Past ABMA Conferences

2019 Conference | Portland, OR

The 19th annual ABMA conference was held in Portland, OR 7-12 April 2019.

KEEP ABMA WILD! A Better Future For Wildlife Through Excellence In Behavior Management

The Oregon Zoo was our conference host and a site visit. The beautiful Benson Hotel in downtown Portland was the conference hotel. National Primate Research Center and Guide Dogs for the Blind were also site visits.

The ABMA donated $$ to the Xerces Society, which was the conservation partner for the 2019 Portland conference! A portion of every registration, at every conference, goes to our conservation partner for that year. Thank you for helping bees in 2019!

2019 Honors and Awards Travel Scholarship Winner:  This scholarship is awarded to an ABMA member whose institution is unable to give them financial support. The Travel Scholarship will help the award recipient by giving them the ability to present their work and it will help the organization by giving ABMA members the opportunity to hear presentations that the membership otherwise would not have the opportunity to hear and as such, the Travel Scholarship supports the ABMA Core Value of “Sharing the Knowledge”.  Evaluating Training: What we Learned and Where we are Going by Dr. Cathy Mingee, Busch Gardens Tampa and Brandi Taylor, Denver Zoo

Behavioral Management Achievement Award:   Recognizes an outstanding achievement in the application of behavior management techniques.  Creating a Positive Reinforcement Training Program for Former Dancing Bears in India by Mary Elizabeth Hampton, Little Rock Zoo

Behavioral Management Innovation Award: Recognizes outstanding application of novel, unusual or original behavior management technique.  The Husbandry in Healing a Galapagos Tortoise (Chelonoides nigra) After Leg Surgery by Lindsay Glass, Dallas Zoo

Animal Welfare Advancement Award:  Recognizes achievements that enhance animal welfare through specific environmental enrichment/conditioning techniques or programs.  Embrace The Bear: Utilizing Seasonality to Encourage Natural Behaviour by Jessie McInelly, San Diego Zoo

Sharing the Knowledge Award: Recognizes achievements in behavior management education to enhance the knowledge of professionals and/or the public to the benefit of animals in human care. Training for Euthanasia by Barbara Heidenreich, Barbara's Force Free Animal Training

Poster Presentation Award: Recognizes the best poster that represents an achievement in any of the above categories in this format. Evaluating Enrichment-Using Activity Budgets to Assess a Species-Specific Enrichment Program by Alison Kao, Lincoln Park Zoo

Impact award:  This award is chosen by all delegates at the end of the last formal presentation. Delegates may cast a vote for any paper, poster, or activity that they feel deserves special recognition. Ken Ramirez, Karen Pryor Clicker Training

2018 Conference | San Antonio, TX

The 18th annual ABMA conference was held in San Antonio, TX 9-13 April 2018.

History in the Making: The Future of Behavior Management and Its Role In Conservation

The San Antonio Zoo and Sea World San Antonio were co-hosts and our site visits during the conference. The Marriot near the famous Riverwalk was the conference hotel.

The ABMA donated $4000 to Bat Conservation International, which was the conservation partner for the 2018 San Antonio conference! Here is their check in front of Bracken Cave, just north of San Antonio. Bracken Cave is home to over 15 million Mexican free-tailed bats and is the world's largest bat colony. A portion of every registration, at every conference, goes to our conservation partner for that year. Thank you for helping bats in 2018!

2018 Honors and Awards Travel Scholarship Winner: This scholarship is awarded to an ABMA member whose institution is unable to give them financial support. The Travel Scholarship will help the award recipient by giving them the ability to present their work and it will help the organization by giving ABMA members the opportunity to hear presentations that the membership otherwise would not have the opportunity to hear and as such, the Travel Scholarship supports the ABMA Core Value of “Sharing the Knowledge”. Utilizing Training to Determine the Energetic Cost of Polar Bear Behaviors at the San Diego Zoo by Becky Wolf, San Diego Zoo

