The minimum zoo accreditation standards for Korean local zoos

World-class zoos have been recognized proponents of both animal welfare and wildlife conservation. The Korean zoos are in controversy over its existence, citing poor role performance. As one of the efforts to protect animals’ welfare and enhance wildlife conservation, leading zoos have been accredited through the inspections and evaluations. To improve the quality of Korean zoos, an accreditation standard that fits for Korean environment needs to be set. Out of various zoo accreditation standards around the world, we compared each category of all five publicly available accreditation standards; the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in the United States(AZA), Canada's Accredited Zoos and Aquarium(CAZA), European Association of Zoos and Aquaria(EAZA), Zoological Association of America(ZAA), and the Pan-African Association of Zoos and Aquariums(PAAZA). Based on the analysis result, we established 10 essential categories that were finally approved by the Focus group interview; animal welfare and care and management, veterinary care, conservation, education and interpretation, governing authority, staff, finance, physical facilities, safety and security, and master & strategy plan. This minimum zoo accreditation standards would enlighten the path to improve animal welfare and wildlife conservation of Korean local zoos.