AZA Efforts

Sunset Zoo is an accredited member of the American Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) - a network of 200-plus Zoos and Aquariums who are committed to the highest level of animal care and guest experience. Association of Zoos and Aquariums institutions are also deeply committed to ensuring the animals they collectively exhibit are preserved for future generations - both in captivity and in the wild.  

Saving Animals From Extinction

Efforts to secure the future for animals in the wild were elevated in 2015 through the AZA Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) Program. The AZA network of Zoos and Aquariums are collectively working to save 10 species from extinction with more species being named in the future. 

Species Survival Plan

Sunset Zoo participates in the Species Survival Plan (SSP) program - a cooperative effort by AZA institutions to manage specific, and typically threatened or endangered, animal species. Species survival plans oversee a species’ captive population, including developing breeding and transfer recommendations among AZA institutions. Often representing species that urgently need to be conserved in the wild, SSPs “significantly contribute to field conservation efforts, veterinary care for wildlife disease issues and increase public awareness for wildlife conservation." There are currently over 300 SSP programs and Sunset Zoo participates in 16.