AZA's SAFE initiative aims to save endangered species
by Tom Anstey | 15 May 2015
African penguins are one of the 10 listed species on the SAFE list / Shutterstock.com
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) has announced a new scheme aiming to save endangered species from extinction and restoring them to healthy-size populations in the wild.
All of AZA’s 229 accredited zoos and aquariums in the US are involved in the scheme, which will deepen existing conservation efforts to save endangered species. Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) is designed to engage the 180 million annual visitors at AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums to protect habitats, decrease threats and restore animal populations to sustainable levels.
To mark the launch of SAFE on 15 May, on the same day that marks the tenth anniversary of Endangered Species Day, many endangered animals across the US have 'vanished', having their exhibits closed or curtained off to demonstrate to the public what will happen if no action is taken.
“At its core, SAFE represents a new and unique opportunity to combat the extinction crisis and save vital species,” said Jim Maddy, president and CEO of AZA. “With thousands of scientists and conservationists – more than any other single conservation organisation – 750,000 animals in their care, and more access to the public, AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums are poised to make a tremendous difference.”
Throughout 2015, SAFE will focus on 10 key species; African penguins, Asian elephants, black rhinoceros; cheetahs, gorillas, sea turtles, sharks and rays, vaquita porpoises, western pond turtles and whooping crane. Over the next decade, 10 or more species will be added to SAFE’s list on an annual basis.
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FEATURE: Analysis and Trends – A Global Impact
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) has announced a new scheme aiming to save endangered species from extinction and restoring them to healthy-size populations in the wild. All of AZA’s 229 accredited zoos and aquariums in the US are involved in the scheme, which will deepen existing conservation efforts to save endangered species. Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) is designed to engage the 180 million annual visitors at AZA-accredited
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by Helen Andrews | 21 Jul 2026
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by Liz Terry |
OMA has completed a major transformation of New York's New Museum, creating a larger cultural campus that combines expanded exhibition spaces with learning, performance, hospitality and public programming. The latest addition, Oberon, extends the visitor experience beyond the gallery, reflecting a growing trend for museums to become all-day destinations.
The New Museum in New York has entered a new chapter with the completion of a major
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by Liz Terry | 13 Jul 2026
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by Helen Andrews | 10 Jul 2026
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by Kath Hudson | 23 Jun 2026
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Bas Smets brings water and wilderness to Vitra
by Liz Terry | 20 Jun 2026
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by Liz Terry | 23 Jun 2026
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by Magali Robathan | 19 Jun 2026
“For 5,000 years humans have been emotionally moved by artworks, but the relationship has always flowed in one direction,” said Refik Anadol, artist and co-founder of the world’s first AI art museum. “While developing Dataland we asked ourselves, ‘Is it possible for artworks to feel us back?’” Dataland, the Museum of AI Arts, opens on June 20 2026 at the Frank Gehry-designed Grand LA in Downtown Los Angeles. Its inaugural
London Museum reveals 2026 opening date for new Smithfield home
by Magali Robathan | 19 Jun 2026
The London Museum’s new site will open in Smithfield, East London, on 28 November 2026. The new museum, designed by Asif Khan and Stanton Williams, alongside conservation architects Julian Harrap, will tell the story of London and its history, and will also act as a social space for residents and visitors. Items on permanent display will include the vest worn by King Charles I at his execution, Emmeline Pankhurst’s hunger
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by Liz Terry | 04 Jun 2026
Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has unveiled its design for Eve Music Hall in Čepin, eastern Croatia, as construction progresses towards completion ahead of the opening, which is scheduled for March 2027. The 10,000sq m venue is being developed as a new cultural, entertainment and events destination for the Slavonia region and is BIG's first completed project in Croatia, as well as its first completed music performance venue. Designed to accommodate
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by Liz Terry | 04 Jun 2026
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by Helen Andrews | 22 Jun 2026
Palazzo di Varignana, in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy, has created a new tailored health programme designed specifically for families. Families with young children can visit the 650-hectare estate, located near Bologna, to experience a retreat designed by the resort’s scientific director, Dr Annamaria Acquaviva. A dietitian and expert in mindfulness and longevity science, Acquaviva has created the programme to help children and teenagers build healthy and lasting habits.
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by Helen Andrews | 22 Jun 2026
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by Kath Hudson | 22 Jun 2026
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by Helen Andrews | 03 Jun 2026
Lithuanian care operator Addere Care has launched a “wellness care hospital” in Vilnius. It's the company’s second Lithuanian site, following a hospital in Trakai, but the first to offer professional medical care in a spa resort environment. The new 4,400sq m facility has been developed within a reconstructed former hotel. It features 160 rooms and a day care centre that can accommodate up to 12 patients at a time. The
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A proposed Puy du Fou development near Bicester and Universal Destinations and Experiences’ planned resort in Bedford are emerging as part of a wider transformation of the Oxford–Cambridge Growth Corridor into a major centre for UK leisure and tourism investment.
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All-inclusive eco-wellness development Auko to open near Vietnam’s Son Doong caves
by Helen Andrews | 28 May 2026
Auko, an all-inclusive development, is opening in Phong Nha in Vietnam in Q3 2026, with a series of 30 tented eco-lodges and wellness hospitality operations by Lumina Wellbeing. Van Phu Real Estate Development JSC owns the property, which is set along the Son River in the UNESCO-listed landscape of Phong Nha–Ke Bang National Park. The site borders the world’s largest cave system by volume (38.5 million cubic metres), the Son
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