Bend’s High Desert Museum receives accreditation from Association of Zoos and Aquariums
KTVZ
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The High Desert Museum announced Thursday it has earned accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the gold standard for animal care and well-being worldwide.
The Museum went before the AZA’s independent Accreditation Commission for final review on Sunday for accreditation in what has been a years-long process. The Museum wildlife team cares for over 100 animals ranging from mammals to birds of prey to reptiles, amphibians and fish, each with its own needs and requirements.
Here’s the rest of the museum’s announcement:
Of the 32 applicants reviewed by the Commission during the AZA’s September meeting in Tampa, Fla., 31 were granted accreditation. Fewer than 10 percent of 2,800 institutions licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to exhibit wildlife are accredited by the AZA. As of this month, there were 254 AZA-accredited institutions worldwide.
“We are extremely proud to have achieved AZA accreditation through providing the highest standards in both animal care and our educational programs,” said Museum Executive Director Dana Whitelaw, Ph.D. “This is a testament to not only the outstanding dedication of our wildlife team, but to the entire staff and Board for supporting and affirming these high standards, day in and day out.”
AZA is the independent accrediting organization for the best zoos and aquariums in North America and the world, assuring the public that when they visit an AZA-accredited facility, it meets the highest standards for animal care and welfare. AZA accreditation standards are considered the gold standard for zoos and aquariums in all aspects of operations, animal care and wellbeing, education and conservation.
“Congratulations to the leadership and staff at the High Desert Museum for attaining the global ‘gold standard’ in zoological and aquarium accreditation,” said Dan Ashe, president and CEO of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. “AZA’s standards continuously evolve to reflect best practices in the zoo and aquarium profession, with a strong emphasis on animal care and wellbeing at their core. The High Desert Museum has demonstrated a dedication to this exceptional level of care.”
The Museum joins the Oregon Zoo in Portland, Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport and Wildlife Safari in Winston as the AZA-accredited organizations in the state. In addition, the Museum is now one of only 15 other organizations in the United States to hold both an AZA and an American Alliance of Museums (AAM) accreditation.
The Museum has cared for wildlife on site since its inception in 1982, from North American river otters to porcupines, owls and turtles, foxes and bobcats. Museum founder Don Kerr believed closeup encounters with wildlife that evoke wonder and awe could lead to learning about and conserving those species in the wild.
To be accredited, the Museum submitted a lengthy application and underwent a thorough onsite inspection and examination by recognized experts in animal wellbeing and zoo operations to ensure it has and will continue to meet the ever-rising standards of animal care, conservation, education and safety.
“AZA accreditation is an intensely thorough process,” said John Lewis, a Museum board member who was director of the Los Angeles Zoo from 2003 to 2009 and once served on AZA’s Accreditation Commission. “It’s deliberately so in order to ensure that the wellbeing of the wildlife in our care as well as the Museum’s conservation, education, research and visitor programs are top quality. The High Desert Museum has done an exceptional job with its care and in achieving this recognition.”
Additionally, the inspecting team observed all aspects of the Museum’s operation in areas such as staff training, visitor experience and learning, safety, financial stability, risk management and guest services. AZA requires organizations to complete this rigorous accreditation process every five years.
“AZA accreditation impacts every section of our work because we are all in this together,” said Director of Strategic Projects Christina Cid, Ph.D. “From finances to education and interpretation to conservation efforts and programming, we strive daily to promote and protect the animals in our care while creating a meaningful visitor experience.”
AZA requires that organizations engage in conservation-related efforts, from educating visitors to contributing to species preservation and scientific endeavors. The High Desert Museum does so through a variety of avenues.
“AZA accreditation is important because we want our visitors to understand our commitment to both the wellbeing of the animals in our care at the Museum and to the stewardship of their wild counterparts,” said Museum Curator of Wildlife Jon Nelson. “The accreditation process ensures that we doing both with a rigorous evaluation of our animal management practices and our conservation and education programs. Ambassador animals at the Museum bring awareness and appreciation to species people might not otherwise think about, like Pacific lamprey, North American porcupines and Mazama newts.”
Daily wildlife programs, such as the summer Raptors of the Desert Sky outdoor free flight demonstration, share information about the adaptations, behaviors and habitat of species as well as how we can help them thrive in the wild.
Behind the scenes, the wildlife team supports and takes part in ongoing conservation projects. From a collaborative effort to help Crater Lake’s Mazama newt to a community science project in partnership with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to learn more about the North American porcupine, the High Desert Museum participates in programs that help conserve species and assist in research and studies. More about the Museum’s conservation-related efforts is available at https://highdesertmuseum.org/conservation/.
“AZA accreditation is an iterative process with new and updated standards coming out every year,” Nelson said. “We are excited to continue the work of elevating animal wellbeing at the Museum, and for the opportunity to collaborate and participate in AZA programs with other accredited institutions across the country.”
The innovative, interdisciplinary experiences at the Museum incorporate similar messaging, instilling a connection to and a respect for the High Desert.
The Forest at Night experience on view at the Museum encourages visitors to explore the nocturnal world through an interactive display while learning how artificial light pollution affects the ecosystem. In 2024, the Museum recognized the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act with a series of exhibitions and events, including an exhibition of Andy Warhol’s Endangered Species art series.
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science and recreation. For a complete list of accredited AZA facilities, please visit www.aza.org/current-accreditation-list.
ABOUT THE MUSEUM:
THE HIGH DESERT MUSEUM opened in Bend, Oregon in 1982. It brings together wildlife, cultures, art, history and the natural world to convey the wonder of North America’s High Desert. The Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, is a Smithsonian Affiliate and accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, was the 2019 recipient of the Western Museums Association’s Charles Redd Award for Exhibition Excellence and was a 2021 recipient of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service.
ABOUT AZA:
Founded in 1924, the ASSOCIATION OF ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, animal welfare, education, science and recreation. AZA is setting the global gold standard, accrediting 254 of the top zoos, aquariums and related facilities in 13 countries. Look for the AZA accreditation logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. The AZA is a leader in saving species and your link to helping animals all over the world. To learn more, visit www.aza.org.