World Association of Zoos and Aquariums

What World Association of Zoos and Aquariums does

World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) is a 90-year-old membership-based international non-profit headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, serving as the global umbrella organization for the zoo and aquarium community. WAZA connects approximately 400 members worldwide across four categories — regional associations (e.g., EAZA, AZA, ZAA, ALPZA, SEAZA, AIZA), national federations, individual zoos and aquariums, and corporate members — providing a unified platform for animal welfare standards, conservation breeding programmes, and species management. Its conservation offerings include Global Species Management Plans for species such as the Amur Tiger and Amur Leopard, International Studbooks, and the Committee for Population Management framework, which was refreshed with a new International Studbook Framework launched in May 2026.

WAZA's core products are programmatic rather than technology-based: annual conferences (80th in Cali, Colombia in 2025 and 81st in Cologne, Germany in October 2026), the inaugural Mid-Year Meeting launched in July 2024, the Heini Hediger Award and other recognition programmes, sustainability guides, and the PalmOil Scan mobile app launched in August 2022 that rates corporate commitment to Certified Sustainable Palm Oil. The organization does not develop proprietary technology platforms; it relies on Species360's ZIMS (Zoological Information Management System) for animal record management across member institutions.

Revenue is generated primarily through membership dues across the four categories, supplemented by conference fees, publications (including WAZA News Magazine), and donations accepted via its website. Specific pricing is not publicly disclosed. WAZA is led by CEO Martín Zordan and President Karen Fifield, supported by a small secretariat of 1-10 employees, and operates globally with formal engagement at international policy forums including CITES, CBD, IUCN, and RSPO, where it holds voting membership.

Name

World Association of Zoos and Aquariums

Legal name

World Association of Zoos and Aquariums

Website

https://waza.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) is a Barcelona-based global membership non-profit that unites approximately 400 zoos, aquariums, and regional associations worldwide to advance animal welfare standards, coordinated conservation breeding programmes, and species population management.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Zoo and Aquarium Association Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Advocacy, Policy & Public Awareness (Animal Welfare) (BPAGAIAJ), Animal Health Policy, Standards & International Coordination (e.g., WOAH/FAO) (HLAMAJAO), Conservation & Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (BPAGAIAI)

Keywords

• Zoo aquarium association
• Wildlife conservation services
• Animal welfare standards
• Conservation breeding programmes
• International studbook management

Headquarters

HQ city

Barcelona

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: WAZA generates revenue through membership fees from four categories: associations, institutions, affiliates, and corporations. Members must be committed to the principles of the global zoo and aquarium community.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

WAZA is a nonprofit international membership association that unites approximately 400 zoos, aquariums, regional associations, and national federations in 1935-founded Barcelona. It sells tiered membership (associations, institutions, affiliates, corporations), delivers conservation services such as International Studbooks, Global Species Management Plans, and Conservation Breeding Programmes, runs the PalmOil Scan consumer mobile app, hosts an Annual Conference plus Mid-Year Meetings, confers leadership awards (Heini Hediger, Conservation, Environmental Sustainability, Animal Welfare), and publishes sustainability guides and the WAZA News Magazine.

Product overview

WAZA (World Association of Zoos and Aquariums) is a global membership organization rather than a technology product company. Its offerings include: membership services for zoos and aquariums worldwide; the PalmOil Scan mobile app for consumer sustainability decisions; conservation breeding programmes and International Studbooks for species management; the Nature Connect Programme for community engagement; WAZA Awards for recognizing excellence; annual conferences and mid-year meetings; and various sustainability guides including plastic reduction, forest products, palm oil, and carbon management. The organization also launched a new International Studbook Framework in 2026 to strengthen global population management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WAZA Membership Tiered global membership organization connecting approximately 400 regional associations, national federations, zoos, aquariums, and corporate members in the conservation community. Offered in four categories: associations, institutions, affiliates, and corporations.
• PalmOil Scan Mobile application that allows consumers to scan product barcodes to determine whether the producer is committed to sourcing Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO). Rates corporations as 'No Commitment', 'Poor', 'Good', or 'Excellent'. Available in the US, Canada, and UK at launch.
• Conservation Breeding Programmes Coordinated conservation programmes including Global Species Management Plans for species such as Red Panda, Goodfellow's Tree Kangaroo, Blue-crowned Laughingthrush, Amur Tiger, Amur Leopard, and Anoa/Babirusa/Banteng/Sumatran Tiger.
• International Studbooks International studbooks that track and manage species populations across member institutions globally, providing authoritative pedigree and demographic records.
• International Studbook Framework Framework developed over more than a year by a dedicated WAZA taskforce to strengthen global population management and conservation collaboration. Unveiled during the 6th Joint TAG Meeting in Taipei Zoo.
• WAZA Nature Connect Programme Conservation community programme supporting education and engagement initiatives that connect people with wildlife conservation, delivered in partnership with IZE.
• WAZA Awards Annual awards programme recognizing professional excellence in zoos and aquariums across four award lines: Heini Hediger Award (individual excellence), WAZA Conservation Award, WAZA Environmental Sustainability Award, and WAZA Animal Welfare Award.
• WAZA Annual Conference Annual in-person conference bringing together global zoo and aquarium professionals. The 81st conference is scheduled for October 2026 in Cologne, Germany.
• WAZA Mid-Year Meeting Virtual online gathering that enables professionals from the global zoo and aquarium community to connect, exchange ideas, and shape the future of conservation and animal welfare. Inaugural meeting held 24-25 July 2024.
• WAZA Sustainability Guides Collection of sustainability guides for member institutions, including Short Guide on Plastic, Short Guide on Forest Products, Short Guide on Sustainable Palm Oil, and Guide on Measuring, Reducing and Offsetting Carbon.
• WAZA News Magazine Periodic publication covering conservation, animal welfare, and sustainability topics for the WAZA community.

