Audubon to refer to Gulf of Mexico as 'Gulf of America' at aquarium, other exhibits

The Audubon Nature Institute is changing all references to the Gulf of Mexico at its exhibits and educational attractions to the Gulf of America, the latest organization to adopt the controversial new name given to the body of water by President Donald Trump.

Gulf of America will be used at all Audubon attractions, but will be most prominent at the Audubon Aquarium's popular Gulf exhibit, a 17-foot-deep, 400,000-gallon saltwater tank where sharks, sea turtles and massive sting rays swim around a barnacle-covered oil rig.

The name change was announced to the institute's employees in a memo dated Feb. 21, and comes as many companies, nonprofits and other organizations have been forced to wrestle with the name change since it was enacted by executive order on Trump's first day in office.

In the memo, Audubon President and CEO Michael Sawaya, who took the top job in January, and his longtime predecessor Ron Forman, who now serves as Audubon's chairman in conservation leadership, said there were several “compelling justifications” for making the change, including a desire to adhere to new guidelines established by the Geographic Names Information System, the federal government’s database of official place names in the U.S.

“Following GNIS for the exhibit name change not only supports standardization and educational efforts but also demonstrates Audubon Aquarium’s commitment to accuracy and collaborative engagement with the broader scientific and educational communities,” they said.

Scientific and educational communities have not uniformly adopted the new name, nor have media organizations. But some U.S. companies, news outlets and state and local governments have done so, including the state of Louisiana.

Institutions outside of the U.S. and international bodies have not changed the way they refer to the body of water, which has been known as the Gulf of Mexico for over 400 years.

The move is Sawaya’s first high-profile action since taking over from Forman, and could force him to navigate a partisan issue in his first months at the helm. Audubon, which is funded partially by property taxes in New Orleans, a deeply Democratic city in a Republican state, has tried in its half-century existence to remain apolitical and focused on its mission of educating families about animals, marine life and the natural environment.

Sawaya declined to comment on the rationale for the change beyond what was in the memo, but said in response to a written request for comment that he considered the decision to be an “operational issue” that did not require input from either of the two boards that govern Audubon.

The Audubon Nature Institute board oversees day-to-day operations at Audubon’s parks and attractions, while the Audubon Commission is a state-appointed board that oversees the organization’s finances.

Audubon Nature Institute Board Chair Ron Dumas did not respond to messages seeking comment. Forman did not respond to a request for comment.

Political controversy

In the memo to employees last month, Sawaya detailed several reasons for making the name change. Aligning with the new GNIS directive will “maintain consistency with official U.S. geographic names … thereby reducing confusion and enhancing recognition,” he said.

Using the official GNIS name, the memo said, “ensures that the information provided to the public is accurate and up to date.”

“As an institution dedicated to public education and engagement, the Audubon Aquarium benefits from using names that are recognized and endorsed by authoritative bodies like the GNIS,” the memo said.

The decision comes as Trump has threatened to withhold federal funding from organizations, universities and entities that do not adhere to the policy changes he has made in recent weeks through hundreds of executive orders. In one high-profile incident, the administration has sought to punish the Associated Press for not adopting the new name for the Gulf, barring it from presidential events for continuing to use Gulf of Mexico in its coverage.

Sawaya declined to comment on how much federal funding Audubon receives and whether the decision was politically motivated.

While Audubon does receive federal money, most of its approximately $50 million annual budget comes from state and local support, philanthropic dollars and programming fees. In 2022, it received $435,000 in federal funds to beef up security at Woldenberg Park and a $3 million grant for Woldenberg Park improvements, according to an annual report.

In the memo, Sawaya said Audubon will continue to focus on its mission of education.

“Regardless of our name, our dedication to showcasing the animals and environments of the Gulf, highlighting its importance to our seafood industry and economy and to rescuing and rehabilitating marine mammals and sea turtles who live there remains unchanged,” the memo said.