El Paso Zoo loses accreditation
Watch the City's news conference below:
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The El Paso Zoo has been denied accreditation by The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), according the the City of El Paso.
The city says the AZA Accreditation Commission cited “deferred maintenance” in older guest areas of the zoo as the reason for the denial.
"There was no issues with animal care," said city manager Dionne Mack. "What they're really talking about is the railings that you see as you're walking along the walking paths. The last report they were talking about, the fencing that's near the canal. So those aren't necessarily things that are in the animal care area. But it's a part of the experience that we have."
Animal care was not listed as a concern, and the Zoo’s veterinary program, animal welfare practices and overall operations were actually praised by the AZA, according to the city.
“We are disappointed by the Commission’s decision, especially given the substantial improvements already made and those in progress,” said Zoo Director Joe Montisano. “This does not reflect the quality of care we provide or the guest experience we’ve worked hard to create.”
The Zoo's South American Pavilion, a structure dating back to the 1960s, was one of the areas highlighted by the AZA. The city says renovations to the Pavilion’s roof and HVAC system have already been done. Interior renovations scheduled for later this year.
Mack says there are no financial impact to being accredited or not.
"We're lucky enough that the zoo does have dollars in the bank that's allocated for their operations," she said. "With the dollars that we are bringing in from gate and others, we're going to utilize those to help us to be able to set aside what we call a capital plan."
While some renovations have already been made, Mack says they did not focus on design or the aesthetic.
The city manager also said that all operations at the zoo, including staff, costs about $8 million in total.
Mack said the zoo brings in more than $2 million dollars a year in revenue, including memberships and paid events.
"We have around $3 million that could be allocated to the projects, once we decide what the projects are," the city manager said.
The Zoo says it will appeal the decision and reapply once more facility upgrades are done.
AZA accreditation is a voluntary process that that evaluates institutions in animal care, safety, education and conservation.
The El Paso Zoo has held accreditation since 1980.
