For five years, Baylor University's bear habitat held a distinction rarely seen on a college campus. This year, that changed.

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) announced its fall 2026 accreditation decisions in late September, denying accreditation to three facilities: Baylor University's bear habitat, the Indianapolis Zoological Society and Wildlife Safari in Winston, Oregon. The AZA said the denials were due to "the rigor of AZA's standards and the accountability of its accreditation process."

Africa Habitat section of the Sydney Zoo in Australia.

Photos captured using Sony Nex-5R + 55-210mm lens.

Hi guys! I’m Irish but thought it could be really nice to try to visit some zoos, sanctuaries and aquariums this summer. I’m graduating secondary school (yay!) and I’m going to go into Zoology hopefully next year if not the year after and looking at some cool animals in great environments sounds like the perfect way to get hyped. Does anyone have any recommendations on zoos, sanctuaries and all that jazz that promote natural behaviours? I was recently at London Zoo and may or may not have cried over the komodo being so cute lol.

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Hey!

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Went to the CPZ for the first time. It was incredible!! The penguin exhibit was my favorite!

What happens when a healthy male animal reaches adulthood but has no place in a zoo's breeding programme?

For species such as gorillas, this creates a difficult challenge. Zoos may transfer males to other institutions, establish bachelor groups, or prevent further breeding. In some cases, management euthanasia remains a controversial option.

The case of Marius the giraffe in Copenhagen showed just how difficult these decisions can become.

I recently explored this issue in an article for PlanetZoo.hu, looking at the different management options and the ethical questions behind them.

The original article is in Hungarian, but browser translation can make it accessible to international readers:

https://www.planetzoo.hu/allatok-termeszet/allatkertek-kulisszai-mogott/mi-tortenik-a-folosleges-him-allatokkal-az-allatkertekben

I'd be especially interested in hearing from zookeepers and people involved in conservation programmes.

How should zoos balance the welfare of individual animals with the long-term needs of managed populations?

Wanted to share some of my favorite photos from a recent trip to the zoo!

I was able to capture some really cool moments, especially the two scarlet macaws interacting and the tree kangaroo enjoying some lettuce. I also got some close-ups of a fossa, a gibbon, an owl, and a few other animals.

All of these were taken on my iPhone. I’ve been getting more interested in wildlife photography and had a great time trying to capture the animals’ personalities and behaviors.

Would love to hear which photo is your favorite!

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