OTTAWA: November 28, 2017 – Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA) is proud to announce that it has partnered with #NatureForAll – a global movement to inspire the love of nature.
#NatureForAll is an IUCN coalition working to increase public and cross-sectoral action for nature conservation. CAZA has joined 175 global partners committed to growing the pool of nature-friendly strategies and resources for Canadian families to connect with.
“Canada’s accredited zoos and aquariums are some of the best places for our increasingly urban population to experience and connect with the natural world,” said Karen Keenleyside, Co-Chair, IUCN #NatureForAll Task Force. “That sense of connection is what will continue to inspire Canadians to take action for nature conservation.”
Accredited zoos and aquariums are uniquely placed to connect Canadians to the natural world because of the expertise available through our teams of scientists, researchers, biologists, veterinarians, animal welfare experts, and volunteers across our facilities. This expertise is shared with over 12 million visitors a year through onsite programming, and educating visitors about field work being done in wild habitats.
“Canadians are currently experiencing what author Richard Louv describes as a nature deficit disorder,” said CAZA Executive Director, Dr. Susan Shafer. “We are spending less time outdoors than ever before, and as a result, our connection with nature and wildlife is diminishing. With our planet losing an estimated 2-3 species per day, this complacency with nature is having a profoundly negative effect on human action to protect wild habitats as a result of degradation and climate change.”
As part of CAZA’s standards, accredited facilities are required to conduct species conservation programming, as well as conduct educational programming to engage visitors about the threats of species extinction due to human impact, and mobilize them to change their behaviours to protect wild habitats.
About CAZA
Founded in 1975, CAZA is the leading animal welfare standards development organization in Canada. Its standards development process includes expert opinion from researchers, biologists, and academia to ensure that our standards reflect the latest in animal welfare research, organizational management, and safety protocols. Through a science-based approach, CAZA’s standards bridge the ethical concerns regarding zoos and aquariums, and are currently the only pan-Canada set of standards mandating zoological facilities in the country. Out of hundreds of zoos in Canada, only 31 have received CAZA accreditation through independent inspection.
For More Information
Ashley Street
Manager, Research and Public Affairs
Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums
Tel: 613-878-0274