# data[].attributes.headline
8 reasons why zoos are good for conservation 

# data[].attributes.subject
8 reasons why zoos are good for conservation 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The shooting of a gorilla earlier this year reignited the debate about whether animals should be kept in captivity, but we must remember the essential work that good zoos do The Biologist 63(5) p9
This summer, a child fell into an enclosure at Cincinnati Zoo with a western lowland gorilla named Harambe, and to protect the child the gorilla was shot. This tragic and much-discussed event rekindled the debate over the role of zoos and aquaria - and much of the coverage was negative.

One would hope that zoos themselves would be proudly showcasing their work, but as I discovered while contributing to an Al Jazeera report on the incident, many are reluctant to speak up due to the barrage of attacks that Cincinnati experienced.

Zoos are not perfect. Should they continue to keep large predators or intelligent primates? Over the next few decades, probably not. Should large new animals be collected from the wild? No, unless there is a compelling case to develop a captive breeding programme.

But are zoos changing and developing? Yes. More than ever, good zoos are aware of their evolving role in conservation and responding to it.

Would I rather have a species in captivity, than not at all? One hundred times, yes.

Here are my eight reasons why zoos are critical to conservation:

1. There are 39 animal species currently listed by the IUCN as Extinct in the Wild. These are species that would have vanished totally were it not for captive populations around the world, many of which reside in zoos (or, for plants, botanic gardens).

2. For species whose survival in the wild looks in doubt, zoos often set up 'insurance' populations, captive groups of animals that could in a worst-case scenario assist in reintroduction to the wild should the original population become extinct. The Zoological Society of London, as an example, participates in more than 160 of these programmes.

3. Reintroductions. It is often argued that zoos are bad because so few reintroductions actually happen. I would argue that it's not the zoos that are at fault - a reintroduction can't occur if the reason a species was driven to extinction in the first place hasn't been resolved.

4. In 2014, 700 million people visited zoos worldwide. Not all zoos are good at engagement, and indeed not all zoos are good full stop. However, surely that number of visits created some sort of connection with the natural world that might not have occurred otherwise.

5. Zoos are a living museum. What we learn about wild animals in captivity can help us manage and conserve them in the wild - from animal behaviour, to reproductive rates, to dietary requirements.

6. Zoos raise money for conservation efforts. It's difficult to engage people with conservation taking place half a world away. But by enabling people to experience wildlife first hand, we can increase participation in international conservation activities.

7. Helping respond to emergencies. Chytrid fungus has emerged as a deadly threat to amphibian populations worldwide, and 168 species have become extinct in 20 years. Responding to threats such as this is surely one of the greatest uses of zoos around the world. Many have set up specialist amphibian centres and are pioneering treatment and breeding programmes.

8. They remind us that we can succeed. Conservation is full of bad news stories, yet on many occasions I have peered through glass or mesh at a species that shouldn't exist. For me at least, zoos remind us that conservation does work - we just need more of it.

www.jamesborrell.com

Link: https://thebiologist.rsb.org.uk/biologist-opinion/159-biologist/opinion/1576-eight-reasons-why-zoos-are-good-for-conservation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
James Borrell: Eight reasons why zoos are good for conservation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The shooting of a gorilla earlier this year reignited the debate about whether animals should be kept in captivity, but we must remember the essential work that good zoos do The Biologist 63(5) p9 This summer, a child fell into an enclosure at Cincinnati Zoo with a western lowland gorilla named Harambe, and to protect the child the gorilla was shot.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Humans have an insatiable fascination with wild animals. Every year, millions of people go on safaris, board whale-watching cruises and watch Jeff Corwin get attacked by snakes on Animal Planet; others drive to their local zoo for a full day of animal gazing.

This interest in animals is nothing new: Zoos have been entertaining people with exotic animal collections as far back as 1250 B.C. [source: Fravel]. Later, in early 13th-century England, Henry III moved his family's royal menagerie to the Tower of London for public viewing. For a small fee, visitors would be treated to glimpses of animals like lions, camels and lynxes. And if they brought a dog or cat to feed the lions, they got in for free [source: Encarta].

