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Extreme Sports by Sean Finnigan

Extreme Sports by Richard Platt

Extreme Sports by Bobbie Kalman

Extreme Snowboarding by Kalman and MacAulay

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What's happening:
The idea of banning plastic straws as a means to reduce pollution has become an unexpected flashpoint of political debate in recent years. The conversation was reignited Wednesday during CNN's climate town hall with Democratic presidential candidates when Sen. Kamala Harris said she's in favor of banning them.

"We do need to ban the plastic ones," Harris said, adding that the country should "encourage innovation" in finding alternatives.

Cities like San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C., have prohibited the use of plastic straws. Several companies - including Disney, Starbucks and American Airlines - have announced plans to stop using them as well.
Why there's debate:
Supporters of straw bans say they are a simple step that can help reduce the massive amount of plastic waste in our oceans that can be harmful to marine life. Advocates also see the bans as a first step in a campaign to reduce single-use plastics and a means to compel consumers to think critically about the environmental impact of their buying decisions.

The bans have been criticized by environmentalists as coming up well short of what's needed to combat pollution, since straws make up only a tiny percentage of the detritus in the ocean. Focusing on small items like plastic straws, some argue, distracts us from addressing the more significant sources of pollution. "This is exactly what the fossil fuel industry wants us to talk about," Sen. Elizabeth Warren said during Wednesday's town hall.

Others say the bans are discriminatory against people with certain disabilities, who may not be able to use alternatives like metal or paper straws.

The bans are seen by some on the right as a cause championed by overzealous progressives. Defiant use of plastic straws has become a popular political statement among prominent conservatives, including the president.
What's next:
The campaign to reduce plastic waste has begun to move beyond straws. A number of states have banned plastic shopping bags. Several major hotel companies have announced they will stop using individual shampoo bottles. California's state legislature is considering a series of bills that would phase out single-use plastics entirely by 2030.

Perspectives
Banning plastic straws would be a symbolic gesture toward a greener future.
"This isn't about straws, it's about whether Americans are willing to evolve into better stewards of the natural world - or instead treat that very idea with contempt." - Miyoko Sakashita, The Hill
Plastic straws make up a tiny percentage of the waste in the ocean.
"There's no doubt plastic pollution is a major environmental threat. But there's also no doubt straws barely contribute to the massive plastic blobs gathering in our oceans." - David Whitley, Orlando Sentinel
The bans discriminate against people with disabilities.
"People with a huge range of disabilities depend on plastic straws to access beverages and the very water they need to survive. ... For so many people with disabilities, something as mundane as a straw represents independence and freedom." - Karin Hitselberger, Washington Post
Making straws available only by request is a better solution.
"Making plastic straws available only upon request will make a massive dent in the amount of plastic waste restaurants across the country produce. It will also demonstrate to new activists and environmental consumers that their voices matter, and they have the power to push for even larger reductions in plastic waste." - Juliana Britto Schwartz, Newsweek
Outright bans unnecessarily turn the issue into a heated political flashpoint.
"Consumers are also more likely to accept change, whether it concerns light bulbs or straws, when the heavy hand of the Nanny State isn't involved. Government bans tend to generate hoarding, public backlash and culture war mutterings about having to pry straws from cold, dead lips. " - Editorial, USA Today
A straw ban is too small to have much impact.
"If we want to stop covering the Earth in discarded plastic trash before the end of the century, we're going to have to stop addressing the problem with minuscule, penny-ante policies." - Editorial, Los Angeles Times
Taxing plastics has been proved to effectively limit how much they're used.
"Economics offers a straightforward answer: instead of banning single-use plastics, the right strategy is to tax them. Taxes force people to pay - or in econ-speak, internalize - their own environmental costs. This tends to lead people to change their behavior." - Scott Duke Kominers, Bloomberg
Straw bans are part of a broken liberal environmental agenda.
"Paper straws that turn to mush before you can finish your drink are a perfect symbol for failed leftist ideas. A quick examination of the claims about plastic straws reveals the intellectual mush that's behind so many of the left's short-sighted and foolish nanny-state proposals." - Angela Logomasini, Washington Examiner
Arguing over straws lets the true polluters avoid accountability.
"[Elizabeth] Warren's response speaks to how the fossil fuel industry and other corporate giants are eager to shift the framing of subjects like lightbulbs and paper straws, in order to put the focus on consumer choice and deflect from the larger issue of reducing pollution." - Li Zhou, Vox
Is there a topic you'd like to see covered in The 360? Send your suggestions to the360@yahoonews.com.

Read more 360s
Cover thumbnail photo illustration: Yahoo News photo illustration; photos: Getty Images

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Supporters of straw bans say they are a simple step that can help reduce the massive amount of plastic waste in our oceans that can be harmful to marine life. The bans are seen by some on the right as a cause championed by overzealous progressives.

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Sugar Overload (Used in Session 1 of WRITING)

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Sugar Overload (Used in Session 1 of WRITING)

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Flavored Milk = Tasty Nutrition (Used in Session 1 of WRITING)

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Flavored Milk = Tasty Nutrition (Used in Session 1 of WRITING)

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Schools May Ban Chocolate Milk Over Added Sugar

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Schools May Ban Chocolate Milk Over Added Sugar

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LOS ANGELES — Chocolate milk has long been seen as the spoonful of sugar that makes the medicine go down, but the nation's childhood obesity epidemic has a growing number of people wondering whether that's wise.

With schools under increasing pressure to offer healthier food, the staple on children's cafeteria trays has come under attack over the very ingredient that makes it so popular - sugar.

Some school districts have gone as far as prohibiting flavored milk, and Florida considered a statewide ban in schools. Other districts have sought a middle ground by replacing flavored milks containing high-fructose corn syrup with versions containing sugar, which some see as a more natural sweetener.

Los Angeles Unified, the nation's second-largest school district, is the latest district to tackle the issue. Superintendent John Deasy recently announced he would push this summer to remove chocolate and strawberry milk from school menus.

But nutritionists - and parents - are split over whether bans make sense, especially when about 70% of milk consumed in schools is flavored, mostly chocolate, according to the industry-backed Milk Processors Education Program.

Many, including the School Nutrition Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Dietetic Association, American Heart Association, and National Medical Association, argue that the nutritional value of flavored low-fat or skim milk outweighs the harm of added sugar.Milk contains nine essential nutrients including calcium, vitamin D and protein.

A joint statement from those groups points to studies that show kids who drink fat-free, flavored milk meet more of their nutrient needs and are not heavier than non-milk drinkers.

"Chocolate milk has been unfairly pegged as one of the causes of obesity," said Julie Buric, vice president of marketing for the Milk Processors Education Program.

Others note the nation's child obesity epidemic and say flavored milk simply needs to go.

Eight ounces of white milk served in Los Angeles public schools contains 14 grams of natural sugar or lactose; fat-free chocolate milk has an extra six grams of sugar for a total of 20 grams, while fat-free strawberry milk has a total of 27 grams - the same as eight ounces of Coca-Cola.

"Chocolate milk is soda in drag," said Ann Cooper, director of nutrition services for the Boulder Valley School District in Louisville, Colo., which has banned flavored milk. "It works as a treat in homes, but it doesn't belong in schools."

Flavored milk is also a target of British TV chef Jamie Oliver, who has made revamping school food a signature cause.

For a segment to be aired on his "Food Revolution" TV show, he recently filled a school bus with white sand to represent the amount of sugar Los Angeles Unified school children consume weekly in flavored milk.

"If you have flavored milk, that's candy," he said.

Oliver cheered Deasy's proposal to remove flavored milk from schools during a recent joint appearance on the "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" show.

If the school board adopts the ban, Los Angeles Unified would join districts including Washington and Berkeley, Calif.

But efforts by some other districts turned sour after children drank less milk. Milk consumption drops 35% when flavored milks are removed, according to the Milk Processors Education Program.

Cabell County, W.Va., schools brought chocolate milk back at the recommendation of state officials, and Fairfax County, Va., did the same after its dairy provider came up with a version sweetened with beet sugar rather than high-fructose corn syrup.

The Florida Board of Education also backed away from its proposed ban on chocolate milk after the state agricultural commissioner urged the board to look at all sugary food and beverages served in schools.

The Los Angeles district has worked with its dairy supplier on flavored versions using the sweetener Truvia and chicory, district spokesman Robert Alaniz said.

Cooper and others argued children will drink plain milk if that's what's offered.

"We've taught them to drink chocolate milk, so we can unteach them that," Cooper said. "Our kids line up for milk."

Boulder Valley hasn't been barraged with complaints since removing chocolate milk two years ago, but it hasn't tracked whether milk consumption has dropped, she said.

Parents line up on both sides of the issue.

Deborah Bellholt, a South Los Angeles mother, said none of her six children ranging from pre-school to high school age will drink plain milk. "By allowing kids flavored milk, they still get the calcium they need," she said. "If not, they'd bypass it."

But Mimi Bonetti, a suburban Los Angeles mother with two elementary school-age children who drink plain milk, said she gets angry that chocolate milk is portrayed as nutritious. Children can get calcium and other nutrients from other foods, she said.

"If you offer them the choice of chocolate or plain, of course they're going to choose chocolate," Bonetti said. "When you're telling kids that drinking chocolate milk is a healthy choice, it's sending the wrong message."

Ask kids, and most vote for chocolate. Suburban Los Angeles seventh-grader Nacole Johnson said plain milk tastes yucky. If there were no chocolate milk, "I wouldn't drink it," she saiad.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Schools may ban chocolate milk over added sugar - USATODAY.com

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Chocolate milk has long been seen as the spoonful of sugar that makes the medicine go down, but the nation's childhood obesity epidemic has a growing number of people wondering whether that's wise.

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3 Reasons Schools Should Ban Chocolate Milk

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3 Reasons Schools Should Ban Chocolate Milk

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Chocolate Milk and White Bread May Be Returning to School Cafeterias (about changes to school lunches in 2017)

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Chocolate Milk and White Bread May Be Returning to School Cafeterias (about changes to school lunches in 2017)

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Flavored milk is cow's milk with added flavoring and sweetener.

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A School Fight Over Chocolate Milk (article referred to during READING unit)

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A School Fight Over Chocolate Milk (article referred to during READING unit)

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With the same essential vitamins and nutrients found in white milk wrapped up in delicious flavor, TruMoo® chocolate milk is the perfect way to replenish after a big day of childhood fun.
Browse our products

If childhood had an official drink, it would be TruMoo Chocolate Milk.

TruMoo High Protein is the perfect balance of protein power and winning taste.

Real cocoa. No artificial flavors. The rich and creamy taste kids love.

Essential vitamins and no high fructose corn syrup, so it's a choice you can feel good about.

At TruMoo, we are all about making the most of childhood fun. And our chocolate milk is a delicious way for kids to replenish after an active day outdoors.

Real cocoa. No artificial flavors. The rich and creamy taste kids love.

Essential vitamins and no high fructose corn syrup, so it's a choice you can feel good about.

At TruMoo, we are all about making the most of childhood fun. And our chocolate milk is a delicious way for kids to replenish after an active day outdoors.

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Great flavors, essential vitamins & nutrients, TruMoo has everything kids need to replenish after a day of play.

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Dairy milk is a whole food, providing 13 essential nutrients that play an important role in growth and development. Both adults and children can benefit from consuming dairy foods like milk, yogurt and cheese as part of a healthy eating pattern. Despite the many benefits of dairy foods, popular misconceptions promote underconsumption of the essential nutrients found in these foods. The combination of nutrients with their unique interactions in milk, yogurt and cheese enhances the quality of eating patterns and contributes to optimal health.

Nutrients in Milk

Milk contains calcium, vitamin D and potassium-three of the four nutrients that the U.S. Department of Agriculture deems underconsumed by most Americans. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that individuals ages 9 and older consume three servings of milk, cheese or yogurt each day; children between 4 and 8 years old should consume 2½ cups each day. Additionally, milk and water should be the main beverages for children ages 1-5 years old.

Milk is recognized for its important role in building and maintaining strong bones. The human body doesn't work with one nutrient at a time; rather, a combination of nutrients working together positively affects health and body systems. Milk and dairy foods provide the right amount of bone-building nutrients, specifically calcium, vitamin D, protein, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, vitamin B12 and zinc.

Lactose-free Milk

Drinking milk can be an issue for those with lactose intolerance. Milk is typically digested with the help of a digestive enzyme called lactase, which breaks the lactose molecule into two smaller parts-glucose and galactose. If the lactose is not broken down, people can experience uncomfortable symptoms after consuming dairy foods.

A lactose intolerance diagnosis can lead to restriction or elimination of dairy foods. Yet inadequate intake of dairy foods often leads to vitamin D and calcium deficiencies, both of which have been linked to low bone mineral density and higher risk of bone fracture and osteoporosis.

Fortunately, people can enjoy the health benefits of dairy by consuming lactose-free milk. Lactose-free milk has two characteristics that make it different from milk: the enzyme lactase is added to the milk and the lactose molecules in milk are split into their simpler form. Both of these processes aid in digestion. Lactose-free milk is a great way for people with lactose intolerance to enjoy the taste and benefits of drinking milk-without the discomfort.

