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2022
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Audubon Aquarium of the Americas and Audubon Zoo Win Top Spots in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards

Audubon Aquarium and Audubon Zoo Ranked 6th

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  • Macaw
  • Penguin
  • Orangutan Infant
  • Alligator Training
    Alligator training photographed Wednesday, May 8, 2019 at the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. Trainers work with “Tchompatoulas”, an adult white alligator, on target training. If the alligator correctly executes the movements they have been trained to do, they receive a reward of food. The white coloring of the gator is a result of leucism, a genetic abnormality similar to albinism.
  • Arnold
  • Clownfish
  • Flamingo
  • Jellyfish
    Jellyfish photographed at Audubon Aquarium of the Americas on November 2, 2017.

The votes are in and Audubon Aquarium of the Americas and Audubon Zoo are winners of the USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Travel Award contest.  

Both the Aquarium and the Zoo ranked 6th. The 20 nominees were hand-picked by a panel of travel experts, and nearly all are accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.  

“We’re thrilled to be honored by the most meaningful judges we could ask for—our guests,” said Audubon Nature Institute President and CEO Ron Forman. “We believe that every person who comes through our gates has the power to impact the natural world for the better, and we are committed to engaging and educating them about the wonders of nature and encouraging them to take action to protect them.”  

Follow the below links for the full list of winners! 

 Note from USA TODAY 10Best:   

"Aquariums let us explore hard-to-reach aquatic life from the world's oceans, lakes and waterways in a fun and educational setting. The best aquariums also play a vital role in animal conservation by taking part in rescue efforts and marine advocacy."  

"North America is home to hundreds of zoological parks, including more than 200 facilities accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Besides traveling around the world to see animals in their natural habitats, nothing beats a visit to the zoo to inspire an appreciation for the diversity of animals we have on our planet. We asked a panel of travel experts to nominate their favorite North American AZA-accredited zoos – facilities that excel in the fields of animal care and enrichment, while also facilitating meaningful interactions between animals and human visitors." 

Audubon Nature Institute

Audubon Nature Institute is a family of facilities, events, experiences, sustainability initiatives and conservation programs united in the belief that each of us has the power to impact nature and wildlife for the better. This includes Audubon Park, Audubon Zoo, Audubon Aquarium, Audubon Louisiana Nature Center, Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center, Woldenberg Riverfront Park and Audubon Wilderness Park. We inspire visitors, members and our community to support nature and wildlife — and leave the world better than we found it.