Locals enjoyed the warm weather on Sunday at Charles Paddock Zoo in Atascadero, where officials hosted an event to celebrate a major milestone.
The zoo held a "Free After 3 pm!" open house on Sunday afternoon, offering guests complimentary admission and festivities in the Zoo Garden Event Center.
The event was organized in celebration of the zoo's five-year accreditation from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA), which is recognized as the global gold standard in animal care.
This achievement follows a rigorous review of the zoo's operations, including animal care, conservation efforts, and staff training.
Zoo director Dr. Cynthia Stringfield told KSBY how staff are feeling about the recent accomplishment.
“We're very, very excited," Stringfield said." "It's a reassurance to people, too, that we have the highest levels of animal welfare. What we're doing for conservation and our facilities meet that gold standard."
Stringfield added that only 10% of zoos worldwide meet the standards to achieve AZA's five-year accreditation.
