The El Paso Zoo has lost its accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. AZA accreditation signifies the zoo meets high standards, but it is not required for a zoo to operate.
The independent accrediting association listed the El Paso Zoo as being up for review this year, following a one-year provisional accreditation extension through March 2025.
Although the accrediting commission “cited ‘deferred maintenance’ in older guest areas of the facility, no concerns were raised regarding animal care, which remains the Zoo’s top priority,” the city said in a news release late Tuesday. “Notably, the inspection team praised the Zoo’s veterinary program, animal welfare practices, and overall operations.”
The city plans to appeal the decision, or reapply if necessary, once additional facility upgrades are completed.
“We are disappointed by the Commission’s decision, especially given the substantial improvements already made and those in progress,” Zoo Director Joe Montisano said in the news release. “This does not reflect the quality of care we provide or the guest experience we’ve worked hard to create.”
City Manager Dionne Mack said in the news release that the city has made improvements to the zoo over the last decade through the 2012 quality of life bond, including new exhibits, upgraded infrastructure and enhanced guest amenities.
“I found out earlier today and it’s not a good situation,” city Rep. Josh Acevedo, whose district encompasses the zoo, told El Paso Matters.
“If you look at last year, (the AZA) had to give them a provisional year to get the accreditation, and now it was denied,” Acevedo said. “I think the big thing here is that, I think it comes down to leadership.”
The zoo and its director Montisano, who was hired in 2019, have been under scrutiny since late last year, when the city did not renew a longtime contract with the former El Paso Zoological Society over concerns on how it was spending fundraising dollars. The nonprofit support group to the zoo reorganized and became the Conservation Society of El Paso in February. The city sought out to do its own fundraising, working with the Paso del Norte Community Foundation to manage any raised funds.
Acevedo said losing the accreditation may have long-lasting impacts on future funding for the zoo.
“Being accredited allows us to access grants and so, now, losing this accreditation, we’re going to have less access to different funding sources,” Acevedo said. “I think that this is really detrimental to the zoo.”
The AZA accreditation commission evaluates zoos and aquariums on a voluntary basis to make sure facilities and organizations meet their standards for animal welfare, care and management, including living environments, social groupings, health, and nutrition along with enrichment, education programs and safety policies and procedures.
The association regularly updates and raises its standards and zoos and aquariums must go through the accreditation process every five years.
The El Paso Zoo held the AZA accreditation since 1980, and is regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture.
The AZA could not immediately be reached for comment. Accreditation reports are kept confidential between the zoos and the commission, according to the AZA website, which only lists whether zoos are accredited. As of late Tuesday, the El Paso Zoo remained listed ast accredited.
A follow-up report completed after the January 2024 inspection identified positive changes at the zoo, but also highlighted concerns that still needed to be addressed.
The report said the zoo had made progress in addressing deferred maintenance in its Asia section, but cited significant improvements were still needed in the area. The report also raised new concerns that the Africa boardwalk, and walkway fencing in the alligator and spider monkey exhibits are in poor condition.
The report also raised concerns about staff not being adequately trained to handle emergency situations in the penguin exhibit, among other issues.
The zoo sits on 35 acres at 4001 E. Paisano Drive in South Central El Paso and has four different zones representing animals from different regions such as the Chihuahuan Desert, Africa, Asia and the Americas. About 340,000 people visit the zoo each year.
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