Milk and Added Sugars

Sugars are not added to fat-free, low-fat, reduced-fat or whole milk. The sugars listed on the label refer to the natural sugars (primarily lactose) found in plain milk.

The nutrient content of chocolate and other flavored milk is similar to that of plain milk, but with added sugars or sugar substitutes. Consumers should look at the food label to determine the number of grams of added sugars in flavored milk.

Health Benefits of Milk

The nutrients in milk make it an important addition to a healthy eating pattern. Milk is a component of the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet designed to reduce the risk of high blood pressure. This diet, which includes three servings a day of low-fat and fat-free milk, yogurt and cheese and eight to 10 servings daily of fruits and vegetables, has also been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Milk produced in California abides by higher nutritional standards, exceeding the federal standards for protein, calcium and other nutrients. California milk producers accomplish this by fortifying milk with fat-free milk solids that improve taste and add nutritional benefits. Fortification is crucial in bridging common nutrient shortfalls, specifically of calcium, which is especially important for children and adolescents.

REFERENCES

US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES; US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 2015-2020 DIETARY GUIDELINES FOR AMERICANS. 8TH ED. WASHINGTON, DC: US DEPT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES; 2015. HTTPS://HEALTH.GOV/DIETARYGUIDELINES/2015/GUIDELINES/. ACCESSED NOVEMBER 4, 2019.

PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS. HEALTHY DRINKS, HEALTHY KIDS WEBSITE, A PROJECT OF HEALTHY EATING RESEARCH. HTTPS://HEALTHYDRINKSHEALTHYKIDS.ORG/PARENTS/. ACCESSED NOVEMBER 4, 2019.

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Dairy milk is a whole food, providing 13 essential nutrients that play an important role in growth and development. Both adults and children can benefit from consuming dairy foods like milk, yogurt and cheese as part of a healthy eating pattern.

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Chocolate Milk Gets Nutritionists' Gold Star

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Chocolate Milk Gets Nutritionists' Gold Star

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Chocolate milk gets nutritionists’ gold star

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Not surprisingly, dairy industry groups advocate consumption of milk and other dairy products, especially as part of school meals. But state and other nationwide health and nutrition groups also enthusiastically back the benefits of low-fat and no-fat and flavored milks.

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You know vitamins and minerals are good for you. But what does your body really need? And is it possible to get too much of a good thing?

What Are Vitamins and Minerals?

Your body needs vitamins and minerals to work properly. You get them from the foods you eat every day.

Vitamins fall into two categories: fat soluble and water soluble (pronounced: SAHL-yuh-bul):

The fat-soluble vitamins - A, D, E, and K - dissolve in fat and are stored in your body.

The water-soluble vitamins - C and the B-complex vitamins (such as vitamins B6, B12, niacin, riboflavin, and folate) - dissolve in water. Your body can't store these vitamins. Any B or C vitamins that your body doesn't use travels through the bloodstream and is lost (mostly when you pee). So you need a fresh supply of these vitamins every day.

Vitamins are organic substances, which means they're made by plants or animals. Minerals are inorganic elements that come from soil and water, and are absorbed by plants or eaten by animals. Your body needs larger amounts of some minerals, such as calcium, to grow and stay healthy. Other minerals like chromium, copper, iodine, iron, selenium, and zinc are called trace minerals because you need only very small amounts of them.

What Do Vitamins and Minerals Do?

Vitamins and minerals boost the immune system, support normal growth and development, and help cells and organs do their jobs. For example, you've probably heard that carrots are good for your eyes. It's true! Carrots are full of substances called carotenoids (pronounced: kuh-RAH-teh-noydz) that your body converts into vitamin A, which helps prevent eye problems.

Vitamin K helps blood to clot, so cuts and scrapes stop bleeding quickly. You'll find vitamin K in green leafy vegetables, broccoli, and soybeans. And to have strong bones, you need to eat foods such as milk, yogurt, and green leafy vegetables, which are rich in the mineral calcium.

How Do I Get the Vitamins and Minerals I Need?

Eating well now is especially important because the body needs a variety of vitamins and minerals to grow and stay healthy.

Eating a mix of foods is the best way to get all the vitamins and minerals you need each day. Fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, lean meats, fish, and poultry are the best choices for getting the nutrients your body needs.

When deciding what to eat, check food labels and pick items that are high in vitamins and minerals. For example, when choosing drinks, you'll find that a glass of milk is a good source of vitamin D, calcium, phosphorous, and potassium. A glass of soda, on the other hand, doesn't have any vitamins or minerals.

You can also satisfy your taste buds without sacrificing nutrition while dining out: vegetable pizzas or fajitas, sandwiches with lean cuts of meat, fresh salads, and baked potatoes are just a few delicious, nutritious choices.

If you're a vegetarian, you'll need to plan carefully for a diet that includes the vitamins and minerals you need. The best sources for the minerals zinc and iron are meats, fish, and poultry. But you can get these from dried beans, seeds, nuts, and leafy green vegetables like kale.

Vitamin B12 is important for making red blood cells and keeping nerves working well. It is found only in animal products. If you don't eat meat, you can get vitamin B12 from eggs, milk and other dairy foods, and fortified breakfast cereals. Vegans (vegetarians who eat no animal products at all, including dairy products) may need to take vitamin B12 supplements.

Should I Take a Supplement?

Lots of people wonder if they should take vitamin or mineral supplements. If your diet includes a wide variety of foods - including whole-grain products, fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, nuts, seeds, eggs, and meats - you probably get the vitamins and minerals your body needs.

There are many supplements on the market, and of course their makers want you to buy them. Beware of unproven claims about the benefits of taking more than recommended amounts of any vitamin or mineral. Healthy teens usually don't need supplements if they eat a well-rounded diet.

Check with your doctor before taking vitamin or mineral supplements. Just because something is good for you doesn't mean that more is better. Some vitamins and minerals can cause health problems if you get too much of them.

Talk to your doctor or a dietitian if you're skipping meals, dieting, are a picky eater, or have any concerns about your diet. They can answer your questions and help you create a healthy eating plan that includes the nutrients your body needs.

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Vitamins and minerals are nutrients that the body needs to work properly. They boost the immune system, promote normal growth and development, and help cells and organs do their jobs.

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When people talk about the calories in food, what do they mean? A calorie is a unit of measurement - but it doesn't measure weight or length. A calorie is a unit of energy. When you hear something contains 100 calories, it's a way of describing how much energy your body could get from eating or drinking it.

Are Calories Bad for You?

Calories aren't bad for you. Your body needs calories for energy. But eating too many calories - and not burning enough of them off through activity - can lead to weight gain.

Most foods and drinks contain calories. Some foods, such as lettuce, contain few calories (1 cup of shredded lettuce has less than 10 calories). Other foods, like peanuts, contain a lot of calories (½ cup of peanuts has over 400 calories).

Some people watch their calories if they are trying to lose weight. Most kids don't need to do this, but all kids can benefit from eating a healthy, balanced diet that includes the right number of calories - not too many, not too few. But how do you know how many calories you need?

How Many Calories Do Kids Need?

Kids come in all sizes and each person's body burns energy (calories) at different rates, so there isn't one perfect number of calories that every kid should eat. But there is a recommended range for most kids between 6 and 12 years old: 1,600 to 2,200 per day, depending on how active they are.

When they reach puberty, girls need more calories than before, but they tend to need fewer calories than boys. As boys enter puberty, they may need as many as 2,500 to 3,000 calories per day, especially if they are very active. But whether they are girls or boys, kids who are active and move around a lot need more calories than kids who don't.

If you eat more calories than you need, the body changes extra calories to fat. Too much fat can lead to being overweight and other health problems. Only your doctor can say if you are overweight, so check with him or her if you're concerned. And never go on a diet without talking to your doctor!.

High-calorie foods - such as sugary sodas, candy, and fast food - quickly add up to too many calories. Instead, eat a healthy, balanced diet. Exercising and playing are really important, too, because physical activity burns calories.

How the Body Uses Calories

Your body needs calories just to operate - to keep your heart beating and your lungs breathing. As a kid, your body also needs calories and nutrients from a variety of foods to grow and develop. And you burn off some calories without even thinking about it - by walking your dog or making your bed.

But it is a great idea to play and be active for an 1 hour or more every day. That means time spent playing sports, playing outside, or riding your bike. It all adds up. Being active every day keeps your body strong and can help you maintain a healthy weight.

Watching TV and playing video games won't burn many calories at all, which is why you should limit those activities to no more than 2 hours per day. A person burns only about 1 calorie per minute while watching TV, about the same as sleeping!

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You've probably heard about calories. Are they good or bad for you? Find out in this article for kids.

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Got Milk? More and More People Saying No

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Got Milk? More and More People Saying No

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Greatness is built with chocolate milk, the official beverage of high school sports in Ohio and West Virginia.

We're proud to partner with the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) and West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission (WVSSAC) because they recognize that being active and enjoying healthy foods, like low fat chocolate milk, helps students feel their best and be at the top of their game.

Together, we're inspiring student athletes to power their potential through our Built With Chocolate Milk campaign, which harnesses the credibility of well-known athletes and sound science to promote chocolate milk.

Fueling Student Athletes

Chocolate milk has the nutrition athletes need after sporting events and practices. It provides nine essential nutrients, including some not typically found in recovery drinks, and is a natural source of high-quality protein to build and repair muscle.

Chocolate milk contains the right carb-to-protein ratio scientifically shown to rebuild exhausted muscles. It provides fluids to rehydrate by delivering electrolytes such as calcium, potassium, sodium and magnesium to replenish what's lost in sweat. Chocolate milk also has vitamins and minerals to help build and maintain strong bones, essential in reducing the risk for stress fractures.

And, enjoying low fat chocolate milk is a delicious way to help all students, parents and fans get their three servings of dairy needed each day, as recommended by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

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Built with Chocolate Milk - Drink-Milk.com

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Greatness is built with chocolate milk, the official beverage of high school sports in Ohio and West Virginia. We're proud to partner with the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) and West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission (WVSSAC) because they recognize that being active and enjoying healthy foods, like low fat chocolate milk, helps students feel their best and be at the top of their game.

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Sugary Drinks can be Unhealthy, but is Cow's Milk Unhealthy too?

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Sugary Drinks can be Unhealthy, but is Cow's Milk Unhealthy too?

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Chocolate Milk: More Harmful than Healthful

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Chocolate Milk: More Harmful than Healthful

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Schools may ban chocolate milk over added sugar

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Schools may ban chocolate milk over added sugar

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Flavored Milk: Frequently Asked Questions

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Flavored Milk: Frequently Asked Questions

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I Want to Be a Zookeeper by Dan Liebman

Saving Animal Babies by Amy Shields

Who Scoops Elephant Poo? Working at a Zoo by Margie Markarian

Should there be zoos?: A Persuasive Text by Tony Stead

My Visit to the Zoo by Aliki

Zoo by Gail Gibbons

Out of the Lab Extreme Jobs in Science: Zoologists and Ecologists by Ruth Owen

Fur, Fins, and Feathers: Abraham Dee Bartlett and the Invention of the Modern Zoo by  Cassandre Maxwell

What's New? The Zoo! A Zippy History of Zoos by Kathleen Krull

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Back to Animals

A zoo can be an awesome place to see animals first hand and learn about what they eat, their habits, environment, and all sorts of other interesting facts about animals. Another name for a zoo is zoological garden.

Today zoos are becoming better and better places for animals. In the past some zoos were somewhat cruel to animals. Placing animals in environments they were not suited for and often not keeping the animal's best interest in mind. However, today many zoos do wonderful work in animal research and take great care of their animals.

Photo by Ducksters

Some good things that many Zoos do today include:

Acting as sanctuaries for endangered animals. They provide a safe environment for animals that are being threatened by changes in the environment. Often zoos will work to breed and maintain endangered animal populations. Sometime animals are nearly extinct in the wild and the only place they survive is in zoos.

Education on wildlife. Zoos provide a great opportunity for us to learn more about creatures from distant lands.

Research on wildlife and how we can help animals survive radical changes. Zoos do veterinary medicine research as well.

Today's modern zoos house animals in enclosures that are similar to the animal's natural habitat. This can include buildings made for nocturnal animals where they are bright at night, so the animals can sleep, and dark during the day, so zoo visitors can see the animals moving about. Also, climates are controlled in some zoo enclosures for animals like penguins and polar bears. Many zoos have great open spaces as well where animals may graze together. Some zoos have an area where you can take a mini-safari or ride around in a truck or bus to hopefully see the animals up close.

Perhaps the most famous zoo is the San Diego Zoo in Southern California. Many modern zoo practices were pioneered at the San Diego Zoo. The largest zoo in number of animals is the Bronx Zoo with over 6000 animals. The largest zoo in land size is the North Carolina Zoo with 535 acres.

