A Z A ) ▁since ▁ 1 9 8 5 . ▁The ▁zoo ▁particip ates ▁in ▁the ▁A Z A ▁Re ci pro cal ▁Ad m issions ▁Program , ▁allowing ▁members ▁to ▁obtain ▁free ▁or ▁reduced ▁adm issions ▁at ▁many ▁other ▁American ▁zo os . ▁ ▁The ▁zoo ▁is ▁primarily ▁fund ed ▁by ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁Ab il ene ▁and ▁the ▁Ab il ene ▁Zo ological ▁Society . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁the ▁zoo ▁first ▁received ▁acc red itation ▁from ▁the ▁Association ▁of ▁Zo os ▁and ▁Aqu ari ums ▁( A Z A ). ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁$ 1 . 1 ▁million ▁was ▁raised ▁through ▁a ▁bond ▁issue ▁for ▁zoo ▁improvements . ▁This ▁bond ▁fund ed ▁converting ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Disc overy ▁Center ▁into ▁the ▁C ree py ▁C raw ly ▁Center , ▁exp ans ions ▁to ▁the ▁g ira ffe ▁exhib it ▁and ▁the ▁par king ▁lot , ▁and ▁creating ▁a ▁South ▁American ▁Tra ils ▁exhib it , ▁the ▁W et lands ▁Board walk , ▁and ▁the ▁El m ▁Creek ▁Back yard ▁exhib it . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁zo os ▁ele ph ants ▁died ▁at ▁age ▁ 4 9 ▁amid st ▁some ▁controvers y ▁over ▁conditions ▁for ▁the ▁ele ph ants ▁at ▁the ▁zoo , ▁and ▁the ▁other ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁the ▁Camer on ▁Park ▁Z oo ▁in ▁W aco , ▁Texas . ▁The ▁ele ph ant ▁exhib it ▁was ▁then ▁turned ▁into