The first modern zoo -- the Imperial Menagerie in Vienna, Austria -- was established in 1752 and continues to attract visitors to this day. Nearby, in Germany, is the world's largest animal collection: Zoo Berlin (formerly The Berlin Zoological Gardens) houses more than 15,000 animals from almost 1,700 species [source: Encarta].

All U.S. animal exhibitors, like the 265-acre (107-hectare) Bronx Zoo just a subway ride away from Fifth Avenue, must apply for and receive a license from the Department of Agriculture. Millions of people visit the thousands of zoos around the world, proving that we simply never grow tired of observing wildlife.

Depending on your point of view, though, zoos are either sanctuaries of education and entertainment or unnecessary prisons. While some people argue that zoos play an important role in conservation and research, others counter that they do more harm than good.

So which is it? Are zoos good or bad? And how do you differentiate between what's good for one animal versus what's good for the entire species? It's a delicate question and one that can't easily be answered. Let's start with the good news.

Zoo Pros: Education, Conservation, Entertainment

Zoos have improved significantly in the last 4,000 or so years. Gone are the old steel-bar enclosures and cold cement cages. Most zoos these days use natural-looking barriers like moats or ditches to separate animals from people, and have mini-habitats that resemble the animals' natural environment.

Adding another point for zoo pros, the procedure for acquiring animals has also changed. Whereas zoos previously captured most of their specimens directly from the wild, they now get many animals through captive breeding programs and other zoos. Some breeding programs also help to restore threatened species. After 10 years of working to strengthen the population numbers of the endangered California condor, a type of vulture, the Los Angeles and San Diego zoos were able to rebuild a population of fewer than two dozen birds to around 170 birds [source: Encarta].

Successful breeding programs brought the Pere David's deer back from extinction. Though this Asian deer ceased to exist in the wild, Chinese and European zoo programs enabled four of the deer to be released back into the wild in 1985, where they're now self-sustaining [source: Encarta].

Some zoos also take in abandoned animals that wouldn't otherwise have a home. Both the Baltimore Zoo and the Detroit Zoo have taken in polar bears rescued from a traveling circus, and the Bronx Zoo took in an orphaned snow leopard from Pakistan in 2007. The cub, Leo, now spends his time frolicking and chasing small animals that wander into his enclosure [source: Majkowski].

And although zoo animals aren't treated quite like guests at a four-star hotel, their care has improved tremendously. Zookeepers now understand that many animals, such as monkeys, bears and elephants, need engaging activities to prevent boredom and mental deterioration. This is why you'll often see chimps playing with toys or tigers "hunting" for a meal.

Aside from taking care of captive animals, many zoos also contribute to the care of their wild counterparts. The Toledo Zoo, in conjunction with the Nature Conservancy, is helping to restore butterfly habitats in Ohio, and the Bronx Zoo has channeled more than $3 million toward conservation projects in central Africa [source: Fravel].

Zoos also present an opportunity for scientists to conduct research. In 2002, zoos participated in 2,230 research and conservation projects in more than 80 countries. The information they gather helps them to develop new medicines and techniques to improve animal health [source: Fravel].

Beyond the positive impact zoos try to have on animals, they often affect the people visiting as well. Zoos don't just entertain, they also aim to educate. With a variety of programs geared toward children and adults, zoos teach people about the needs of animals and the importance of conservation. And if people get excited enough, the thinking goes that they'll be more inclined to donate money to conservation efforts -- another zoo pro.

The fact that zoos impact people in a positive way is nice, but it's not the people critics worry about -- it's the animals.

Zoo Cons: Wild Animals Are Meant to Be Wild

For evidence of some zoo cons, you need look no further than Maggie the elephant. Until the Alaska Zoo finally caved in to public pressure in 2007, Maggie was forced to spend days on end in a small indoor enclosure because of the frigid outside temperatures. Perhaps as a form of protest, she refused to use the elephant-sized treadmill the zoo brought in to encourage her to exercise [source: National Geographic].

Even in optimal conditions, some experts contend, it's incredibly difficult to provide for the needs of animals like elephants. If Maggie and her captive compatriots lived in the wild, they would wander as much as 30 miles (48 kilometers) a day in large groups, grazing on leaves and stopping to splash in the occasional watering hole. As it is, they're lucky to get a few acres and a roommate or two [source: Lemonick].