Photo by Ducksters

Seeing an elephant, giraffe, lion, polar bear, penguins, seals, or other incredible creatures at the zoo can be an amazing experience. Be sure to check out your local zoo and get the opportunity to see some awesome animals and learn more about nature.

Another great place to see animals, similar to a zoo, is at an aquarium. Most states have an aquarium where they display all sorts of fish and some sea mammals.More on endangered species:
Amphibians in Danger
Endangered Animals
How Animals Become Extinct
Wildlife Conservation
Zoos

Back to Animals

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Learn about the zoo. History and types of zoological gardens. List of Zoos with interesting animals.

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How do you feel about keeping animals in zoos? Read both sides of the argument to help you decide.

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Some Clever Chimps Stage Escape at Kansas City Zoo

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Some Clever Chimps Stage Escape at Kansas City Zoo

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Newsela | Some clever chimps stage escape at Kansas City Zoo

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It took a branch, a wall, and a smart chimpanzee ringleader to cause a "Code Red" at the zoo.

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Dogs Work With Elephants at Pittsburgh Zoo

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Dogs Work With Elephants at Pittsburgh Zoo

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Fall is Pumpkin Time — Even for Zoo Animals!

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Fall is Pumpkin Time — Even for Zoo Animals!

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Zoos Step in to Help Save Wild Animals Around the World

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Zoos Step in to Help Save Wild Animals Around the World

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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About the Association of Zoos and Aquariums

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About the Association of Zoos and Aquariums

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The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation. AZA represents more than 235 facilities in the United States and overseas, which collectively draw more than 200 million visitors every year. AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums meet the highest standards in animal care and welfare and provide a fun, safe, and educational family experience. In addition, they dedicate millions of dollars annually to support scientific research, conservation, and education programs.

Leaders in Animal Care and Welfare

AZA is the independent accrediting organization for the best zoos and the best aquariums in America and the world, assuring the public that when they visit an AZA-accredited facility, it meets the highest standards for animal care and welfare. Less than 10 percent of the 2,800 wildlife exhibitors licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture under the Animal Welfare Act meet the more comprehensive standards of AZA accreditation. The highly trained professionals at AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums provide excellent care for more than 800,000 animals, making them the leading experts in animal care and welfare. Learn more about our accreditation standards.

Leaders in Conservation

Conservation is a priority for AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums and a key part of their mission to save species from extinction. Every year, AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums spend $230 million on field conservation alone, supporting projects benefitting more than 800 species in 130 countries. To date, the AZA Conservation Grants Fund has provided $7.7 million in support for 400+ projects worldwide. Read more about AZA's conservation initiatives.

AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums are leaders in the protection of threatened and endangered species. Through AZA SAFE: Saving Animals from Extinction, the entire AZA-accredited zoo and aquarium community is focusing our conservation science, wildlife expertise, and outreach to millions of annual visitors on saving species in the wild. The AZA Species Survival Plan® (SSP) program is a cooperative animal management, breeding, and conservation effort that works to ensure genetically diverse, self-sustaining populations of more than 500 species of animals.

Leaders in Conservation Education

As centers for conservation, AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums provide the public with essential connections to the natural world. More than 50 million visitors to AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums are children, making accredited zoos and aquariums essential to science and environmental education. AZA-accredited facilities train 40,000 teachers every year, supporting state science curricula with teaching materials and hands-on opportunities for students who might otherwise have no first-hand experience with wildlife. In fact, there is growing evidence that aquariums and zoos are highly effective at teaching people about science and connecting them to the natural world. Read more about our education programs.

Leaders in Professional Excellence

AZA is dedicated to providing our members with the resources they need to be the best in our profession. AZA facilitates cooperative animal care and conservation programs, hosts two conferences a year, offers numerous networking and professional development opportunities, and much more. Learn more about the benefits of AZA membership.

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About Us | Association of Zoos & Aquariums

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Members of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums provide for more than 800,000 animals in more than 100 countries. Learn more about AZA and our mission to provide animal care resources, opportunities to engage with wildlife conservation, and industry standards for member zoos and aquariums.

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Zoo Orders Huge Shoes for One of Its Elephants

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Zoo Orders Huge Shoes for One of Its Elephants

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Bei Bei (bay-bay) the giant panda is now over 60 pounds-and growing! But he wasn't always so giant. The one-year-old cub, which lives at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., was about the size of a stick of butter when he was born. Cared for by zookeepers and his mom, Mei Xiang (may-SHONG), Bei Bei has spent the last several months going through a major growth spurt.

At birth Bei Bei was blind, furless, and weighed less than a third of a pound. Within 48 hours, white fur began to grow on parts of his wrinkly skin. Two weeks later, dark fur started cover the rest of his body.

Up until then, Bei Bei's mom had been cuddling with the infant almost nonstop to keep him toasty. But Bei Bei's new coat kept him warm enough to allow Mei Xhang to slip out of her den for food breaks. Mei Xhang was never gone for long though. Whenever Bei Bei called out, she quickly returned to nuzzle or nurse the infant.

Bei Bei is now in basic training, learning to come when keepers call to him. Next he'll master standing, lying down, presenting his paws, and opening his mouth on command-all actions that will make it easier for veterinarians and zookeepers to give Bei Bei checkups.

Before long the cub will stop drinking his mother's milk and eat nothing but bamboo. But even as he grows, he'll stay with his mom for another two years. By the time he's four years old, Bei Bei will weigh about 250 pounds. At that point he'll move to a panda reserve in China, where he'll enter a breeding program to help his species survive. No wonder this panda is such a big deal!
Text from "Exclusive: Watch Bei Bei the Zoo Panda Cub Grow Up" by Jennifer S. Holland for National Geographic News, adapted by Allyson Shaw, NG Staff

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See pictures and read about Bei Bei the giant panda cub on National Geographic Kids.

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Real sanctuaries are safe, comfortable places for animals to live after they've been rescued from not-so-nice places like circuses or laboratories. People can sometimes visit these sanctuaries, which is an awesome way to learn about and see animals without supporting businesses that hurt them, like roadside zoos or wildlife parks. Roadside zoos and wildlife parks use animals to make money. It's confusing because they sometimes call themselves "sanctuaries" or "rescues" to bring in more customers, because they know that people don't want to visit roadside zoos, but they're being dishonest when they do that.

It's important not to get these horrible places confused with actual sanctuaries. But how can you tell the difference? It's easy! There are a few simple questions you can ask about a place to figure out whether it's helping or hurting animals the animals who live there.

You can find answers to these questions by browsing a facility's website and social media pages (your parents can help):

1. How are animals housed?

Real sanctuaries make sure that an animal's living space is as close to their natural habitat as possible. Animals should live with others of their own kind so they can have friends. It's mean to keep them all alone in small, dirty pens with concrete floors and nothing to do-and you should stay away from places like that.

2. What kinds of activities do the animals get to do?

The animals' living area should have lots of ways for them to play and enjoy themselves! For example, there should be a large structure for chimpanzees to climb on, water for bears to soak and splash in, and large fields for roaming and exploring. Animals need these things if they're going to be healthy, happy, and comfortable.

Animals should also live with others of the same species so they can communicate with each another easily and form relationships and groups. In many sanctuaries, the animals who already live there help teach the newcomers how to get back in touch with their natural instincts and enjoy life again.

3. How big is the facility?

Animals should be given enough space to explore, roam, climb, and forage. And a real sanctuary NEVER takes the animals out of the facility to show them off.

4. Are visitors allowed to touch or hold the animals?

True wild-animal sanctuaries (with big cats, bears, primates, or wolves) NEVER allow visitors to touch or hold the animals, even babies, and that includes taking photos with them. This would be scary for the animals and dangerous to the visitors, too!

5. Where did the animals come from?

The animals who live there probably came from a place where they were mistreated, so they have a sad and painful past. The staff will want to share each animal's story so that visitors can learn about the various places that hurt animals (like laboratories, circuses, and roadside zoos). Real sanctuaries provide animals with a permanent home for the rest of their life. They NEVER trade, borrow, or loan animals.

6. Does the facility breed animals?

Sanctuaries NEVER breed animals, meaning that they don't make any of the animals have babies. Places that do breed animals are using them to make money-that's not right, and that's not a sanctuary.

7. What is it like to visit a sanctuary?

Most sanctuaries only allow very limited visits. Usually a guide takes people on a small tour of the place and doesn't let them walk around by themselves.

8. Is it accredited?

True sanctuaries are accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS), a group that makes sure sanctuaries follow strict rules to protect the animals who live there, like the ones listed above.
*****
All living, feeling beings deserve a comfortable place to live where people aren't always staring at them. A true sanctuary puts the needs and wants of the animals first. So if you care about animals, NEVER visit a roadside zoo or a wildlife park, and explain to your friends and family why places like that are bad for animals!

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8 Ways to Tell a REAL Sanctuary From a Roadside Zoo | PETA Kids

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Roadside zoo or animal sanctuary? This list will explain the difference-so you can figure out if a place is hurting or helping animals.

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NC Zoo’s ‘Adoption’ Program Benefits Animals, Zookeeper Training

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NC Zoo’s ‘Adoption’ Program Benefits Animals, Zookeeper Training

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This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

The N.C. Zoo is one of only two state-operated zoos in the country. While more than 60 percent of its operating budget comes from the state, all of its conservation, research and education programs - and even the animals exhibited at the park - are purchased with private funds raised by the North Carolina Zoological Society.

Karen Brown with the Zoo Society says the "Adopt an Animal" program features a list of animals that can be "adopted" for a year.

Those who "adopt" an animal get a certificate, a photo of the animal and a fact sheet about the species.

Funds raised through the program benefit the Zoo's Animal Enrichment Program, which allows the Zoo to pay for additional training for zookeepers as well as purchase treats for the animals.

Some of the most popular animals for "adoption" are the African elephant, the polar bear, the zebra, the giraffe and the chimpanzee.

For more information about "adopting" zoo animals, visit nczoo.com or call the Zoo Society at (336) 879-7250.

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NC Zoo's 'adoption' program benefits animals, zookeeper training

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The N.C. Zoo is one of only two state-operated zoos in the country. While more than 60 percent of its operating budget comes from the state, all of its conservation, research and education programs - and even the animals exhibited at the park - are purchased with private funds raised by the North Carolina Zoological [...]

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Smithsonian’s National Zoo: We Save Species

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Smithsonian’s National Zoo: We Save Species

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Smithsonian's National Zoo: We Save Species

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Extreme Sports Facts

Check out our range of extreme sports facts.

Learn about the summer and winter X Games, different types of extreme sports, the surfaces and environments such as water, land, snow and air, as well as lots more interesting facts and information.

Extreme sports, sometimes called action sports or adventure sports, do not have an exact definition but are generally considered to be activities that are seen as having a high level of potential danger.

Extreme sports often involve high speeds, dangerous heights, the requirement for a high level of specialist technical skill, and highly specialized gear or equipment.

Success in extreme sports usually involves judging panels scoring athletes based on visual and technical criteria and completion of a 'trick'.

Height based extreme sports include Bungee jumping, skydiving, BASE jumping, paragliding and hang gliding.

Water based extreme sports include scuba diving, windsurfing, kitesurfing, wakeboarding surfing, whitewater kayaking and rafting.

Wheel based extreme sports include BMX, skateboarding, mountain biking, inline skating, rally car and motocross.

Winter based extreme sports include skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobile.

Cliff and cave based extreme sports include rock climbing, ice climbing, caving, free diving, mountaineering and cave diving.

The X Games are an annual extreme sports event, organized by the U.S. sports broadcaster ESPN. Participants compete to win gold, silver, and bronze medals along with prize money.

The first Summer X Games were held in 1995 in Newport, Rhode Island. The first Winter X Games were held in 1997 at Mountain Resort, Big Bear Lake, California.

X Games are typically held in the USA. The winter games are held in January or February and the summer games are usually held in August.

X Games have also been held in Asia since 1998 and Europe since 2010.

The X Games competitions often makes heroes of those athletes who are talented and brave enough to pull of a new and exciting 'trick' such as Tony Hawk's 900 in skateboarding, Travis Pastrana's double backflip in freestyle motocross, Heath Frisby's first snowmobile front flip or snowboarder Torstein Horgmo's triple flip.

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Extreme Sports Facts - Information About X Games, Action Sports & More

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Extreme Sports Facts Check out our range of extreme sports facts. Learn about the summer and winter X Games, different types of extreme sports, the surfaces and environments such as water, land, snow and air, as well as lots more interesting facts and information.

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Is your kid obsessed with becoming the next X Games star, Olympic medalist, or YouTube stuntman? Young kids often have no fear when it comes to taking risks, but are extreme sports like dirt bike riding and bungee jumping dangerous for kids?
Related: Sports Safety Tips for Your Child
Though traditional sports like football, basketball, and hockey aren't exactly going out of style, the world of extreme sports is growing in popularity. Kids and adults alike are participating in increasing numbers in these risky-if not sometimes downright dangerous-sports. But why?