Quantifiable outcome

• WAZA and its members engage more than 700 million people annually - one-tenth of the world's population - to take action for conservation of species and nature
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IZE (International Zoo Educators Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 April 2026WAZA and IZE extended their strategic partnership through a renewed MoU to continue strengthening global leadership in conservation education and public engagement. This builds on years of collaboration including the IZE/WAZA Education Strategy.
• RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017WAZA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with RSPO in 2017 to establish a framework for shared goals on sustainable palm oil. WAZA also became an official member of RSPO in 2020, gaining voting rights on issues central to deforestation, conservation, fair labour practices, and transparency.
• IUCNcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWAZA is a member of IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it.
• IZE (International Zoo Educators)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWAZA and IZE have a long-standing Memorandum of Understanding renewed in 2026 to advance global conservation education and public engagement. The partnership includes the IZE/WAZA Education Strategy and WAZA Nature Connect Programme.
• CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWAZA participates in CITES forums and collaborates on policy papers ahead of CBD COP. The organization works with CITES Secretaries and officials on wildlife trade policies and conservation.
• CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWAZA collaborates with the CBD Executive Secretary and participates in COP meetings to raise WAZA's profile at international forums and develop policy papers on biodiversity conservation.
• IUCN SSC (Species Survival Commission)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWAZA works with IUCN SSC including the Chair Dr Jon Paul Rodríguez and various Specialist Groups on conservation breeding programmes and species management.
• IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions)minorOthersWAZA is a member of IAAPA, the global trade association for the amusement industry.
• Cheyenne Mountain ZoocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCheyenne Mountain Zoo represents WAZA in the US and Canada as app administrator for the PalmOil Scan mobile app, which empowers consumers to make sustainable decisions about palm oil sourcing.
• Chester ZoocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerChester Zoo represents WAZA in the UK as app administrator for the PalmOil Scan mobile app. Chester Zoo also contributes policy expertise on sustainability and biodiversity.
• Auckland ZoocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAuckland Zoo represents WAZA in Australia and New Zealand as app administrator for the PalmOil Scan mobile app.
• Species360coreTechnology or IntegrationSpecies360 operates ZIMS (Zoological Information Management System), the world's most comprehensive database used by WAZA members. WAZA and Species360 collaborate on data standards and conservation research. ZIMS holds data on more than 22,000 species and 10,000,000 animals.
• EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEAZA is a major regional association member of WAZA. The organizations collaborate on population management, conservation breeding programmes, and biobank initiatives through EAZA's Ex situ Programmes.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES): International treaty body on wildlife trade with which WAZA collaborates on policy and forums; functions as a regulatory/policy counterpart rather than a membership competitor.
• International Zoo Educators Association (IZE): Long-standing strategic partner of WAZA under a renewed MoU; focuses specifically on zoo-based conservation education, making it a closely allied but education-narrow peer rather than a direct competitor.
• Species360: Operates ZIMS (Zoological Information Management System), the global animal records database used by WAZA members. It is a technology/ecosystem partner enabling WAZA's population management work rather than a competitor.

Broad incumbents

• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN): Global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it; WAZA is a member of IUCN. IUCN operates at a much broader scale across all conservation topics, making it a larger, less specialized incumbent.

Regional players

• British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA): UK and Ireland membership body for zoos and aquariums focused on conservation, education, and animal welfare; functions as a sub-regional peer with strong ties to EAZA and WAZA.

Direct peers

• Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA Australasia): Australasian accreditation and membership body for zoos and aquariums, operating a parallel regional membership and accreditation model to WAZA's institutional category.
• Association of Latin American Zoos and Aquariums (ALPZA): Latin American regional association for zoos and aquariums, coordinating member institutions on conservation, animal welfare, and education with the same membership-driven model as WAZA.
• South East Asian Zoos and Aquariums Association (SEAZA): Regional membership association for zoos and aquariums in Southeast Asia, applying a similar membership-driven conservation and education model to WAZA at a smaller regional scale.
• Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA): US-based accreditation and membership body for zoos and aquariums; runs the SAFE programme and species survival plans analogous to WAZA's Global Species Management Plans, and is a major regional member of WAZA.
• European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA): Regional membership association for European zoos and aquariums operating an almost identical model — membership tiers, conservation breeding programmes, studbooks, and animal welfare standards — but at a regional rather than global level.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/waza
• Facebookfacebook.com/officialWAZA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/world-association-of-zoos-and-aquariums
• Instagraminstagram.com/wazaglobal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about World Association of Zoos and Aquariums