Maggie's story is just one of many. Zebras at the National Zoo in Washington D.C. starved to death because of insufficient or incorrect food, and the same zoo's red pandas died after ingesting rat poison [source: Farinato]. And while many zoos, like those in the United States, are supposed to at least meet the minimum requirements spelled out in documents like the Animal Welfare Act, standards aren't always adequate or enforced [source: Farinato].

While conditions have improved from the years of bars and cages, detractors take issue with other items. Although the natural-looking habitats are certainly more attractive, people like David Hancocks, a zoo consultant and former zoo director, describe them as mere illusions, arguing that they're not much of an improvement in terms of space [source: Lemonick]. Indeed, many captive animals exhibit signs of severe distress: People have witnessed elephants bobbing their heads, bears pacing back and forth and wild cats obsessively grooming themselves [source: Lemonick, Fordahl].

Animal behaviorists maintain that their distress is understandable. Animals like zebras, giraffes and gazelles were designed to run across miles of open terrain, not live out their lives in captivity. Despite a zoo's best efforts, its animals often are deprived of privacy, confined to inadequate spaces and unable to engage in natural hunting and mating activities. Forced to live in artificial constructs, many animals succumb to what some people refer to as zoochosis, the display of obsessive, repetitive behaviors [source: Naturewatch].

In addition, many animals have precise needs that zookeepers are just beginning to understand. Some, like the aardvark, survive on a limited diet that zoos have a hard time fulfilling; others thrive only in certain temperatures and environments that aren't easy to recreate.

Even zoos' conservation efforts leave something to be desired. Of 145 reintroduction programs carried out by zoos in the last century, only 16 truly succeeded in restoring populations to the wild [source: Fravel]. The condors mentioned on the previous page? About two-thirds of them were actually strong enough to survive in the wild [source: Encarta].

Zoos may not even benefit people as much as once thought. According to one study, many visitors don't pay much attention to the animals -- they're actually talking to each other about unrelated things and spending only a few minutes at each display [source: Booth].

It's a toss-up whether zoos are good or bad for animals. As you've seen, it depends a lot on what zoo you're talking about. It also depends on whether you're referring to the well-being of a single animal actually living in a zoo or an animal, thousands of miles away, benefiting from the zoo's research and conservation efforts. If you had the communicative power of Dr. Doolittle, Leo leopard would likely tell you that zoos are great; however Maggie the elephant might respond by slapping you with her trunk.

Originally Published: Sep 18, 2008

Are Zoos Good or Bad FAQ

Do zoos help or harm animals?

While some suggest that zoos exploit captive animals and that wild animals should be wild, these facilities also present wildlife conservation attempts and learning opportunities as well. Zoos may introduce trauma to animals, but they are also taken care of in zoos.

Why is captivity bad for animals?

Keeping animals in a restricted space can inflict both psychological and physical trauma. Zoos also may deprive animals of their natural instinct of socialism, hierarchy and companionship.

Do animals get harmed in zoos?

While zoos don't offer the best environment for animals, there are several laws and humanitarian causes that prevent zoos from exploiting captive animals. Physical harm is prohibited against animals in several zoos. Psychological harm, however, is something that comes naturally with the idea of confinement.

How do zoos affect animal behavior?

No matter how well animals are treated, captivity has a psychological impact that ends up changing animals' emotions and thought processes. It is common to see animals depressed and stressed. However, companionship and offspring have shown to reduce these psychological ailments.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Humans have an insatiable fascination with wild animals. Every year, millions of people go on safaris, board whale-watching cruises and watch Jeff Corwin get attacked by snakes on Animal Planet; others drive to their local zoo for a full day of animal gazing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Zoos go by several different official names. They can be called "animal parks," "menageries," or

# data[].attributes.headline
Five of the Strongest Arguments Against Zoos 

# data[].attributes.subject
Five of the Strongest Arguments Against Zoos 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Five of the Strongest Arguments Against Zoos

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A while ago I wrote an article about some of the good things zoos do for conservation. Now I hadn’t realized how vehemently some people hated zoos (and sadly, how afraid many great zoos are about sticking up for their work). Suddenly, it became one of my most read articles. Every time something bad happened,

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Some Interesting Zoo Facts - Zoos & Aquariums of America

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It has been estimated by WAZA that over 600 million people visit zoos each year. This is almost certainly an understatement It is estimated (by us) that there are more than 2,800 zoos & aquariums in the world. Germany (1.2.2003) has 414 registered zoos and the most in any single country.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A zoo is a place where animals live in captivity and are put on display for people to view. The word “zoo” is short for “zoological park.”

