Decatur's Scovill Zoo is working on their accreditation through the organization charged with overseeing the world's zoos and aquariums.

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums sets up a strenuous process for their accredited members to go through to keep their membership with them. According to Director of the Scovill Zoo, Ken Frye, they have been long at work in the process in prepartion of a summer accreditation in San Diego.

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According to Frye, they are analyzing everything from their policies to their animal plans. He says the application is so extensive it takes a long time to get everything prepared.

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Once all the paperwork for the application has been complete, Frye indicates an inspection team from the AZA comes to the zoo.

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The application process then ends when representatives from the zoo take to San Diego to meet with a panel that reviews their application and will ask them questions about it and make recommendations.

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Frye indicates he and his staff started on the application process very early because of how extensive it is.