From skateboarding and snowboarding to BMX biking and rock climbing, pop culture and social media have collided to amp up physical activity and make super-sized stunts seem like the norm. Long gone are the days when peer pressure from classmates, neighbors or older sibs drove younger children to drop into a half-pipe or launch their bike off a crazy incline.

Today's kiddos are also influenced by...well, influencers. YouTube stars, TikTok creators, and even Olympic athletes have turned extreme sports from something that only the wildest child would attempt to everyday activities.

If your littles are begging to do extreme sports and you're totally new to these types of activities, read on for more info on the risks, benefits, times to encourage your kiddo, and when to flat out say a big 'ol, " NO."

Extreme Sports Growing More Popular with Kids

Some kids are happier riding their skateboards than dealing with the structure of soccer practice. Others like cruising around on their BMX bikes until their legs just quit, surfing themselves silly, or spending the entire weekend learning new tricks on their inline skates.

Of course, young kids are also attracted to extreme sports because they're cool. And who doesn't like being on the cutting edge? Snowboarding, the bad-boy little brother of skiing, was legitimized by sports traditionalists when it became an official Olympic event at the 1998 Nagano Games.

Fast-forward to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (which were actually held in 2021 thanks to the pandemic) and skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing became legit gold, silver, and bronze events!

Studies Show Fewer Kids Are Joining School Sports Teams

Have the days of dribbling a ball down a court or passing a puck gone the way of the dinosaurs? According to stats from Project Play, in 2021 the most popular youth sports for children ages six through 12 were bicycling, basketball, and baseball. Even though more than 5.2 million children biked in 2021, this was a significant change from way back in 2008.

The Project Play statistics show that only 18 percent of children reported bicycling in 2021, while a whopping 27.7 percent got active on two wheels in 2008.

Basketball team play dropped from 16.6 percent to 14.5 percent participation and baseball from 16.5 percent to 12.6 percent between 2008 and 2021. The number of children playing other popular team sports, such as soccer, tackle football, and flag football, also dropped during the same time frame.

Basketball is Less Popular But Bicycling is Big with Teens

The same downward trends didn't happen for teen participation in all traditional sports. Bicycling participation grew from 16.8 percent to 21 percent between 2008 and 2021 and baseball play rose from 8.2 percent to 9.5 percent.

What could account for the overall downward trend in team and individual youth sports play? There isn't one reason. But some of the possible explanations include an increasingly competitive climate, the high cost of intensive travel sports (such as hockey), or interest in other activities -such as extreme sports.

Dangerous Sports: Kids in BMX, Climbing, and Bungee Jumping?!

We spoke to Paul Vail, 29, a BMX freestyle bike rider for more than 14 years to learn more about the kinds of extreme sports kids are trying.

Vail says that when it comes to extreme sports, "Today's kids who've been riding skateboards or BMX bikes since they were 12-year-olds will become the parents who say, 'Yes, skateboarding, bike riding -- perfectly acceptable sports for my kid to do. And don't tell me they have to play football or be on the basketball team to be accepted, because that's no longer true.'"

Vail balks at the term "extreme sports." "People have been skydiving, skiing, riding bikes, doing tricks, and taking jumps forever. I think the extreme sports label is a gimmick. I like the term 'alternative sports'."

Extreme or not, it's important to encourage kids to express themselves physically, whether their athletic tastes are trendy or traditional. Both solo and team-oriented sports can build self-confidence, relieve stress, and promote physical fitness -- all of which are vital to growing kids and adults alike.

Kids in "alternative" sports are expressive, highly skilled athletes. And sports like rock climbing, snowboarding, inline skating, surfing, skateboarding, extreme skiing, and mountain biking (to name just a few), require significant technical ability as well as strength and endurance. Plus, alternative sports can help your kids develop positive qualities like discipline, persistence, and determination.

Kids in Ski Jumping or Snowboarding

BMX, skateboarding, and bungee jumping aren't the only extreme sports kids flock to. Even though ski jumping might seem like a new adventurous activity, it made its Olympic debut way back in 1924.

Of course, this doesn't mean kiddos were climbing up mountains, whooshing down slopes, and flying into the air on two skis a century ago. While this soaring sport isn't exactly new, its youth appeal has spiked in recent years. According to Women's Ski Jumping USA, five to eight years old is the age average for ski jumpers to start the sport!

Like ski jumping, snowboarding is a winter-time extreme sport that has skyrocketed in popularity. Again, snowboarding became Olympic-official in 1998. Almost a decade later, in 2006, then-19-year-old Shaun White made his first bid for the gold. But White certainly wasn't the last teen to take this extreme sport up a level and put it center stage.

Seventeen-year-old Chloe Kim became the youngest women's Olympic halfpipe competitor to nab the gold in 2018 at the PyeongChang games. With role models like White and Kim to follow, a whole new generation is getting into the halfpipe!

Not only do today's kiddos follow these, and other top athletes, but during the Olympics, they can watch the extreme antics of snowboarders on YouTube, TikTok, and just about every other social media site.

Kids and Sport Injuries

How dangerous are extreme sports? As a parent, your child's safety is priority number one. And that's why you're not so sure about your kiddo's extreme activities. Even though extreme sports do often come with, as the name implies, extreme risks, these aren't the only athletics that can result in serious injuries.

According to Stanford Medicine Children's Health, each year over 3.5 million children (14 and under) are injured during sports play. This includes more than 775,000 kiddos who require ER treatment. The majority of the injuries requiring hospital-level care are the result of collisions, falls, overexertion (during informal recreational activities) or object-related impacts.

When it comes to the most injuries per sport, football takes the top spot-with nearly 215,000 five- to 14-year-olds treated in hospitals in one year. This number is higher than what you find with some extreme sports. But in general, more children play this type of traditional team sport than engage in extreme activity.

A 2015 study published in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine looked at the prevalence of head and neck injuries in extreme sports. The researchers found that between 2000 and 2011 there were more than four million total injuries from these types of activities (this includes adult injuries).

Over 11 percent of these were head and neck injuries. Of these head and neck injuries, the extreme sports with the highest number of incidents included skateboarding, snowboarding, skiing, and motocross.

Fear is probably the number-one reason many of us avoid taking risks. For athletes in extreme sports, conquering fear is part of the adventure of sport. When a skateboarder is practicing tricks on a 15-foot ramp (commonly called a half-pipe), or a mountain biker is flying down a rock-strewn single-track trail, and he makes a mistake and falls -- well, it's going to hurt a little. Okay, maybe a lot.

But the athletes we spoke to didn't complain about injuries. In fact, most have enjoyed relatively injury-free experiences in their sports. Brian Krause, a competitive skydiver for the U.S. Army's Golden Knights, has taken thousands of jumps out of airplanes without so much as a sprained ankle.

But Matt Donovan, a pro downhill mountain bike racer from Massachusetts, said that when he first got serious about racing, his season was "very injury-laden. I had two concussions, a separated shoulder, a broken hand, multiple cuts, and lacerations. And I cracked a rib."

There are two kinds of sports injuries:

1. Chronic Repetitive or Overuse Injuries

Overuse injuries can cause stress fractures, muscle tears, or progressive bone deformities.

2. Acute Injuries

Acute sports injuries occur as a result of trauma from contact with a major force. Acute sports injuries include fractures, broken bones, dislocations, and more serious spinal and brain injuries.

Is It Wrong to Let Children Do Extreme Sports?

Should safety concerns stop your child from trying an extreme sport? There's no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. If your adventure-loving kiddo is all about skateboarding, snowboarding, parkour, BMX biking, or any other high-octane activity, you will need to think about:

Your Child's Age and Developmental Level

Is your child developmentally ready to handle the challenge? What is their skill level when it comes to basic coordination and athletic tasks like running, jumping, and balancing? Can you trust them to act responsibly, follow an instructor's directions, and wear safety equipment correctly?

Your Child's Motivation

Does your child want to become the next Tik Tok star? If your tween has dreams of easily twisting a BMX bike around in mid-air like their fave influencer or thinks videos of teens crashing their skateboards into just about anything and everything is hilarious, they may struggle to stay safe while engaging in an extreme sport.

The Instructor or Coach

Who will teach your child about the sport? A YouTube video or IG video are not a substitute for the real deal. Only a qualified instructor or professional should instruct your child.

The Safety Equipment

Do you know what safety equipment your child will need? Will they wear it? You may need to learn more about the equipment standards before you allow your child to participate in extreme activities.

What types of equipment do children need? The specific items depend on the sport. These could include a helmet, shoulder pads, shin pads, elbow pads, or wrist guards.

According to Seattle Children's Hospital, skiers and snowboarders should wear a helmet that meets ASTM, CEN, or Snell standards. Skateboarders should wear one that conforms to the ASTM F1492 standard. Children who ride bikes or scooters should wear a helmet that meets CPSC or Snell standards, knee pads, and elbow pads.

When is an extreme sport too extreme? If you don't feel comfortable with your child engaging in the activity or don't feel that they can follow safety directions, it's okay to just say no. Some sports are not age-appropriate for younger kids, and you should wait until they're a bit older to try them out.

It's also okay to talk to ask questions, talk to a pro, or take your time gathering facts, stats, and any other info about the adventurous activity! Learn more about extreme sports by taking our quiz here.

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Kids and Extreme Sports: Should They Be Allowed?

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Should kids do extreme sports? BMX riders, snowboarders and X Game stars weigh in on the benefits and risks of kids doing extreme sports.

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Do you like the excitement of extreme sports? If so, you might be an 'adrenaline junkie'. Find out more about white-water rafting and parkour in this video.

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Base Jumper On Extreme Sports Risks and Rewards (Video)

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Base Jumper On Extreme Sports Risks and Rewards (Video)

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/ CBS News

Extreme sports bring excitement, and are starting to draw big bucks.

But are the athletes putting too much on the line?

The daring participants say extreme sports are all about the thrill, the rush of adrenaline they get. They're climbing higher, jumping farther and moving faster, all in the name of personal glory.

Still, when things go wrong, they pay a heavy price.

Humans aren't supposed to fly, but Jeb Corliss comes pretty close.

His extreme exploits have a huge following. One video of him in action alone has gotten almost 9 million views.

Corliss hurt in stunt jump
Uncertainty clouds recovery of skiier Sarah Burke

On Monday, Corliss was seriously injured on Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa. Moments after he stepped off a cliff -- a 3,500-foot drop -- he hit the wall, breaking both his legs. He had to be taken by helicopter to a hospital.

Only a day before that, another extreme athlete, ice climber John Roberts, died after a 60-foot fall in Colorado.

And last Tuesday, free-skier Sarah Burke was critically injured during a training run in Utah.

All of these athletes take risks and are at the leading edge of extreme sports -- a one-time bit player on the sports scene that has exploded in recent years, thanks in part to social media and TV coverage.

The extreme athletes known as "Birdmen" even attracted the attention of "60 Minutes" in 2010.

Sponsorships have helped extreme athletes soar to new heights. Corliss has eight sponsors, including camera company GoPro.

GoPro CEO Nick Woodman says what Corliss does is risky, but not nearly as risky as most people would think, because he's so good at it.

Corliss jumped without permission from South African authorities, a jump that not only put him in danger, but his rescuers, as well -- one of the many reasons why big brands tend to shy away.

"A lot of big brands, (and) rightly so, don't want to take that chance. You don't want to see blood spattered all over a logo that you've invested millions and millions of dollars in," says sports marketer Joe Favorito.

But, Favorito adds, athletes who are determined will find a way. "What they're trying to do is offset costs and take it to another level as, quote, a professional athlete," he said. "And people think, when you're associated with sponsors, that makes you a professional. Sometimes, it makes you become a little more risky."

Professional skier and base-jumper JT Holmes knows how dangerous extreme sports can be. He knew Burke, and watched his close friend, Shane McConkey, die after jumping off a 2,000 ft cliff. Holmes was also the subject of the Steve Kroft "60 Minutes" story on "Birdmen," and was a stunt man for the film "Transformers." Holmes insisted on "CBS This Morning" that he engages in extreme sports because they're "just good, clean fun." He admitted he thinks about the possibility the activities could kill him. "Certainly," Holmes said. "Every single jump, every single ski run, you have to be aware of the (possible) consequences and, if you're going to choose to put yourself in these perilous situations, you need to be prepared."

To see the entire interview, click on the video below.

Trending News

Jeff Glor

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They've become big business, but a death and some injuries have led some to question whether they're worth the money, thrill

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Sarah Burke’s Death: Extreme Sports Dangers (Video)

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Sarah Burke’s Death: Extreme Sports Dangers (Video)

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Snowboarders Took to the Air for the First Time in the Winter Olympics

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Snowboarders Took to the Air for the First Time in the Winter Olympics

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Surfer Rides History Making Wave in Namibia

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Surfer Rides History Making Wave in Namibia

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Slopestyle can be dangerous. But is it too risky at Sochi Olympics?

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Slopestyle can be dangerous. But is it too risky at Sochi Olympics?

