Aquarium rescue, rehabilitation and conservation work

Much of what an accredited aquarium does happens away from the exhibits: rescuing injured animals, funding conservation in the field, and studying how to protect species in the wild.

A child in a knit hat face to face with a walrus pressing its whiskers against the aquarium glass

How aquariums help rescue and rehabilitate sea turtles and manatees

Some animals in aquariums arrived because they were rescued and needed professional care. Accredited institutions work with government agencies to rescue and rehabilitate wildlife, including sea turtles and manatees.

Depending on the animal's condition and circumstances, rehabilitation may eventually lead to release.

Source: Association of Zoos & Aquariums, Accountability Within the AZA Accreditation Process.

A manatee swimming toward the camera through green-blue water

Sea turtle rescue by the numbers

Cold water is one of the biggest reasons sea turtles need rescue. Turtles can become cold stunned when the water falls below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and rescue teams move them to rehabilitation facilities to recover.

  • 6sea turtle species live in U.S. waters, and every one is protected under the Endangered Species Act
  • 600+cold-stunned sea turtles rescued from St. Joseph Bay, Florida, in February 2026
  • 12,000+sea turtles recovered in Texas in February 2021, the largest cold stun event in U.S. history

Sources: NOAA Fisheries, Sea Turtles and Rescuing Cold Stunned Sea Turtles in St Joseph Bay, Florida (2026); Association of Zoos & Aquariums, Sea Turtle Rescue (2021).

A sea turtle swimming near the surface of bright blue water

Where accredited aquariums spend on field conservation

AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums take part in projects that protect threatened species and habitats, carry out scientific research, and fund conservation work in the wild.

Their research covers animal biology, health, behavior, habitats and conservation, and it helps scientists understand species and how to protect them.

Sources: Association of Zoos & Aquariums, About Us and Conservation.

  • $230M+spent on field conservation every year
  • 800+species helped by those projects
  • 130countries where the projects take place

What AZA accreditation checks at an aquarium

Accreditation means expert review and a multi-day inspection. Inspectors examine these parts of an institution, among others.

  • Animal welfare
  • Veterinary care
  • Living environments
  • Nutrition
  • Conservation
  • Safety
  • Education

Every 5 years

The full review starts over

Accredited facilities go through the entire accreditation process again every five years.

At least yearly

Each animal's welfare is assessed

Animals at accredited institutions receive a welfare assessment at least once a year, covering health, nutrition, living environments, social groupings and enrichment that encourages natural behavior.

Sources: Association of Zoos & Aquariums, Accreditation and Becoming Accredited.

Simple ways to support marine conservation

None of these take more than a few minutes, and each one helps responsible aquariums do more of this work.

  1. Check accreditation before you visit

    Only about one in ten USDA-licensed animal exhibitors is AZA-accredited. AZA's Find a Zoo or Aquarium list names all 241 accredited institutions (September 2026) and can be searched by zip code.

  2. Ask about rescue and conservation

    Ask staff which animals the aquarium helps and which conservation projects it supports. The aquarium directory on this site already answers that for 16 aquariums and zoos.

  3. Correct a myth when you hear one

    Share what you learned here the next time someone says aquariums are only for entertainment.

Find out what each aquarium does

A directory of U.S. aquariums and the animals, rescue programs and conservation projects behind each one.

Open the aquarium directory

Sources

  1. Association of Zoos & Aquariums. Accountability Within the AZA Accreditation Process. aza.org.
  2. Association of Zoos & Aquariums. About Us. aza.org.
  3. Association of Zoos & Aquariums. Conservation. aza.org.
  4. Association of Zoos & Aquariums. Accreditation. aza.org.
  5. Association of Zoos & Aquariums. Becoming Accredited. aza.org.
  6. Association of Zoos & Aquariums. What Is Accreditation? aza.org.
  7. Association of Zoos & Aquariums. Find a Zoo or Aquarium Near Me. aza.org, September 2026.
  8. NOAA Fisheries. Sea Turtles. fisheries.noaa.gov.
  9. NOAA Fisheries. Rescuing Cold Stunned Sea Turtles in St Joseph Bay, Florida. fisheries.noaa.gov, 2026.
  10. Association of Zoos & Aquariums. Sea Turtle Rescue. aza.org, 2021.