Grand Rapids, Mich.
• Kansas City Zoo and Aquarium - Kansas City, Mo.
• Lee G. Simmons Conservation Park and Wildlife Safari - Ashland, Neb.
• Lehigh Valley Zoo - Schnecksville, Pa.
• Montréal Biodôme - Montréal, QC, Canada.
• Mystic Aquarium - Mystic, Conn.
• National Aviary - Pittsburgh, Pa.
• North Carolina Zoo - Asheboro, N.C.
• Oregon Zoo - Portland, Ore.
• Orlando Science Center - Orlando, Fla.
• Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada - Toronto, Canada.
• Riverbanks Zoo and Garden - Columbia, S.C.
• Rolling Hills Zoo - Salina, Kan.
• Saginaw Children’s Zoo - Saginaw, Mich.
• Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo - Gainesville, Fla.
• SEA LIFE Charlotte-Concord Aquarium - Concord, N.C.
• Seoul Zoo - Gwacheon, South Korea
• Sequoia Park Zoo - Eureka, Calif. 
• Squam Lakes Natural Science Center - Holderness, N.H.
• Western North Carolina Nature Center - Asheville, N.C.
• Zoo de Granby - Granby, QC, Canada.
• ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park - Hershey, Pa.

The Baylor University Bear Habitat, Indianapolis Zoological Society, Inc., and Wildlife Safari in Winston, Oregon were denied the accreditation.

What Receiving The AZA Accreditation Means

AZA accreditation includes a detailed application and multiple-day on-site inspection by an independent team of zoological and aquarium professionals. The inspecting team analyzes all aspects of the facility’s operation, including animal care and wellbeing, veterinary care, staff training, educational programs, conservation efforts, financial stability, risk management, governance, and guest services. Detailed reports from the inspection team and the facility are then thoroughly evaluated by the Accreditation Commission. Finally, the Commission interviews top officials from the facility at a formal hearing, after which accreditation is fully granted, provisionally granted for one year, or denied.

AZA facilities are required to complete this rigorous and comprehensive accreditation process every five years. As a result of these accreditation decisions, there are now 255 AZA-accredited facilities in 12 countries.