Zoo and Aquarium Association Australasia unveils updated brand identity

The Zoo and Aquarium Association Australasia (ZAA) has launched a new brand identity, described as "animal led and purpose driven" and reflecting the commitment of its members to positive animal welfare and their contributions to the conservation of global and regional biodiversity.

ZAA advise “these values for conservation action and positive animal welfare are reflected in the identities of all ZAA members, whether through taglines, visuals, or the name itself. All these cues help visitors to connect meaning to your work and see purpose in your operations.

“While conservation and positive animal welfare underpin the identities and priorities of ZAA members, the ZAA brand does not currently reflect an identity representative of the organisations that it serves.

“The new identity is animal led and purpose driven - reflecting three important, native species (Tasmanian devil, Kiwi and Grey nurse shark). Each species is managed through a ZAA SMP and has an important conservation story behind it.

“The shield device represents the protection provided to the animals in the care of ZAA member institutions through their high animal welfare standards and ZAA positive animal welfare accreditation status. The movement of the animals in and out of the shield represents the continuum of in-situ and ex-situ conservation efforts and the importance of zoos & aquariums in the fight to protect biodiversity.”

ZAA go on to state “from our annual public perception research data, we know that the state of animal welfare in zoos and aquariums can be both a driver to frequent visitation and a barrier to entry. While awareness of accreditation is low, at 13%, 80% of respondents suggested they would be more likely to visit an organisation if they knew it was accredited for positive animal welfare. 

“We also know that while it is widely accepted by the public that zoos and aquariums contribute to conservation, the public can’t pinpoint what it is that they believe constitutes legitimate conservation action or the extent to which zoos and aquariums contribute.

As endorsed by ZAA’s membership at its 2023 AGM, ZAA’s vision has been updated to reflect the direction in which the sector is headed - ‘Positive outcomes for people and wildlife’ - and as identified within the ZAA 2023-25 strategy and corresponding brand plan, an updated brand identity will be important to ensure the Association can continue to serve the membership effectively, both internally to the sector and externally to the public.

The new branding also creates an identity for the ZAA Wildlife Conservation Fund (WCF) to:

1. Support fundraising initiatives for members in need of additional financial assistance for the ongoing welfare of their animals.

2. Support grant applications and government funding to allocate out to members participating in relevant conservation action.

3. Fund the ongoing work of the Centre for Species Survival, Australasia in threatened species assessment listing & recovery team coordination in partnership with the relevant government bodies and stakeholders. 

Click here to visit the ZAA website.