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version Download sample

A zoo, also known as a zoological park or zoological garden, is a place where animals are confined within enclosures for the public to view. Many zoos also breed the animals. There are currently over 1,000 large animal collections open to the public - 80% of them in major cities. The name comes from zoology, the study of animals. Keep reading for more information and facts about zoos or download the entire worksheet pack which includes 11 fun activities to test your knowledge on Zoo's and their animals.

A zoo is a place where all types of animals are confined and displayed for the public to see.

Zoos give people an opportunity to observe animals they would never otherwise get the chance to see.

In many zoos the animals are also studied and bred. There are hundreds of zoos all over the world, but the first zoo was called the Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes. It was founded in Paris in 1794.

London founded the Zoological Society of London in 1828, and the name was abbreviated to "zoo."

The first zoo to open in the United States was in New York. The year was 1860, and it was called the Central Park Zoo.

Today, zoos are trying hard to keep animals in enclosures that replicate their natural habitat. The animals seem to do much better in this type of environment and the patrons seem to enjoy seeing the animals in a natural setting.

Many zoos also have a petting zoo where children are allowed a close-up look at animals, many of them babies.

Zoos create educational programs and tours in order to provide an educational opportunity for everyone.

Zoos throughout the world are trying to coordinate efforts to breed endangered species. The information they are learning about these animals will help zoologists preserve the species out in the wild.

Most major cities have zoos and many of them work together to care for, study and protect their animals.

Zoo Worksheets

This bundle contains 11 ready-to-use Zoo Worksheets that are perfect for students who want to learn more about Zoo's, also known as a zoological park or zoological garden, which are places where animals are confined within enclosures for the public to view.

Download includes the following worksheets:

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

Link will appear as Zoo Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, May 5, 2017
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version Download sample A zoo, also known as a zoological park or zoological garden, is a place where animals are confined within enclosures for the public to view. Many zoos also breed the animals.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Here are ten facts about zoos that you need to know...

# data[].attributes.headline
How are U.S. zoos keeping animals safe? 

# data[].attributes.subject
How are U.S. zoos keeping animals safe? 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In the past month, there's been a surge of zoo-related violence and injury in the news. A flamingo was stoned and kicked to death in Prague. A white rhino in a Paris zoo was killed, its horn sawed off. El Salvador's prized hippopotamus, "Gustavito," died of wounds after he was violently attacked, and a crocodile at a Tunis zoo died after it was stoned by visitors.

The incidents have again raised questions for animal rights activists and zoos alike about what's being done to keep zoo animals safe.

"I think it's a reflection that there are some human beings who still see animals as things," Brittany Peet, director of captive animal law enforcement for PETA, told the NewsHour. Peet argued these international events, as well as the death of Harambe the gorilla at the Cincinnati Zoo in May 2016, highlight that "we simply can't adequately provide for animals in captivity."

Certainly, there are many that disagree. Many people argue zoos are necessary for education and exposure to animals they otherwise would not see. But here at NewsHour, the recent incidents made us wonder: How are U.S. zoos keeping animals safe?

The Association of Zoos & Aquariums requires a comprehensive, eight-month accreditation process for its member zoological facilities - considered the gold standard of zoo safety and welfare. The association includes 215 accredited zoos, aquariums, nature and science centers that care for a combined 750,000 animals, and spend $160 million on conservation annually. AZA-accredited zoos undergo four drills every year to maintain safety protocols and must report any incidents or injuries to the Accreditation Commission.

