Celebrating a Decade of Collaboration in Brazil

International animal welfare charity, Wild Welfare is marking a 10-year long partnership milestone with the Associação de Zoológicos e Aquários do Brasil (AZAB). AZAB is a non-profit organization that represents Brazilian zoos and aquariums, with a focus on education, research and promoting good animal welfare within its members’ facilities. Wild Welfare and Wild Welfare US have become prominent influencers within Brazil, helping to steer the advancements of animal welfare standards for captive wildlife.

Since 2014, Wild Welfare has worked alongside AZAB to develop a comprehensive welfare certification program. To date, 46 of all current 48 AZAB member organizations have undergone rigorous auditing, with Wild Welfare and Wild Welfare US auditors present at every assessment. The completion of the first audit cycle at the end of 2023, marked a vital milestone in this collaborative journey.

Last year, AZAB leadership and the Animal Welfare Committee further demonstrated their commitment to strive for excellence by adopting the ‘Wild Welfare Core Standard of Welfare Practice for Captive Animals’ as its Association Welfare Standard. This Standard is widely recognized for its rigorous approach, underpinned by evidence-based practices and its clear, measurable criteria. Outcomes of these audits form a strong foundation for bringing about positive changes within AZAB member facilities to improve animal care and welfare.

Wild Welfare and Wild Welfare US recently conducted a three day advanced training workshop for eight certified and experienced AZAB auditors. This intensive training concentrated on six key principles aimed at refining their working processes and analyzing past audits. Each module included presentations from Wild Welfare team members, in addition to practical hands-on exercises.

“Supporting AZAB auditors is essential for ensuring the long-term success and sustainability of animal welfare standards within Brazilian zoos and aquariums. This capacity-building approach not only strengthens AZAB’s ability to uphold good standards but also fosters a culture of continuous improvement, ultimately benefiting all AZAB member zoos”, expressed Dave Morgan, Field Director at Wild Welfare.

Dave went on to explain that, “Animal welfare auditing is one of the core competencies of Wild Welfare and we are constantly refining our own audit processes. With the fulfillment of AZAB’s first cycle of Welfare Certification Audits, we welcomed the opportunity to help the Association up their game”.

Wild Welfare US has furthered its commitment to AZAB through the signing of a five-year Memorandum of Understanding. Under this agreement, Wild Welfare US will take the lead on coordinating future initiatives with AZAB, including further audits and training programs tailored to help individual facilities achieve the Welfare Certification.

Recently, the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) officially recognized AZAB’s certification process as meeting the WAZA 2023 Animal Welfare Goal. This eminent acknowledgement is testament to the dedication and hard work of both organizations. “The enthusiasm and professionalism demonstrated by AZAB auditors attending the workshop was highly inspirational and reinforces everyone’s dedication to this program.. Together, we are working hard to make a tangible difference to the lives of countless animals across Brazil.” said Margaret Whittaker, Executive Director at Wild Welfare US.

Mara Christina Marques, Vice-President of AZAB expressed her gratitude for Wild Welfare’s support, declaring, “We are overjoyed to receive this recognition from WAZA. Without the mentorship of Wild Welfare, this achievement would not have been possible.”

Wild Welfare US remains dedicated to working with AZAB and other global partners to continue building towards a brighter future for captive wild animals.

 

ENDS