Against closure of zoos

Misconceptions:
Zoos have been around for thousands of years in one form or another. Animals in zoological parks and
aquariums are truly ambassadors to their cousins in the wild. Today roughly 98 to 99 percent of our zoo
mammals come from other zoos, where specially selected animals are chosen to breed to help create a diverse
population with in the species. Zoos no longer go out into the wild and capture mammals. However, on occasion,
a zoo will care for orphaned young or injured wildlife.

Zoos Provide Education and Conservation

Zoos have to educate the public about the value of animals so that they understand the importance of
conservation. After a fun experience at the zoo, people leave with a newfound knowledge and understanding.
How are they going to learn these things if they don’t get to see the animals? Zoos and aquariums give people an
appreciation for the animals. They need to see, listen to, and smell an elephant. Viewing an animal on TV does
not give a person the same kind of love and respect for the creature as seeing it in person does.

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) is the major accrediting body for zoos in North America . AZA’s
standards require excellence in animal care and welfare, conservation, education, and research before a
zoological park is eligible to receive their stamp of approval. Accredited zoos all over the country are actively
supporting conservation projects in the wild. Most zoos are actively involved in numerous projects to preserve
and rescue a wide range of endangered species from elephants to amphibians. In 2007 alone, the Columbus Zoo
and Aquarium raised over $716,000 for field conservation. Because of tireless conservation efforts, species like
the snow leopard and the mountain gorilla have overcome near extinction and will have the opportunity to see
future generations.

Zoos Encourage Research and Recreation

Along with conservation comes valuable research. The more we learn about animals, the better we can preserve
them and provide for their needs. Zoos are not perfect, but I assure you that they are getting better everyday.
Thirty years ago animals were enclosed in small areas made of concrete and metal bars. However, the
enclosures have improved by leaps and bounds since then. Today animal habitats in zoos have been created to
closely resemble the animals’ natural habitat in the wild. With each day, new information is uncovered and
additional steps are being taken to continue improving the lives of animals living in zoological parks.

Recreation is an important factor to consider as well. There are over 200 accredited zoos in America, and last
year nearly 160 million people visited zoos and aquariums – this makes visiting zoos the largest recreational
activity in the country. Zoos provide the opportunity for people to come together and learn about the creatures we
share the planet with, all while supporting wildlife conservation programs for thousands of animal species.

The Wild is No Animal's Paradise

The boundaries of the “wild” are becoming smaller each day. I have traveled all over the world, and the only
places I consider truly wild are Antarctica, parts of the Amazon, and some places in Africa. But even in Africa, the
“wild” places tend to be in national parks. Our world’s national parks have boundaries, but we need to ask
ourselves what happens when animals stray from those boundaries. When animals wander beyond these areas
into human territory, their chances of survival greatly diminish. For instance, right now in the western United
States the wolf population is growing and wolves are approaching local livestock for their next meal. Since these
animals are threatening the ranchers’ livestock, ranchers are faced with a major problem – shoot the wolves to
protect the livestock or let the wolves attack their livestock.

Outside of the boundaries of protected wildlife areas, animals face many challenges – traffic/development,
hunting, habitat loss, poaching, and so forth. The “wild” is not necessarily such a wonderful place. And anyone
who says otherwise is being naïve.