The Greater Vancouver Zoo has passed through its review by the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA).

The accreditations are held every five years, and the zoo has passed after an inspection lasting several days in August, said zoo spokespeople.

The inspection included looking at animal health care, exhibits, educational programs, safety and security, research and conservation work, staff training, and finances.

The accreditation comes not long after the newest enclosure at the zoo opened.

Over the summer, the zoo's cougars were moved to a new, larger enclosure. Some of the

last of the old 1970s-era cages were torn down the same week. The expansion is part of a long process of upgrades that goes back to the 1990s.

During the middle of the last decade, the zoo lost its accreditation for several years.

In 2004, CAZA refused to renew the accreditation over concerns about the hippo barn housing Hazina, then a young animal.

In 2006, a new facility with a heated enclosure and indoor and outdoor pools for Hazina was finished, and the accreditation was returned within a few years.