About the North American Conservation Award
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums names conservation as its highest priority, and recognizes exceptional efforts by AZA Institution, Related Facility or Conservation Partner members toward regional habitat preservation, species restoration, and support of biodiversity in the wild through its North American Conservation Award. Regional efforts include those within the submitting institution's country or local bioclimatic/geographic area which may only include countries outside North American that are contiguous to those areas.
If there is any question as to what constitutes an eligible project, please email Rob Vernon or call (301) 244-3352.
How to Submit an Application
2020 sample application and guidelines are available below. 2021 application materials will be updated in the Spring and will be due on June 1, 2021.
All Honors and Awards applications must be submitted in electronic format ONLY and must be compiled into one PDF file. Please make sure the file name reflects both the award name and the institution.
Please upload your file to the AZA Dropbox. Your file will go to the AZA Digital Dropbox account, but you do not need to sign in, or even have a Dropbox account to use this link—when it opens, just click on the “choose files” box and upload your application.
Remember to submit a Media Release Form (DOC) with your application.
North American Conservation Award Winners
See the past winners' applications (member login required)
2019
Top Honors
Roger Williams Park Zoo / Queens Zoo for New England Cottontail Rabbit Captive Breeding and Recovery Program
Significant Achievement
Oregon Zoo for Taylor's Checkerspot Butterfly Recovery
Innovation
Blank Park Zoo for Plant. Grow. Fly.
2018
Top Honors
Houston Zoo and Fort Worth Zoo for Houston Toad Recovery Program
Significant Achievement
Brevard Zoo, Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society and Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo for Perdido Key beach mouse Species Survival Plan Program
2017
Top Honors
San Diego Zoo Global, Los Angeles Zoo, Oregon Zoo, Santa Barbara Zoo, Oakland Zoo, Phoenix Zoo for California Condor Bi-national Recovery and Reintroduction Program, United States and Mexico
Significant Achievement
Saint Louis Zoo for The Saint Louis Zoo's American Burying Beetle Recovery Program
2016
Top Honors
- Woodland Park Zoo and Oregon Zoo for Recovering Western Pond Turtles in Washington State: A 25-Year Team Effort
- Calgary Zoo, Audubon Nature Institute, International Crane Foundation and San Antonio Zoo for Whooping Crane Recovery Program
Significant Achievement
- Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium for Salt Creek Tiger Beetle Captive Breeding and Reintroduction
- Saint Louis Zoo for Ozark Hellbender Augmentation Program
2015
Top Honors
Gladys Porter Zoo for Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle Conservation Program
Significant Achievement
Disney's Animal Kingdom and The Seas for Disney's Sea Turtle Conservation Program
Innovation
Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center for Grizzly Bear Conservation through Bear Resistant Product Testing
2013
Top Honors
- Brevard Zoo for Community-based Oyster Restoration in Mosquito Lagoon, Florida
- Oregon Zoo / Northwest Trek Wildlife Park for Columbia Basin Pygmy Rabbit Species Recovery
Significant Achievement
Monterey Bay Aquarium for Sea Otter Research and Conservation Program
2012
Top Honors
Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, Oregon Zoo, and Woodland Park Zoo for Oregon Spotted Frog Reintroduction Project
Significant Achievement
- Oregon Zoo, Woodland Park Zoo for Oregon Silverspot Butterfly Captive Rearing Program
- SeaWorld San Diego, San Diego Zoo Global for Light-footed Clapper Rail Recovery
- Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo for Manatee Care and Conservation Program
2011
Top Honors
- Columbus Zoo and Aquarium for Freshwater Mussel Conservation and Research Center
- Toronto Zoo / Calgary Zoo for Vancouver Island Marmot Recovery Program
2010
Top Honors
Chicago Zoological Society / Mote Marine Laboratory for Long-term Bottlenose Dolphin Conservation Research
Significant Achievement
- Phoenix Zoo for Chiricahua Leopard Frog Head-starting and Release Program
- Roger Williams Park Zoo for Karner Blue Butterfly Conservation Program
2009
Significant Achievement
- Detroit Zoo for Coordination of Great Lakes Piping Plover Salvage Captive Rearing
- Knoxville Zoo for The Tennessee Bog Turtle Program
2008
Top Honors
Albuquerque Bio Park for Tingley Beach Restoration Project
2007
Top Honors
Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium for Red Wolf Recovery Program
Significant Achievement
- Tennessee Aquarium for Saving The Sturgeon Program
- Zoological Society Of San Diego for San Clemente Loggerhead Shrike
2006
Top Honors
Calgary Zoo for Conservation Research on the Prairies of Canada and Montana
2005
There were no applications in 2005.
2004
Top Honors
The Audubon Zoo, The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, Buffalo Zoological Gardens, Central Florida Zoological Park, Central Park Zoo, Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Columbus Zoo & Aquarium, Detroit Zoo, Fort Worth Zoo, Granby Zoo, Louisville Zoological Garden; Lowry Park Zoo, Miami MetroZoo, Milwaukee County Zoological Gardens, Oklahoma City Zoo, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo, Saint Louis Zoo, Santa Barbara Zoological Gardens, Sedgwick County Zoo, Toledo Zoo, Toronto Zoo and the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Center for Puerto Rican Crested Toad Species Survival Plan® (SSP) Conservation Partnership
2003
Top Honors
Toledo Zoo for Oak Savanna Butterfly Conservation Program
Significant Achievement
- Memphis Zoo for Conservation of the Louisiana Pine Snake
- Albuquerque Biological Park, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Dakota Zoo, El Paso Zoo, Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, Minnesota Zoological Garden, Smithsonian's National Zoological Park, Phoenix Zoo, Sedgwick County Zoo, Utica Zoo, Wild Canid Survival and Research Center, Zoo New England for Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery Program
2002
Top Honors
Zoological Society of San Diego for Hawai'i Endangered Bird Conservation Program
2001
Top Honors
Philadelphia Zoo for Diamondback Terrapin Conservation Program
2000
Top Honors
San Francisco Zoo for California Bald Eagle Recovery Program
1999
Top Honors
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, Houston Zoological Gardens, and San Antonio Zoological Gardens & Aquarium for Attwater's Prairie Chicken Recovery Program