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Extreme Sports Spark a Cool Attitude at the Winter Olympics

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Extreme Sports Spark a Cool Attitude at the Winter Olympics

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Who Its The Toughest Action Sports Athlete?

Who's the UGIEST of them all? Action Sport athletes are some of the most fearless, some might say crazy, humans on earth. They are driven by pure adrenaline, and the fact that they're risking life and limb on a daily basis only seems to fuel their fire. The unrelenting pursuit of progression leads these athletes to push the boundaries and test the limits of whať's possible, sometimes resulting in serious or fatal accidents. But you can only have ONE TRUE badass of the bunch and Krush set out to find who that is. WHAT'S THE PERCEPTION OUT THERE? WHICH ACTION SPORT HAS THE TOUGHEST ATHLETES? A recent 2012 survey of action sports athletes revealed that motocross athletes were perceived to be the toughest. *Respondents were asked to choose among the six sports listed below 32% 26.1% 18% MOTOCROSS SKATEBOARDING 11.8% SNOWBOARDING 7.7% BMX 4.4% SURFING FREESKIING #1 # 2 # 3 # 4 # 5 #6 WHERE'S THE RISK? NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS IN EACH SPORT THAT GET INJURED PREDICTION (Per 1,000 participants) *Per 1,000 surfing hours for surfing New school freestyle skiing, or "freeskiing", has only come onto the scene since the late 1990's. Being such a young sport, data is scarce when it comes to tracking injuries and risk and includes both freeskiing and alpine skiing. We predict that the injuries per thousand will be significantly higher in the coming years. 100 94.5 63 60 40 20 8.9 6.97 6.6 2.63 Freestyle Motocross BMX Skateboarder Snowboarder Surfer Freeskier MOST COMMON INJURY IN EACH SPORT SHOULDER INJURIES LACERATIONS AND ABRASIONS BLUNT CHEST AND ABDOMINAL TRAUMA WRIST INJURIES TORN LIGAMENTS ANKLE INJURIES THE BEST OF THE WORST INJURIES NOTABLE ATHLETES FROM EACH SPORT RATED ON THEIR INJURY LEVEL *The rating system is a cross reference between seriousness & frequency of injuries FREQUENCY OF INJURIES KEVIN PEARCE TRAVIS PASTRANA MIKE METZGER MAT HOFFMAN JACOB TRETTE DAVE MIRRA O BRIAN DEEGAN JAKE BROWN DANNY WAY TRAVIS RICE TANNER HALL less often FREQUENCY OF INJURIES more often ATHLETES TRAVIS PASTRANA: Has one of the most extensive injury rap sheets in the action sports industry, including a rare dislocated spinal injury. MAT HOFFMAN: Fell after clearing 23 feet in the air, rupturing his spleen. He was given 20 minutes to live. MIKE METZGER: Broken vertebrae in his back and neck, injured both collarbones, and lacerated his kidney training for X17. KEVIN PEARCE: Sustained a traumatic brain injury after hitting his head on the hard icy side of the halfpipe training for the Olympics. DAVE MIRRA: He is called the "Miracle Boy" because he survives so many serious accidents. BRIAN DEEGAN: Broke his hip, snapped his humerus in half, broke his wrists five times, compressed a vertebra in his back and blew up his kidney doing a backflip. JAKE BROWN: Brown spent three days in a hospital recovering from a broken wrist, a bleeding liver, a bruised lung and cracked vertebrae. JACOB TRETTE: Almost drowned after being trapped underwater by two 25-foot waves. Spent three days in an induced coma in the ICU. DANNY WAY: Has had 13 surgeries, including eight on his knee, along with four ACL reconstructions in the same knee. TANNER HALL: Broke both ankles in 2005, then suffered fractures to both tibial plateaus, and ACL tears in each knee in 2010. TRAVIS RICE: Travis ruptured his spleen and spent six days in intensive care. TAKEN TOO SOON HEROIC ATHLETES, WE HONOR AND REMEMBER ALWAYS KARGOLA (1983-2011) JIM (1978-2011) JEREMY LUSK JEFF (1982-2012) CR JOHNSON MCCONKEY CRAIG AARON ROBINSON MCNEIL SHANE KELLY (1966-2003) (1984-2009) SARAH BURKE Freestyle Motocross JOYEUX (1980-2005) (1983-2010) (1969-2009) Freestyle Motocross MILOSKY Freestyle Motocross (1983-2011) SION (1975-2011) MALIK Freeskier Freeskier Freeskier Snowboarder Snowboarder Surfer Surfer BY DRIN With all action sports comes a certain degree of risk and fear that isn't found in other sports. This risk, along with the reward, is what motivates these athletes day in and day out, and even though we give props to every single one of them... WE CAN ONLY HAVE ONE WINNER: MOTOCROSS frousHEST SOURCES http://www.nsaa.org/nsaa/press/facts-ski-snbd-safety.asp http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15133584 http://www.aafp.org/afp/2001/0515/p2007.html#afp20010515p2007-b13 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/01/070102092203.htm http://www.sandersclinic.net/common_motoxinj.html http://www.orthonurse.org/portals/0/sports%20med%203.pdf https://www.wpi.edu/Pubs/E-project/Available/E-project-042612-120758/unrestricted/final.pdf http://ajs.sagepub.com/content/40/4/770.abstract http://vuir.vu.edu.au/712/ KRUSH K http://travispastrana.net/extra/injuries/ ptavispastre http://magazine.stack.com/Thelssue/Article/7775/OneonOne_With_Brian_Deegan. aspx http://sports.espn.go.com/action http://www.grindtv.com/athlete/jeremy-lusk/ http://www.kidzworld.com/article/2703-xtreme-sports-injuries# http://www.sptimes.com/2007/07/17/news_pf/Sports/Extremely_painful.shtml http://skateboarding.transworld.net/1000077290/news/danny-way-hospitalized-at-mega-ramp-contest/ http://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/4892-jacob-trette-released-from-hospital-after-induced-coma http://www.surfermag.com/features/malikrip/ "Survey Results: 300+ respondents surveyed nationwide through Krush media outlets less serious SERIOUSNESS OF THE INJURY more serious

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Who Its The Toughest Action Sports Athlete?

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The toughest action sports athletes based on public opinion and injury reports. What do you think? Do you agree?

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The X Games is an extreme sports competition that is presented twice a year by ESPN, the sports television network. Athletes from around the world compete for gold, silver, and bronze medals, as well as money and prizes.

The X Games consists of two versions: a summer competition and a winter competition. The first summer games were held in Providence and Newport, Rhode Island, in 1995. The winter competition was added two years later, at Big Bear Lake, California. Currently, the winter games are always held in Aspen, Colorado, and the summer games are always held in Los Angeles, California.

X Games events can vary from year to year, but generally consist of skiing, snowboarding, BMX biking, and skateboarding. Many X Games athletes compete in world championships. For example, Sarah Burke, from Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, has been named one of the best freestyle skiers in the world. She is a three-time X Games gold medalist. Other X Games athletes represent their countries in the Olympics. Shaun White, who has won Olympic gold medals in snowboarding, is also an X Games athlete. White, a native of Southern California, has won X Games medals in both snowboarding (at the winter games) and skateboarding (at the summer games).

Winter Games

The Winter X Games is held in a snowy mountain environment and features winter sports such as snowboarding, skiing, and snowmobiling. Competitors in those sports face off in a variety of different ways.

In Skier-X (also called ski cross) and Snowboarder-X (also called boardercross), athletes do not race individually, the way they do in most sports competitions. Athletes in Skier-X and Snowboarder-X race head-to-head, going down the mountain four-at-a time. The courses feature a variety of terrain, including jumps, moguls, and bank turns. Ski cross was an Olympic sport for the first time in 2010, when the Winter Olympics were held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

In a Winter X Games event called slopestyle, skiers or snowboarders individually choose their own route through a course with many of the same features and obstacles as Skier-X and Snowboarder-X. But instead of trying to get down the course as fast as possible, they use the features to perform tricks and are judged on how well they perform them. There are also competitions to see which athlete can perform the best trick or get the most air, or height, off a jump. Travis Rice, who learned to ski near his home in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is a snowboarder who competes in slopestyle events.

The X Games snowmobiling competitions include Snocross, in which competitors race on snowmobiles around a track with steep jumps and obstacles. Snocross competitions are held outside the X Games, too, with the world championships held in Falun, Sweden.
Summer Games
The Summer X Games is held in a warm environment and includes competitions in skateboarding, BMX biking, motorcycling, rally car racing, and surfing.

Skateboarders compete in the half pipe, a hollow semi-circle made of concrete. Athletes skate up and down two opposing ramps and perform tricks when they reach the top. There is also a competition for the best trick and most air off a jump. In "street" competitions, skateboarders skate around a park of obstacles and perform tricks. Skateboarder Tony Hawk, from San Diego, California, is probably the best-known X Games athlete in the world. In addition to having an outstanding sports career, Hawk has a successful skateboarding video game series.

BMX bikers also compete on a half pipe and a street course. They also perform tricks. Anthony Napolitan of Youngstown, Ohio, for example, landed the first double-front flip on a bicycle at Summer X Games 15 in 2009.

Motorbike riders have similar events, along with a "supercross" race around a dirt obstacle course with steep jumps. Travis Pastrana, from Annapolis, Maryland, is one of the top motor sports athletes and competes for Team Puerto Rico in international competitions.

Athletes from around the world compete in the X Games. There have been X Games athletes from such countries as Brazil, Japan, Belgium, Australia, and Italy. In 2003, athletes from six different regions-the United States, Europe, Canada, South America, Asia and Australia-competed in the X Games Global Championships in winter and summer sports. The United States, Europe, and Australia placed first, second, and third.
XGE
X Games Environmentality (XGE) is a program to make X Games fans and viewers aware of environmental issues. The program promotes recycling and waste reduction. In addition to promoting recycling at events, X Games organizers use biodegradable cups, plates, and napkins. These materials are made from corn and potato waste. The paper used at the games is made from 100 percent post-consumer waste.

The X Games "Get Caught Recycling" program gives fans an added incentive to recycle. At the events, fans who are caught recycling are rewarded with tokens that can be used for goods and services.

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The X Games is an extreme sports competition that is presented twice a year by ESPN, the sports television network

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Seattle bans plastic straws, utensils, becoming first major US city to do so

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Seattle bans plastic straws, utensils, becoming first major US city to do so

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Seattle has officially become the first major U.S. city to ban restaurants from giving plastic straws and utensils to customers in an effort to help the environment.

Since July 1, restaurants in the Emerald City are barred from providing customers plastic straws, cocktail picks or utensils unless someone specifically requests one. In that case, the customer should be given a compostable option, according to Seattle Public Utilities.

With 5,000 food service providers in the area, Seattle is the first major city in the U.S. to enact such a ban, KIRO-TV reported.

"Plastic pollution is surpassing crisis levels in the world's oceans, and I'm proud Seattle is leading the way and setting an example for the nation by enacting a plastic straw ban," Mami Hara, the general manager of Seattle Public Utilities, told KOMO News.

The National Park Service estimates 500 million straws are used by Americans each day.

The Seattle ban actually began with an ordinance prohibiting one-time-use food service items in 2008, but the city has allowed exemptions on certain items every year since. For example, Styrofoam food packaging was banned in 2009, according to the Seattle Times. But because of the market, plastic utensils and straws have been exempted in Seattle's ban until now, the newspaper reported.
NEW YORK CITY IS LATEST TO CONSIDER BANNING PLASTIC STRAWS ALTOGETHER
Restaurants were encouraged to use up existing supplies of plastic straws and utensils before July. If that deadline could not be met, restaurants were asked to check in with Seattle Public Utilities to come up with a different schedule.

Aside from the ban, Seattle food service businesses are also required to use collection bins for compostables and recyclables, which went into effect in 2010.

Restaurants that do not comply with Seattle's regulations could face a $250 fine.
CALIFORNIA'S ENACTED AND POTENTIAL BANS, FROM INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES TO PLASTIC BAGS
Duke Moscrip, founder and CEO of Duke's Seafood and Chowder, told KIRO that his restaurant switched to compostable straws and utensils about three years ago. Then, the products were "30 to 40 percent more expensive," he said.

"Now it's about 10 percent. But we did it anyway, just because it's the right thing to do," Moscrip said.

According to the Seattle Times, flexible plastic straws will be available for customers who need to use them for a medical reason.

Bon Appétit Management Company became the first U.S. food service company earlier this year to ban single-use plastic straws in its eateries, according to Greenpeace.

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Seattle bans plastic straws, utensils, becoming first major US city to do so

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Seattle has officially become the first major U.S. city to ban restaurants from giving plastic straws and utensils to customers in an effort to help the environment.