Behavioral Management Achievement Award: Recognizes an outstanding achievement in the application of behavior management techniques. Change in The Flight Plan: Giving Rescued Macaws a Choice by Emily Yunker, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Behavioral Management Innovation Award: Recognizes outstanding application of novel, unusual or original behavior management technique. Allowing Choice and Control Over Diet for Our Polar Bear at The Kansas City Zoo by Andrea O’Daniels, Kansas City Zoo

Animal Welfare Advancement Award: Recognizes achievements that enhance animal welfare through specific environmental enrichment/conditioning techniques or programs. The Quarantine Experience by Nicki Boyd, San Diego Zoo

Sharing the Knowledge Award: Recognizes achievements in behavior management education to enhance the knowledge of professionals and/or the public to the benefit of animals in human care. Opening the Barn Doors in a New Direction by Katie Stevens, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Poster Presentation Award: Recognizes the best poster that represents an achievement in any of the above categories in this format. Evaluating Enrichment-Using Activity Budgets to Assess a Species-Specific Enrichment Program by Alison Kao, Lincoln Park Zoo

Engage Award: The best article submitted for the year from the quarterly Animal Behavior Management Alliance magazine ENGAGE. In a Word, “Captivity” Kills by Mark Simmons, OERCA.com

Impact award: This award is chosen by all delegates at the end of the last formal presentation. Delegates may cast a vote for any paper, poster, or activity that they feel deserves special recognition. Thad Lacinak, Precision Behavior

2017 Conference | Cincinnati, OH

The 17th annual ABMA conference was held in Cincinnati, OH 24-28 April 2017.

Back to Basics: Crossing The Bridge Between Training and Conservation

The beautiful and historic Hilton Netherland Plaza was the conference hotel. The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden hosted the conference. Site visits included the host facility as well as the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and the Newport Aquarium.

2017 Honors and Awards Travel Scholarship Winner: This scholarship is awarded to an ABMA member whose institution is unable to give them financial support. The Travel Scholarship will help the award recipient by giving them the ability to present their work and it will help the organization by giving ABMA members the opportunity to hear presentations that the membership otherwise would not have the opportunity to hear and as such, the Travel Scholarship supports the ABMA Core Value of “Sharing the Knowledge”. Maria Florencia Presa from the Temaiken Foundation in Argentina was awarded the BMF Scholarship with her paper entitled “Improve Animal Welfare in Alouatta Caraya From Illegal Traffic".

Behavioral Management Achievement Award: Recognizes an outstanding achievement in the application of behavior management techniques. Thinking Outside the Shell For Conservation: Inspiring Zoo Guests By Training Behaviors In Tortoises For Public Encounters by Lauren Etzkorn, Columbus Zoo

Behavioral Management Innovation Award: Recognizes outstanding application of novel, unusual or original behavior management technique. Polar Bear Conservation Training At the Oregon Zoo by Sara Morgan, Amy Cutting, Nicole Nicassio, Amy Hash, Robert Draughon, Jen DeGroot; Oregon Zoo

Animal Welfare Advancement Award: Recognizes achievements that enhance animal welfare through specific environmental enrichment/conditioning techniques or programs. Let’s Get Physical: Physical Therapy Training For Two Otters With Metabolic Bone Disease by Christine Montgomery, Downtown Aquarium Denver

Sharing the Knowledge Award: Recognizes achievements in behavior management education to enhance the knowledge of professionals and/or the public to the benefit of animals in human care. Building Expertise: Something To Aspire To by Steve Martin, Natural Encounters, Inc.

Poster Presentation Award: Recognizes the best poster that represents an achievement in any of the above categories in this format. Training 0.2 Ostrich For An Annual Exam by Dan Turoczi, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Engage Award: The best article submitted for the year from the quarterly Animal Behavior Management Alliance magazine, Engage. Breeding or Education: Why not both? by Cathy Schlott, National Aviary

Impact award: This award is chosen by all delegates at the end of the last formal presentation. Delegates may cast a vote for any paper, poster, or activity that they feel deserves special recognition. Keynote Speaker- Megan Parker, PhD, Co-founder & Director of Research, Working Dogs for Conservation

2016 Conference | Tampa, FL

The 16th annual ABMA conference was held in Tampa, FL 18-22 April 2016.