Animal rights group Born Free, which maintains a database of reported animal incidences at both AZA-accredited and non-accredited zoos and animal facilities, reported 146 "animal incidents" in the past year at AZA-accredited facilities in the U.S. Most involved minor injuries or euthanizing sick or aging animals. Another 118 animal deaths occurred at AZA-accredited locations, with 10 happening due to human error, including the gorilla Harambe's death at the Cincinnati Zoo.

Ron Kagan, the director and chief executive officer of the Detroit Zoological Society, said in an email to the NewsHour that "none of us talk about specifics of our security protocols," but "clearly everyone is revisiting the issue," as they did after Harambe's death.

An inspection after that incident revealed a barrier separating the gorilla exhibit was not up to standard. In response, the zoo replaced the barrier and added three surveillance cameras, a local Cincinnati station reported. After the poaching incident in France, local police have helped step up security. Zoos have also added features like moats and additional meshing to put more space between the animals and visitors.

SeaWorld, though not a zoo, terminated its breeding program and orca shows after widespread scrutiny, which Roberts said represents a step forward for animals in captivity.

"We're constantly looking at making our institutions as safe for people and as good for animals as they can possibly be," Dennis Kelly, director of the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, told the Diane Rehm Show last year.
READ MORE: Baltimore's dolphins moving from concrete tanks to seaside sanctuary
But Born Free USA CEO Adam Roberts, who has been an animal advocate for 26 years, told the NewsHour that "when we keep these wild, dangerous animals in city centers around the world, it's not surprising that there's violent conflict. And sometimes that affects people, sometimes it's the animals."

Born Free hopes to rid the world of illegal animal facilities and trade. While Born Free eventually wants to shut down zoos entirely, the AZA's long-term goal is instead to have all zoos accredited.

Animal television host Jack Hanna, the director emeritus of the AZA-accredited Columbus Zoo, believes "zoos and aquariums are the ark" for animal conservation. For Hanna, zoos are a place to save wild animals from poaching, increased human population and loss of habitat. "What is the wild now?" he asked. Hanna believes the terms 'wild' and 'captivity' should change to 'natural habitat' and 'human care' in zoos.

"Today, we've evolved from menageries to centers of conservation," Hanna said, nothing he supports the new forms of animal breeding, conservation and education at modern zoos.

Zoos have always existed to some degree. Roberts says facilities should act as a sanctuary to animals instead of outlets for breeding or purchasing exotic animals.

"Zoos are oftentimes the only connection that people will ever have to wildlife," Vernon said. "If they didn't exist, people would not have the opportunity to see and elephant or a lion or a tiger up close, let alone a whale shark or sea otter, or even killer whales."

Roberts says as sanctuaries, zoos can educate visitors on animal violence and illegal trading to help prevent these situations from occurring in the future.

"If you're going to try and keep these animals in captivity, you have to really meet a high bar, a high threshold of animal care and human safety before anyone can come into those facilities," Roberts said.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In the past month, there's been a surge of zoo-related violence and injury in the news. A flamingo was stoned and kicked to death in Prague. A white rhino in a Paris zoo was killed, its horn sawed off.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Unlimited entry to Melbourne Zoo, Werribee Open Range Zoo and Healesville Sanctuary (daily capacity restrictions apply)

Kids join free on adult memberships

Free entry to five interstate zoos

Discounts at the Zoo Shop and from our zoo partners

Help fund our conservation work to fight wildlife extinction

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Unlimited entry to Melbourne Zoo, Werribee Open Range Zoo and Healesville Sanctuary (daily capacity restrictions apply) Kids join free on adult memberships Free entry to five interstate zoos Discounts at the Zoo Shop and from our zoo partners Help fund our conservation work to fight wildlife extinction

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"The best way to predict the future is to create it!"
- Dennis Gabor

Start A Petition

Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact.

Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here.

Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing.
You are our people. You Care. We Care2.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Care2 is the world's largest social network for good, a community of over 40 million people standing together, starting petitions and sharing stories that inspire action.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Largest online community empowering people to lead a healthy and green lifestyle while taking action on important causes such as human rights, animal welfare and global warming.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Zoos are fun experiences for everyone. We get to learn about beautiful, exotic animals that most of us don’t get to see often. We also get to hang out with friends and family, but it is not this way for the animals that stay here. We should get rid of all zoos. When animals are…