Columbus Zoo and Aquarium receives an accreditation ... after losing one last year
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium has been granted accreditation by the Zoological Association of America, an international association and accrediting body whose approval is serving to maintain the credential the zoo lost last year following several scandals.
Columbus Zoo leadership was notified recently following a four-day, on-site inspection in March by a team of zoological professionals and a review period by the ZAA accreditation committee.
The ZAA is a nonprofit, membership-based, accrediting organization whose mission is to foster responsible wildlife management, conservation, and education, and to uphold a high level of professional standards in animal welfare, safety, and ethics.
The association is comprised of public and private facilities of wildlife educators, rescue facilities, TV and film industry animal experts, wildlife preserves, large and small zoological facilities, aquariums, and conservation organizations working together to oversee the care and welfare for wildlife in human care. The Columbus Zoo is one of the largest among more than 60 facilities accredited by ZAA.
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which is a larger, older accreditation association, pulled its accreditation of the Columbus Zoo last year following several scandals involving misuse of zoo property by zoo leaders.
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium lost at least $631,000 because of misspending by former officials
Losing accreditation from the AZA impacts eligibility for certain funds, animal exchange and conservation programs, and can determine whether a facility is subject to certain state laws.
The AZA has more than 250 members.
Zoo appeals AZA pulling its accreditation
Asked about the ZAA standards before a board meeting Wednesday, Tom Schmid, president and CEO of the Columbus Zoo, called them rigorous and no less challenging than AZA standards.
"I just think it's different," he said. "The AZA decided that we didn't meet their standards, because of the actions of four individuals," he said, referring to former president and CEO Tom Stalf and CFO Greg Bell, along with two other former staff members.
"I don't think it's fair," Schmid said of the AZA decision. "And we've remedied it all."
Columbus Zoo: Top officials resign following Dispatch investigation
An investigation by The Dispatch uncovered improper spending and questionable business practices by the former top two executives, including allowing personal use of zoo-owned homes, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in zoo losses.
A later audit found that baby tigers and snow leopards that appeared with zoo personnel on late-night talk shows often didn't come from or return to accredited zoos, but were instead shuffled among backyard breeders and unaccredited zoos.
Read more: Columbus Zoo officials reviewing zoo-owned housing for officials
Schmid told the board that the ZAA officials "walked our entire perimeter. They looked at us closely. They wanted to make sure we met all of their standards."
The ZAA accreditation must be renewed every five years, requiring that facilities reapply and undergo internal reviews and approvals, as well as the site visit in its entirety, to ensure that standards are upheld.
In addition to accreditation achieved through ZAA, the Columbus Zoo was awarded accreditation by the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks & Aquariums (AMMPA), an international association and accrediting body specializing in marine mammals. That accreditation was awarded in November 2021 following a two-day, on-site inspection of the zoo’s manatee, polar bear, sea lion, and harbor seal facilities by a team of experienced marine mammal professionals.
Schmid told the zoo board he welcomes the rigor of all accrediting bodies, and will strive to exceed ZAA standards.
"Had we followed every one of these to the letter of the law, I probably wouldn't be here today," he said.
Schmid said the zoo is already planning to reapply for AZA accreditation. Currently, there are nine zoos that have both AZA and ZAA status.
"We do plan to start that process," he said. "We'll officially submit our materials in the fall and I fully expect we'll receive accreditation by March 2023."
In a written statement, John Seyjagat, executive director of the ZAA, praised the zoo for being "extremely patient, compliant, and diligent throughout the ZAA accreditation process."
dnarciso@dispatch.com
@DeanNarciso
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Zoo is accredited by a national association
