Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
- World Association of Zoos and Aquariums
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
The International Union of Directors of Zoological Gardens (IUDZG), founded in 1935 in Basel, Switzerland, ceased to exist during World War II. It was refounded in Rotterdam in 1946 by a group of zoo directors from allied or neutral countries. In 1950 IUDZG became an international organisation member of International Union for the Protection of Nature.
In 1991 the IUDZG adopted a new name, World Zoo Organization, and revised its membership rules to include regional zoo associations.
In 2000 the organisation got its current name, the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, to reflect a more modern institution working together at a global level.
The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) is the "umbrella" organisation for the world zoo and and aquarium community. Its mission is to provide leadership and support for zoos, aquariums, and partner organisations of the world in animal care and welfare, conservation of biodiversity, environmental education and global sustainability.