Breaking Down Barriers: New Possibilities in Animal Welfare

The Tampa program was filled with a variety of engaging workshops and interesting presentations. You can view many of the conference presentations at animalprofessional.com. If you're an ABMA member you have complimentary access to the ABMA section on their website! For each annual conference, the ABMA donates a portion of your conference registration to a conservation organization that is affiliated with the conference for that year. This year, we put the power in your hands and allowed each attendee to choose one of three organizations to donate their registration portion to. Below are the final donation numbers! Guardian Angel Dog Rescue- $106 donated; Gopher Tortoise Council- $148 donated; Nature Conservancy-Florida Panther Land Acquisition- $241 donated.

2016 Honors and Awards Travel Scholarship Winner: This scholarship is awarded to an ABMA member whose institution is unable to give them financial support. The Travel Scholarship will help the award recipient by giving them the ability to present their work and it will help the organization by giving ABMA members the opportunity to hear presentations that the membership otherwise would not have the opportunity to hear and as such, the Travel Scholarship supports the ABMA Core Value of “Sharing the Knowledge”. Here and Now with Your Animal- Techniques to Improve the Mental Awareness of Trainers and So Enable More Effective Training by František Šusta and Petra Jaškówová; www.trainingisdialogue.com

Behavioral Management Achievement Award: Recognizes an outstanding achievement in the application of behavior management techniques. A Challenging Past With a Promising Future: Successful Management of African Great White Pelicans Through the Use of Operant Conditioning by Tiffany Burns, Heather Statz, and Brooke Bowersox; Clearwater Marine Aquarium

Behavioral Management Innovation Award: Recognizes outstanding application of novel, unusual or original behavior management technique. A Key to The Misunderstood Relationship Building With An Age -Old Predator by Nelly Rivera; Theater of the Sea

Animal Welfare Advancement Award: Recognizes achievements that enhance animal welfare through specific environmental enrichment/conditioning techniques or programs. When Enrichment Isn’t Helping: The Importance of Identifying the Function of Stereotypic Behaviors before Attempting to Modify Them by Sandy McPadden;The Buzz on Enrichment

Sharing the Knowledge Award: Recognizes achievements in behavior management education to enhance the knowledge of professionals and/or the public to the benefit of animals in human care. Changing a Perception: Improving Animal Welfare in Vietnam by Erin Ivory and Georgina Allen; Wild Welfare

Poster Presentation Award: Recognizes the best poster that represents an achievement in any of the above categories in this format. Paw Crate Pedicures with Amur Tigers by Celess Zinda; Oregon Zoo

Impact award: This award is chosen by all delegates at the end of the last formal presentation. Delegates may cast a vote for any paper, poster, or activity that they feel deserves special recognition. Killing Keiko: A Cautionary Tale of One Whale by Mark Simmons; Executive Vice President, Ocean Embassy, Inc. and Managing Partner, OERCA

2015 Conference | Denmark

The 15th annual ABMA conference was held in Denmark.

2014 Conference | Dallas, TX

The 14th annual ABMA conference was held in Dallas, TX 13-18 April 2014.

Getting to the Heart of Behavior Management in the Heart of Texas

Many thanks to our conference host, the Dallas Zoo! Our keynote speaker was Dr. Jesus Rosales-Ruiz from the University of North Texas, whose topic was Constructional Interactions Between Humans and Other Animals.
Dr. Sophia Yin, a veterinarian, applied animal behaviorist, and the author of many books, including Perfect Puppy in 7 Days, How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves, and Low Stress Handling, Restraint and Behavior Modification of Dogs & Cats (book and DVD), was our speaker for the Research and Evaluation Workshop. This was a two part workshop, entitled The Difference a Measure Makes: How Science and Practical Solutions Can Take Your Training to a New Level.
The pre-conference trip on Saturday 12 April was to Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose, TX. The post conference trip was to the Fort Worth Zoo on Saturday 19 April.

2013 Conference | Toronto, ON