AZA’s Annual Report on Conservation and Science (ARCS) illustrates the substantial collective effort AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums dedicate towards field conservation, research, education, and green business practices each year. Annual Reports provide an overview of each member’s engagement in conservation, while Highlights celebrate the cumulative conservation activity of the AZA community and underscores what can be accomplished together. These publications are based on information submitted by AZA-accredited and certified related facilities each year.
Which Activities are Included
From 2010-2012, AZA’s Annual Report on Conservation and Science focused exclusively on field conservation activities having a direct impact on animals in the wild that aligned with a definition for field conservation created by the Wildlife Conservation Committee. Beginning in 2013, and in collaboration with the Research and Technology Committee, Conservation Education Committee, and Green Scientific Advisory Group, the scope of the reports expanded to include these areas, as well. To maximize consistency of reporting throughout the AZA community, the following definitions were created:
Which Project-specific Information is Collected
Spreadsheets and additional information are available to help members collect the information internally, which they then enter online.
How to Enter Data Online
Only one person per AZA member facility is able to add and edit their facility's records by logging into AZA's website. User manuals are available to help those people navigate the surveys on AZA’s website.
FAQs and Guidelines for Entering Data
The manuals below contain answers to frequently asked questions about the surveys, as well as additional guidelines to follow and examples of effective, high-quality submissions. Questions not answered in the guides below can be directed to Shelly Grow.
View Data
Some of the data are available for public review. Visit Members' Conservation and Science Activities or click on the following links and explore what an individual facility is doing, or search for projects and programs of interest.