Zoo Advisors, in its promise to be at the forefront of the latest international trends and knowledge, will be speaking at and participating in the 72nd annual meeting of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) in Buenos Aires this November. David Walsh, ZA’s President, said, “WAZA’s vision of “United for Conservation” coupled with this year’s meeting theme of “Together for Nature,” align very well with our core principles and philosophy: we believe collaboration is key for success.”

At David’s 3rd WAZA conference he’ll share and stress the importance of business and financial sustainability in carrying out the missions of zoos and aquariums. He’ll be a member of a panel discussion on ‘New Strategies to Raise Revenue’, speaking with several other international zoo and aquarium leaders to talk about ways to increase financial resources to support the critical conservation work we all do.

Joining David will be Dr. Eric Miller, ZA’s Senior Counsel, who’ll attend his 24th meeting with either WAZA or the Conservation Planning Specialist Group (CPSG), which meets in conjunction with WAZA.

Two additional program sessions that David and Eric are particularly interested in are:

1. The Chester Zoo’s leading role in becoming the first palm oil sustainable city: This is critically important to support the survival of so many species, of which orangutans are the “poster child.” How was this achieved? What does this mean for the future of rainforests and endangered species if further adoption were to occur?

2. The Parque das Aves establishing a Brazilian Wildlife Survival Center: This institution received last year’s conservation award for adapting their collection to an entirely native one, and as a result their attendance has spiked. They’ve also become a recognized conservation center for the Brazilian government. What are the initial and lasting benefits? Can this model be adapted throughout other parts of the world?

They’ll also hear updates on Species 360 (ZIMS), the use of data for conservation, the latest on efforts to control plastic pollution, animal welfare, and regional conservation initiatives. ZA believes that international perspective leads to the best ideas and strategies as the firm works to assist all zoos and aquariums in fulfilling their conservation missions (and at the same time, their business strategies that support those missions).

Stay tuned for additional program highlights and insights as they’re released. And if David and Eric don’t see you there, they look forward to sharing the conference’s information with you when they return!