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Plastic straws make up only about 2,000 tons of the nearly 9 million tons of the ocean’s plastic waste: Our view

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Restaurants consider alternatives, like Twizzlers, to plastic straws

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Restaurants consider alternatives, like Twizzlers, to plastic straws

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Why banning plastic straws upsets people with disabilities

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Why banning plastic straws upsets people with disabilities

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Daniel Gilbert uses plastic straws to drink his coffee in the morning. For much of his life, the 25-year-old has carried them with him everywhere. He's had to, because all plastic straws aren't the same.

Gilbert needs them to be the right length, and they have to be able to handle hot temperatures. And many restaurants don't offer what he needs.

The Owensboro, Kentucky, resident was born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a genetic disorder that causes the muscles to progressively deteriorate. As his muscles weakened, it became harder for him to pick up something like a cup, so Gilbert began carrying straws when he reached his twenties.

One night, he left his straws at home while he was at a bar with his friends. Typically, he uses bendable ones to position the straw closer to his mouth. But all the bar had was plastic stirrers.

"I had to manage, but it took a lot of effort," he said. "It was really exhausting."

Gilbert and other people with disabilities fear that a growing effort to ban plastic straws will limit their accessibility at restaurants, on airplanes and at other service establishments.

Starbucks announced Monday that by 2020, it will phase out the use of all plastic straws in its cafes. This came a little more than a week after Seattle, the birthplace of the coffee giant, banned plastic straws and utensils from the city's restaurants, bars and food trucks.

American Airlines said Tuesday that it too will eliminate straws from its in-flight beverage service starting in November, replacing them with stir sticks. The announcement follows a similar move by Alaska Airlines.

The bans are meant to be a proactive step in easing the burden that plastic waste has on our environment. But they also may make life more complicated for people in the disabled community who rely on these tools.

Why plastic is better than alternative materials

Going without straws can mean struggling through the physical motion of putting a drink to a mouth, or leaking liquid into the lungs, or choking.

Emily Ladau, an activist and writer on disability issues, has Larsen syndrome, a disorder that affects the development of bones. Ladau is primarily affected in her lower body, so she does not rely on straws, but opts for them because it can be difficult to maneuver in a wheelchair and drink at the same time.

For people who need straws, materials other than plastic just don't do the job.

Paper? It dissolves, or you can bite through them. Metal? It can get too hot or too cold, and can even be painful for those with symptoms like jitters. Reusable straws can easily be forgotten at home.

"Other types of straws simply do not offer the combination of strength, flexibility, and safety that plastic straws do," Disability Rights Washington, a nonprofit with offices in Seattle, said in a letter it coauthored to the city.

Gilbert has tried to do his part to educate others on why plastic is the most efficient material, but he often gets told he's wrong.

"I'd be more than happy to use more environmentally friendly straws," he said. "(The disabled community) isn't trying to be anti-environment. We're just protecting disabled people."

Starbucks, when asked about steps they would take to accommodate the disabled, said in an email, "Customers are still able to get a straw - made from alternative materials - and we will work with the disability community to ensure we continue to meet their needs going forward."

It is unclear what those materials will be or if plastic straws would still be available.

The London Plane, a Seattle restaurant, started using compostable plastic straws before the ban, which may be an ideal compromise.

But Kate Melges, the plastics campaigner at environmental group Greenpeace USA, said those straws still pose a threat as they must be incinerated at high temperatures to be broken down, which causes air pollution.

"You can't just throw them in your garden," she said.

Why focus on straws?

The National Park Service estimates that Americans use 500 million "drinking straws" a day.

Melges, who monitors ocean pollution, told CNN that plastic straws make up a small percentage of the debris found in the oceans and other bodies of water.

On cleanups, she finds many more food wrappers and plastic bottles than straws. But she believes straws are a simpler problem to overcome.

"They're a relatively easy item to eliminate," she said. "They're not a necessity for every single person ... they're the first entry point into tackling plastic pollution."

What the Seattle ban means

In the Seattle ordinance, there is a yearlong exception for those with disabilities.

"The new director's rule provides a waiver for flexible plastic straws, which can be provided to customers who need such a straw due to medical or physical condition," City of Seattle spokeswoman Ellen Pepin-Cato told CNN.

Proof of a disability will not be necessary, Pepin-Cato said. However, the decision to provide plastic straws if needed is up to businesses.

"Requiring people with disabilities to treat a routine fast food trip as something that requires planning and supplies is an unplanned failure in equity," wrote Disability Rights Washington in its letter to the city.

Ladau, the disability activist, expressed similar concerns.

"Straw bans are a microcosm of the larger issue," she said. "Access needs are entirely ignored."

In other cities with straw bans, such as Miami Beach, Florida, there's no such exception. Miami Beach is, however, considering implementing a three-month educational program to get feedback from residents and businesses.

"The (Americans with Disabilities Act) was passed 28 years ago," Gilbert said. "There should be sweeping policies."

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Why banning plastic straws upsets people with disabilities | CNN

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Banning plastic straws is meant to be a proactive step in easing the burden that plastic waste has on our environment. But the bans may make life more complicated for people in the disabled community who rely on these tools.

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Worst Types of Litter, Plastic Straws Not Even in Top 5 

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Worst Types of Litter, Plastic Straws Not Even in Top 5 

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Plastic straws aren't the only environmental contaminants missing the trash can, or, rather, the recycling bin.

As companies such as Starbucks move away from plastic straws, environmental advocates say these items aren't the worst litter offender.

"Straws are getting a lot of news, but on a volume basis, straws are literally ... a drop in a bucket," Noah Ullman, CMO of Keep America Beautiful, told USA TODAY.

The national nonprofit works with more than 600 community-based affiliates and organizations to end litter.

Plastic straws didn't even make it into the organization's top five most common forms of litter, according to the group's latest national study. Cigarette butts, paper, food wrappers, confections and napkins/tissues topped the list.

While some of these items might get into the environment by accident, experts say in most cases, people are to blame.

"The products themselves generally aren't bad in and of themselves," said Mark Dancy, president of Waste Zero, which leads hundreds of waste-reduction programs nationwide. "They become bad if you don't recycle them. The worst is if they become litter."

Here's what you should know about some of the most common items littering our nation:

Cigarette butts

Even though smoking rates are down nationally, tobacco trash is among the most frequently littered items in America, according to Keep America Beautiful. Cigarette butts are easy to toss on the ground, especially when ashtrays aren't nearby.

"Some people don't consider cigarette butts litter," said Angela Spears, communications specialist at Keep Florida Beautiful.

Spears said improperly discarded cigarette butts in Florida often end up in waterways, posing serious risks for marine life.

The Ocean Conservancy collected more than 2.4 million cigarette butts with plastic filters along the world's beaches and waterways, according to its 2018 report. That's enough cigarette butts to line the distance of five marathons.
More: Top 10 trash items found littering our beaches and waterways - and the weirdest
Texas Transportation Commissioner Jeff Austin III, also behind the Don't Mess with Texas litter prevention campaign, told USA TODAY cigarette butts are a repeat offender in his state, where more than $30 million a year is dedicated to trash collection along roadsides.

Most cigarette filters are made of a form of plastic that isn't biodegradeable. So, they can remain in the environment for months or years, and are known to start wildfires.

Cigarette butts recently sparked two wildfires at Lake Tahoe, local California station KCRA reports. In 2014, an improperly discarded cigarette ignited a fire that killed four people in a New Jersey motel.

Becky Lyons, COO of Keep America Beautiful, advises smokers to keep a portable ashtray with them.

Fast food wrappers and cups

Plastic, paper and styrofoam cups are a common find along California roadways. Mark Dinger with the California Department of Transportation said litter removal totaled about $67 million last year. Jagjiwan Grewal, acting chief of the stormwater program there, advises drivers to keep a small bag in the car for cups, wrappers and bags leftover from meals on the road.

"By doing a small due diligence, we can keep our roadways clean," Grewal said.

Plastic bags

Plastic bags, both empty and full of trash, are among some of the most prevalent pieces of litter in New York, according to the New York State Department of Transportation. The department reports collecting more than 73,000 bags of trash and other litter between April 2017 and March 2018.

Joseph Morrissey, a spokesperson for the department, encourages drivers to "keep trash inside their vehicles."

Plastic bags - actually, plastic of any kind - is also a huge problem in coastal areas such as Brevard County, Florida, where advocates report turtles, birds and sea mammals eating the litter, which can clog animals' digestive tracts, Spears said.

Food

Some don't realize that by tossing an apple core out the window, they are littering. While food might break down faster than plastics, Austin noted the act of leaving it outside of a trashcan is still considered illegal in many states, Texas included. Aside from making areas dirty, leftover food can also attract animals to busy roadways, which poses serious risks to the animals and motorists.
Follow Ashley May on Twitter: @AshleyMayTweets
Other common litter offenders:

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Worst types of litter: Plastic straws not even in the top 5

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As Starbucks and others move ditch plastic straws, advocates say the straws aren't among the top five worst litter offenders. Here's what they said.

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Why Plastic Straw Bans Aren’t the Answer

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Why Plastic Straw Bans Aren’t the Answer

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A movement to ban disposable plastic straws is sweeping the US after gaining traction in cities and countries across the world, finding widespread attention after Starbucks announced it would phase out disposable straws by 2020. However, according to disability rights advocates, banning disposable plastic straws, which were originally created as disability aides, presents unacceptable barriers for people with many disabilities. Aided by a widespread desire for meaningful environmental change and a viral video of a sea turtle with a plastic straw stuck in its nose, plastic straw bans have been celebrated by individuals, companies, and legislators as a positive and necessary move towards widespread environmental change. But do plastic straw bans really represent meaningful change-and if so, at what cost? According to those affected and a growing pool of evidence, plastic straw bans not only fail to accommodate people with various disabilities, they also fail to create the meaningful positive environmental change they claim to prioritize.

The Numbers

Straw bans have been framed by many as a necessary first step toward reducing rid of plastic waste, and even those who acknowledge the challenges plastic straw bans present to elderly and disabled individuals have framed straw bans as a choice between access and the environment. But it's important to consider the numbers when thinking about those impacts.

How much do disposable plastic straws really contribute to the world's plastic waste and overall pollution? According to a recent report by environmental group Better Alternatives Now (BAN), plastic straws and stirrers (grouped together in this report but not in all bans) comprised about 7% of plastic items found along the California coastline, by piece. Compared to plastic bags at 9% or plastic bottle caps at 17%, it's a not-insignificant chunk of plastic. However, when taken by weight, a report by Jambeck Research Group places plastic straws at only .03% of aggregate plastic in the oceans themselves, suggesting that straws' lightness and buoyancy lead them to end up overrepresented on the coastline.

Perhaps even more saliently, a recent survey by Ocean Cleanup estimated that nearly half of the plastic waste found in the oceans' largest garbage patch comes from fishing nets, primarily commercial ones. These numbers point to what disability rights advocates have said about straw bans: while the bans have enormous potential to harm the elderly and disabled, they bring about neither the dramatic reductions in plastic that curtailing activities of corporate polluters would effect, nor the smaller yet harmless reductions that bans on items like plastic balloons and plastic shopping bags bring about.

Also significant to note about the BAN report is that products labeled as biodegradable or compostable plastics are not, in fact, actually biodegradable in an earth or ocean environment. Many are moving toward biodegradable plastic straws as a substitute for current plastic models, but according to data, those not only do not come with any actual impact on ocean plastics, they also bring additional challenges of potentially fatal food allergies and reduced durability into the lives of disabled straw-users.

Another salient point many have made is that plastic conservation efforts have many other starting points that don't target accessibility aides. Plastic straws were chosen as a social media campaign), who have symbolic starting point by environmental advocacy group Lonely Whale (originator of the #stopsucking acknowledged in multiple interviews that straw bans present potential problems for people with disabilities. Lonely Whale did not respond to my request before press time-a statement from the group has been added to the end of this article*-but resources including the group's staff training .pdf clearly outline the need for acknowledging the complex issue straw bans present to disability rights.

Kim Sauder, a Toronto-based disability rights advocate and PhD student in Disability Studies, wants people to recognize that they aren't choosing between disability access and the environment. "That legitimizes the idea that a straw ban will achieve something. It ignores the reality that a straw ban won't do what legislators say it will. The 'conversation' they are starting really boils down to what people will accept as success and the harms they will justify in the name of that." According to Sauder, many who have pushed for straw bans appear to be totally okay with what even its biggest champions deem a symbolic victory against pollution, even when it comes at the very real expense of disability access.
Potential for Harm
While plastic straws have become a go-to for all types of customers in cafes, bars, and restaurants, they were originally invented as a disability aid and used in hospitals. Joseph B. Friedman created and sold the first disposable bendy straws as a tool to help reclined patients, as well as people with assorted other disabilities, drink easily from cups. Sold as the Flex-Straw, they were and still are an inexpensive, temperature-resistant, sturdy, and sanitary alternative to the reusable silicone feeding tubes which were in heavy rotation before their advent. They achieved mainstream popularity because the design was superior to existing alternatives for all people, not just people with disabilities.

As disability rights advocates have pointed out, all current substitutes fail to meet the same standard of universal design. Compostable alternatives lack the same sturdiness, making them too easy to chew through or choke on for people with limited jaw mobility and (in the case of paper straws) too flimsy for people with longer drinking periods. Reusable alternatives present problems too; not only would people with disabilities need to carry them around on top of other medical necessities, they're also difficult to wash, dangerously unsanitary if not properly washed, conduct heat and cold, and present cutting risks. With the current selections of alternatives on the market, if establishments don't have a stash of plastic straws in-house, they risk creating situations where people with specific disabilities either can't drink safely, or can't drink at all.

"Plastic bendy straws provide me with a basic needs that everyone else has access to," says Jae Kim, a straw-user and social work intern at Seattle's Arc of King County. "They became a part of me that I can't lose. Without them, I can't consume any liquids and it is the biggest, scariest concern I have."

Sauder argues that it's the responsibility of legislators and straw manufacturers to ensure that they create a truly viable alternative that works for all before banning the disposable plastic options that currently serve everyone's needs, pointing out that it shouldn't be on people with disabilities to lose essential access tools in order to support symbolic legislation. Kim wants non-disabled people to think about how that experience would feel. "How would your life look if you needed to go through barriers just to have a sip of water?"

Case Studies: Seattle, San Francisco, and Santa Barbara

Many governments implementing straw bans have built in disability exemptions, but those too can present serious problems if not worded correctly. In order to make sure that people who need plastic straws can access them, laws need to include clauses that specifically mandate keeping plastic straws in-house with signage to let people know about they're available, rather than simply exempting businesses who want to accommodate disabled patrons.

The first US city to pass straw ban legislation was Seattle, where the legislation passed with an disability exemption that was widely criticized for not being stronger. According to Seattle Disability Commission co-chair Shaun Bickley, Seattle Public Utilities failed to reach out to the Disability Commission for feedback prior to passing the legislation, and then passed a ban with an exemption that allowed-but did not require-businesses to serve flexible plastic straws to patrons with disabilities. Last week, in light of the many voices drawing attention to the issues with the exemption, they issued a statement to "food packaging and serviceware stakeholders" detailing the new legislation as well as emphasizing that "SPU provides the above listed exemption and also encourages food service businesses to keep a supply of flexible plastic straws available for customers with a physical or medical condition. We would appreciate if distributors and associations would inform your customers and members of this exemption and to share our encouragement that they maintain a supply of flexible plastic straws for this purpose."

San Francisco also passed straw ban legislation with a disability exemption stipulating that businesses are allowed to make exemptions for people who need them, rather than mandating that they accommodate people with disabilities. This was criticized by many in the disabled community because, as proven with countless ADA requirements, many businesses accommodate people with disabilities only when required by law. According to Supervisor Katy Tang, the legislation is currently being amended to include more specific language around disability access.

"Legislation does not typically spell out every detail for implementation. The intent behind our originally included a clause regarding the disabilities community is that restaurants/retailers would indeed need to have some plastic straws on hand for those who request them due to a medical reason," Tang told me via email. "The ADA is broad enough in that all places of public accommodation should be making reasonable efforts to accommodate those with disabilities in every way possible."

Much more extreme is the legislation introduced in Santa Barbara, which not only prohibits any business or individual from handing out plastic straws-including compostable plastic straws, which are the closest alternative for people who need to use straws due to disability-it actually punishes repeat offenders with heavy fines and jail time. For providers to get a disability exemption, they must apply to the city of Santa Barbara for an exemption due to "medical necessity," an extra step that makes it that much harder and more expensive for businesses to serve customers with disabilities. I have not been able to get comments from anyone involved in the Santa Barbara legislation.

Legislation aside, owner of Washington's One Cup Coffee Tonia Hume plans to make sure her patrons with disabilities have everything they need to have a positive experience. Hearing rumors of the impending straw ban, Hume swapped the plastic straws at her four locations for biodegradable plastic straws; once the ban passed, she learned of the issues people with various disabilities were expressing and is now committed to making sure they're able to access her space just as easily as before. "We had plastic straws that didn't bend before, so making the swap to compostable was no big deal," she said. Once she found out that bendy straws were crucial to many, she committed to making sure they're available in all locations at all times. "You want to be a place that's welcoming to everybody," she said.

San Francisco's Wrecking Ball Coffee also that in light of the ban, they will now carry two types of straws, with a request that patrons use compostable straws unless they need plastic bendy straws. "We were always proud that we had compostable straws at WB, but when SF began discussing a plastic straw ban, we looked a little deeper," Wrecking Ball co-founder Trish Rothgeb told me by email. Hearing the voices of the disabled community, they added plastic bendy straws to their condiment bar. "It's not up to the baristas to police the situation. We can't assume we know a person's needs by looking at them. Will a kid get a straw because it's fun, when it's really not meant for them? Most probably, but it's a small price to pay for making sure every guest gets what they need without any judgement or extra work on their part."

What You Can Do

Whether you live in a place with a straw ban or not, there's a lot you can do, both for the environment and for people with disabilities that will be affected by straw bans.

If you live in an area with a straw ban and own, manage, or work in a business that serves beverages, make sure to keep a stash of plastic bendy straws for patrons with disabilities that need them-ideally right in the condiment area with adequate signage, like Wrecking Ball now does. If you live in an area that is pushing for a straw ban, contact your legislators and fight for a disability accommodation mandate, rather than just an exemption.

In addition, if you're a non-disabled person who wants to help the environment, do what you can to take personal responsibility for your own use of reusable and sustainable materials for as many of your daily activities as possible. "Are you cognitive of the environmental impact you may contribute in all aspects of life," asks organizer and Seattle Disability Commission chair Khazm Kogita. "How can you strive to minimize your footprint on the planet? At the same time, be aware that different people have different needs, and for some people, straws are an essential part of their daily living. Are your actions or decisions hindering other people's independence?"

Most of all, listen to people with disabilities when they raise issues and recognize that they understand their bodies and accessibility needs. Coffee shops have long been spaces where people congregate to challenge the status quo, and as such, they are uniquely equipped to make sure the fight against plastic waste prioritizes the needs of people with disabilities.

RJ Joseph (@RJ_Sproseph) is a Sprudge staff writer, publisher of Queer Cup, and coffee professional based in the Bay Area. Read more RJ Joseph on Sprudge Media Network.

Top image © dark_blade / Adobe Stock.

*Correction: An earlier version of this article unintentionally misrepresented Lonely Whale's position on disability rights in relation to the group's straw ban campaign. Sprudge regrets the error, and the paragraph in question has been updated. In addition, below please find a statement from Lonely Whale, received after this story was originally published:

Lonely Whale's movement For A #StrawlessOcean has worked to advocate for the needs of those in the disability community who require a straw to drink. We are committed to working with the disability community to ensure that voluntary adoption of our campaign is inclusive, to identify plastic straw alternatives that work for everyone, and to make these alternatives are readily available at any establishment. We believe that with thoughtful dialogue between environmental and disability communities we can address the growing plastic pollution crisis without compromising the needs of the disability community. We welcome the opportunity to speak further with those who represent the disability community at large to ensure any opportunity we have to advocate for more inclusive policy language proposed by cities, counties and states and voluntary change in response to our campaigns protect the accessibility rights for those within the disability community.

-statement from Lonely Whale.

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Straw Ban Or Straw Man? Why Plastic Straw Bans Aren't The Answer

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How the straw ban affects people with disabilities.

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Straw No More (TED talk by a 9 year old)

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Straw No More (TED talk by a 9 year old)

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Straw No More | Molly Steer | TEDxJCUCairns

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The Great Straw Debate: Why People with Disabilities Need Plastic Straws

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The Great Straw Debate: Why People with Disabilities Need Plastic Straws

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The Great Straw Debate | Why People with Disabilities Need Plastic Straws

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Plastic Pollution: How Humans are Turning the World into Plastic

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Plastic Pollution: How Humans are Turning the World into Plastic

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Big glob of trash hurts animals and the sea

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Big glob of trash hurts animals and the sea

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Big Consumer Brands will Start Taking their Packaging Back

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Big Consumer Brands will Start Taking their Packaging Back

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How to Solve the World's Plastic Problems: Brink Back the Milk Man

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How to Solve the World's Plastic Problems: Brink Back the Milk Man

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New York Times: One Thing You Can Do: Know Your Plastics 

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New York Times: One Thing You Can Do: Know Your Plastics 

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One Thing You Can Do: Know Your Plastics (Published 2019)

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Also this week, how it feels to stand on a melting glacier.

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Whole Foods is making eco-friendly changes to their packaging

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Whole Foods is making eco-friendly changes to their packaging

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Whole Foods announced Monday it would take more steps to reduce the amount of plastic packaging found in stores nationwide.

The grocery chain said by July it would make three changes: switching to smaller plastic bags in the produce department, replacing plastic rotisserie chicken containers with bags that use less plastic, and getting rid of all plastic straws. Cafes and juice bars inside Whole Foods stores will now give customers a paper compostable straw with their drinks (unless a plastic one is requested to accommodate a disability).

Whole Foods estimates the changes will reduce the company's plastic packaging by 800,000 pounds per year, but not all environmentalists are satisfied.

"It's good to see Whole Foods acknowledging its role in the plastic pollution crisis and making some changes, but retailers must go much further than phasing out plastic straws and cutting down on the amount of plastic used in select packaging," said Greenpeace spokesperson David Pinsky in a statement.

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Trader Joe's made similar changes recently, announcing it had replaced plastic produce bags with biodegradable and compostable options and replaced styrofoam trays (that were used in produce packaging) with compostable trays.

Since China has drastically cut the amount of recycling waste it purchases for processing in recent years, environmentalists have been placing more emphasis on the "reduce" part of "reduce, reuse, recycle." Much of the world's plastic waste never ends up getting recycled, instead finding its way to landfills or the ocean. San Francisco's "Zero Waste" initiative leads the country in this regard - the city diverts more than 80 percent of its waste away from landfills.

In a press release, Whole Foods president A.C. Gallo seemed to indicate this wouldn't be the end of its efforts to reduce waste: "We recognize that single-use plastics are a concern for many of our customers, team members and suppliers, and we're proud of these packaging changes ... We will continue to look for additional opportunities to further reduce plastic across our stores."

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Whole Foods making eco-friendly changes to packaging

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Whole Foods announced Monday it would take more steps to reduce the amount of plastic...

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What's Inside

SuperSTEM makes it easy to infuse STEM learning into any instructional block and curriculum-all year long. Aligned to the NGSS and other standards, our interdisciplinary lessons build content-area knowledge, academic and domain vocabulary, and cross-curricular skills.

Deepen knowledge with fascinating videos, build skills with interactive activities, and support every reader with rich multigenre texts and robust differentiation tools.

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Scholastic SuperSTEM | Where Stories Power Problem Solving in Grades 3-6

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Scholastic's SuperSTEM magazine captures the excitement of science, technology, engineering, and math in your classroom with powerful blended-learning resources.

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About this film

The Story of Bottled Water, released on March 22, 2010 (World Water Day), employs the Story of Stuff style to tell the story of manufactured demand-how you get Americans to buy more than half a billion bottles of water every week when it already flows virtually free from the tap. Over five minutes, the film explores the bottled water industry's attacks on tap water and its use of seductive, environmental-themed advertising to cover up the mountains of plastic waste it produces. The film concludes with a call for viewers to make a personal commitment to avoid bottled water and support public investment in clean, available tap water for all.

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Movie Resources

Credits

The Story of Bottled Water was co-created and released by The Story of Stuff Project and a coalition of partners, including Corporate Accountability International, Food & Water Watch, Polaris Institute, Pacific Institute and Environmental Working Group. The movie was produced by Free Range Studios.

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The Story of Bottled Water - Story of Stuff

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About this film The Story of Bottled Water, released on March 22, 2010 (World Water Day), employs the Story of Stuff style to tell the story of manufactured demand-how you get Americans to buy more than half a billion bottles of water every week when it already flows virtually free from the tap.

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Opinion: Tap water is better than bottled water for people and the Earth

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Opinion: Tap water is better than bottled water for people and the Earth

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What Are Some Advantages of Bottled Water?

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What Are Some Advantages of Bottled Water?

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Debate!Should sales of bottled water be banned from schools?

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Debate!Should sales of bottled water be banned from schools?

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Have you ever been to a zoo? There are lots of zoos. Some take better care of animals than others, but no zoo can make animals feel like they are at home.

Some people think it's OK to keep animals in zoos; others say that it's wrong to take animals from their homes in the wild.
A zoo supporter might say

"The zoo is a great place to learn about animals."

"If kids don't see animals up close like they do at the zoo, they won't like them, appreciate them or want to help them."

"Zoos help animals make babies (called "breeding") so they won't become extinct."

"Zoos take good care of animals. When animals get hurt or sick, an animal doctor called a vet makes them better straight away. In the wild, sick animals would die."

"Animals are safe in zoos. They won't starve or be killed by other animals."

A person who thinks it's not fair to keep animals in zoos might say

"Zoos don't teach us much about animals because the animals there don't act the way they would in the forest, jungle or ocean, where they belong. We can learn more about animals by reading books or watching wildlife programmes on TV."

"Zoos that help animals breed just keep the babies or sell them. If they cared about stopping animals from becoming extinct, they would set the babies free in the wild."

"Animals are not happy in zoos. They want to be free to walk, run, fly, climb, hunt and have families. They don't want their babies to be taken away from them and put in a different cage or sold to a different zoo. They get angry and frustrated because they cannot leave the zoo, which makes them do strange things like pace up and down, lick the bars of their cages, rock back and forth and bob their heads. Scientists know that these things mean that the animals are very unhappy."

"When a zoo doesn't want an animal anymore, the animal gets killed or sold to another zoo and might have to travel far away in a lorry or aeroplane."

Talk About: Topics to Chat About!
1. Would you rather live in a zoo or in your home with your family? Why?
2. What kinds of things do animals need to be happy? Do you think animals in zoos get all these things? Why or why not?
3. Think about animals you've seen at the zoo. Do you think there is somewhere else they would rather be? Something else they would rather be doing? Why or why not?

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Have you ever been to a zoo? There are lots of zoos. Some take better care of animals than others, but no zoo can make animals feel like they are at home. Some people think it's OK to keep animals in zoos; others say that it's wrong to take animals from their homes in the [...]

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These photos of unexpected animal friendships will melt your heart.

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Giant Panda Cubs Give Hope to Endangered Species

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Giant Panda Cubs Give Hope to Endangered Species

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Dogs work with elephants at the Pittsburgh Zoo

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Dogs work with elephants at the Pittsburgh Zoo

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Some of the most widely used AZA statistics, updated annually.

Annual Survey Results

AZA members (Individual Professional category members and Primary Contacts of Conservation Partner, Commercial, Related Facility and Institution Members) may log in and download the results of the most recent AZA Annual Survey of Members.

Accreditation

237 accredited zoos and aquariums in 13 countries (Updated September 2023)

USA: 213 in 46 states and the District of Columbia

Canada: 7

Mexico: 4

Bahamas: 1

Bermuda: 1

Dominican Republic: 1

Argentina: 1

Colombia: 1

Spain: 1

Hong Kong: 1

Singapore: 2

South Korea: 2

United Arab Emirates: 2

15 accredited related facilities
Accreditation occurs every 5 years
Approximately 25 facilities undergo the accreditation process every 6 months

Types of Accredited Facilities

134 zoos

59 aquariums

9 both zoo and aquariums

16 safari and theme parks

15 science and nature centers

2 aviaries

2 butterfly houses

54% non-profit

35% public

11% for-profit

Animals in AZA-Accredited Facilities

Over 780,000 animals in the care of AZA-accredited zoo and aquarium professionals

Over 8,600 species

Over 800 Vulnerable, Endangered, Critically Endangered, and Extinct In The Wild species as categorized by the IUCN Red List

Species Survival Plan® (SSP) Programs

42 Taxon Advisory Groups (TAGs)

Nearly 500 Species Survival Plan Programs

AZA Reproductive Management Center

Supports SSP ® programs by monitoring the safety and efficacy of contraceptives used for all mammalian species and helping bring new contraceptive methods to the zoo, aquarium, and wildlife community

AZA Population Management Center

Population planning for 500 species for the next 100 years

Conservation

$252.2 million was spent on field conservation in 119 countries in 2022

232 species and subspecies that benefited are listed as Endangered or Threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act

$29 million was spent on AZA SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction species programs in 2022

AZA's Conservation Grants Fund

Over $8.7 million supporting over 470 conservation projects since 1991

Economy

In the most recent survey in 2018, AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums:

Contributed more than $22.5 billion to U.S. economy

Supported more than 198,000 full-time jobs in the U.S.

Served more than 200 million annual visitors worldwide (183 million in the U.S.)

Informal Science Education

Based on the Education Programs survey data from 2019,

AZA members provided teacher professional development, curriculum resources and free planning visits that reached more than 96,000 teachers

5.5 million individuals were reached through field trips, outreach programs and education resources targeted to K-12 students

124 facilities reported more than 1,200 education programs that include content about connecting to nature, reaching more than 33 million.

(Updated April 2023)

Over 785 zoo and aquarium professionals have completed in-person AZA courses from 2020-present

Almost 250 zoo and aquarium professionals participated in virtual AZA courses from 2021-2022

AZA offers 18 in-person courses that are team-taught by professionals in the field, designed to develop a variety of animal management, education, and leadership skills

AZA's Executive Leadership Development Program prepares the next generation of executive leaders to successfully advance the zoo and aquarium movement in the future. More than 80 leaders have completed the program since 2014, with 27 having been promoted to the role of Executive Director or CEO.

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Learn more about the Association for Zoos and Aquariums' members, educational programs, and conservation efforts, as well as the kinds of facilities we support.

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Skip to main content

Animal Enrichment & Training

Animal training and enrichment go hand-in-hand here at the Saint Louis Zoo. Both have to do with an animal's behavior and how they act and react to different situations.

With animal enrichment, keepers create environments that provide a stimulating life for our animals, with opportunities to engage in natural behavior, be more active and have more control over their environment. Enrichment helps satisfy both the physical and psychological needs of animals and allows them to make choices.

Enriching an animal's environment comes in many forms, including altering the physical environment, modifying animal care, creating social groupings and increasing sensory stimulation. You may have seen our bears playing with boomer balls and our apes playing with plastic crates. These are examples of adding "furniture" for an animal to play with. Other examples of animals enrichment include:

Providing live and artificial plants for shade and barriers

Creating vertical dimensions using trees, ropes or rock work to increase and enhance living space

Using puzzle feeders that offer a challenging and time-consuming method of obtaining food

Housing a variety of compatible animals from the same habitat together

Applying scents (spices, perfumes, food, dung) around a habitat

Simulating or using real prey items in predator habitats to encourage stalk-and-chase behaviors

Animal training is another form of enrichment as well as an animal management technique.

The animals at the Saint Louis Zoo are trained through positive reinforcement. Through training animals voluntarily participate in doctors' visits, allow general housekeeping in their area and work with keepers while getting a pedicure or shower. Achieving these tasks through trained behaviors requires a devoted trainer, a well-prepared plan and a motivated "student." The motivation (or the reinforcement) can be food such as produce, bread or browse, or it can be tactile, such as brushing or scratching. Many animals are also motivated by the mental exercise and special attention during training sessions.

Training allows keepers and veterinarians to do their jobs more safely and easily. It also allows animals to receive the best care possible through their own willing involvement in the process. While training is often used to perform husbandry tasks, it is also enriching for the animals. It provides a challenge for them and offers them the opportunity to earn a reward that they find worthwhile. Training is rapidly becoming a vital tool in animal care.

Support Animal Enrichment

Guests can view the Zoo's animal enrichment "wish list" to learn more about what they can give to help animals at the Zoo.

Explore the list on Amazon or click below to view the PDF.

Animal Enrichment Wish List PDF

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The Saint Louis Zoo is dedicated to saving species and bringing people and wildlife together. Home to over 16,000 animals, many of which are endangered, entry is free every day for everyone, an important part of our commitment to people and animals - always.

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Halloween pumpkins are for kids — and for zoo animals, too

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Halloween pumpkins are for kids — and for zoo animals, too

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A zoo visit can help wildlife around the world

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A zoo visit can help wildlife around the world

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Zoo orders size 20 shoes for one of its elephants

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Zoo orders size 20 shoes for one of its elephants

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Are there animal care problems at National Zoo?

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Are there animal care problems at National Zoo?

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/ CBS News

WASHINGTON - The National Zoo has a reputation as a leader in animal care, science and cute photo opportunities such as the naming of Bao Bao the baby panda earlier this month.

But a CBS News investigation has learned that behind the scenes, there are insider allegations of mismanagement involving animal care. Five sources with more than 35 years' combined experience at the National Zoo have raised concerns to CBS News about recent animal injuries, deaths and escapes.

The sources don't want to be identified for fear of retaliation. They say problems began last year when the zoo decided to double the population of the Cheetah Conservation Station, adding a half dozen new species but no extra space. Besides cheetahs, the CCS also houses zebras, gazelles and other species.

CBS News asked animal biologist and ethicist Marc Bekoff to look at the complaints. He was an independent reviewer of a 2005 National Academy of Sciences investigation of the zoo that found "systemic problems at the highest levels."

Of the newly raised issues, Bekoff said: "I call it 'fetch and pray.' You get the animals and then you pray that the project will work out."

The CCS' new animal mix didn't always work out. Issues identified by the zoo sources include two newly acquired hornbill birds that were kept in an indoor shack for seven months because their exhibit yard wasn't ready. Only after a volunteer complained were the birds allowed in an outdoor space. But the wallaby that had to share its yard with these new arrivals became frightened, according to sources, bloodied its nose and spent much of its time frightened and hiding.

One of two new red river hogs quickly became malnourished and died of an infection. The other hog, along with oryxes and sitatungas (two types of antelopes), sometimes became overly aggressive when mixed together, and some were injured in vicious fights.

It's not unusual for animals to spar, but the zoo sources say management failed to predict easily foreseeable conflicts between species and genders, and had ineffective backup plans for separating and protecting the animals when the conflicts arose.

"It's no surprise to me as a field biologist that so many of them do not work out," Bekoff told CBS News. "They're just too hastily put together and they're not well thought through."

Zoo spokeswoman Pamela Baker-Masson says the National Zoo meets the highest industry standards and the animals always receive the best care.

"We take great care in introducing our animals to these various habitats and transitioning them. Ideally, these things wouldn't happen, of course," said Baker-Masson. "I think my colleagues were very well aware and they know these species and they know how to take care of these species. ... Every single animal has a very specific course of action and a plan."

Bekoff says the zoo's plans appear to have been inadequate. "They should only be able to get the animals when it can be shown that they can properly house them and care for them."

Two animals in the CCS, a Dama gazelle and a pregnant kudu (another type of antelope), died when they got spooked on separate occasions and ran into barriers in their confined spaces, breaking their necks.

The gazelle death happened last month after a zebra attacked a veteran zookeeper. The commotion apparently frightened the gazelle, which is on the endangered species list. Zoo sources say it wasn't found for hours. The pregnant kudu died last June. Zoo sources say as the animal lay suffering with a broken neck, workers were unable to quickly locate necessary veterinary records.

Baker-Masson says Dama gazelles and kudus are skittish animals by nature and were housed in adequate spaces that met the requirements of the American Zoological Association, which recently re-accredited the facility.

As for the hornbill birds that were keep indoors for eight months, Baker-Masson says the space was "more than adequate and it gave the staff a very good amount of time to prepare and work with the hornbills" but "ideally they would have [had] access to their outdoor yard space more quickly."

Bekoff calls the lengthy indoor confinement "totally unacceptable."

"There's not one single excuse that I would accept," he said. "Basically this is a form of animal abuse and animal neglect. ...They get an 'F' in this project.'

Zoo sources also expressed concern about two escapes from the CCS: a vulture whose wings were allegedly not properly clipped and a red panda who managed to climb out of its exhibit. Both animals were later recaptured and zoo officials say the failures that allowed the escapes have been fixed.

CBS News has learned that the zoo convened a task force last summer to investigate the internal complaints about animal care at the CCS. The task force made findings last August and Baker-Masson says some of its recommendations are already being implemented.

Zoo officials refused CBS News' repeated requests to release the task force report even though, under public records law, it's considered public material.

As to why the National Zoo is withholding the information, Baker-Masson provided a number of rationales. First, she said that the task force report was still only a draft, four months after it was scheduled to be completed. However, when CBS News asked for the draft, she would not provide that either.

Later, in an interview, Baker-Masson said that the task force report is finished, but that the zoo isn't ready to release it.

"We're more than happy to [release the task force report]," Baker-Masson told CBS News. "But we have to do it in a thorough and process-oriented way that makes sense."

She acknowledged that some of the concerns investigated were founded.

"Absolutely," Baker-Masson said. "Anytime a concern is raised, it's looked at very seriously and we have to examine, you know, what changes are appropriate for that particular species, what changes are appropriate for the staff, what changes are appropriate for the facility itself. So yes, absolutely, some changes have been made."

Another incident the zoo is keeping mum about is the November zebra attack on the zookeeper. Baker-Masson says that AZA standards require that there always be a barrier between a keeper and zebras, which can inflict serious bite wounds. But the zoo says three weeks after the attack, it still has not identified how the zebra got to the keeper and it would not release the incident report or other public information about it. The injured zookeeper was recently released after several weeks in the hospital.

Sharyl Attkisson

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Are there animal care problems at National Zoo?

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Behind the scenes, there are insider allegations of mismanagement involving animals at famed D.C. facility

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Endangered Animals: How They Become Extinct

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How do endangered species and animals become extinct? Hunting, pollution, loss of habitat, and introduced species all play a part.

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What is an endangered animal? Learn that many species are in danger of becoming extinct. How can we help?