ZOO
AN INTRODUCTION
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How did the modern zoo originate?
Why do you think we need zoos? or Do we need zoos?
What do Zoos do for society?
BEFORE THERE WERE ZOOS...
LONG BEFORE THERE
WAS THE ZOO, THERE
WAS THE MENAGERIE.
MENAGERIES HAVE
EXISTED SINCE
MEDIEVAL TIMES AND
WERE PRIVATE
COLLECTIONS OF
ANIMALS FOUNDED
AND OWNED BY
ARISTOCRATS OR
ROYALTY.
THE MENAGERIE AT VERSAILLES, 17TH CENTURY
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aristocrats: the highest class in certain societies, esp. those holding hereditary titles or offices
One of the earliest known zoos was established by Queen Hatshepsut of Egypt about 1500 B.C. About 500 years later, the Chinese emperor Wen Wang founded the Garden of
Intelligence, an enormous zoo that covered nearly 1,500 acres (610 hectares). Between 1000 and 400 B.C., rulers in northern Africa, India, and China established many small zoos
that were designed to display their wealth and power.
MENAGERIES
THESE MENAGERIES WERE NOT
USED FOR EDUCATION OR FOR
SCIENTIFIC STUDY. INSTEAD,
THESE ARISTOCRATS WANTED
TO ILLUSTRATE THEIR POWER
AND WEALTH; EXOTIC
ANIMALS, ALIVE AND ACTIVE,
WERE LESS COMMON, VERY
DIFFICULT TO ACQUIRE, AND
VERY EXPENSIVE TO MAINTAIN.
LOUIS XIV, KING OF FRANCE
THE OLDEST EXISTING ZOO,
THE VIENNA ZOO IN AUSTRIA,
EVOLVED FROM AN
ARISTOCRATIC MENAGERIE
FOUNDED IN 1752 BY THE
HABSBURG MONARCHY.
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It was like owning a ferrari or an original Monet or a private jet... it showed how powerful you were... nobody
else has a zebra in their backyard.
TRAVELING MENAGERIES
BY THE TURN OF THE 18TH CENTURY,
THE FIRST TRAVELING MENAGERIES
APPEARED IN ENGLAND. THEY WERE
RUN BY SHOWMEN WHO DISPLAYED
THEIR ANIMAL COLLECTIONS TO THE
COMMON PUBLIC.
FIFTEEN YEARS LATER, THE FIRST
EXOTIC ANIMAL SHOWS BEGAN TO
TOUR AMERICA. ONE OF THE MOST
FAMOUS WAS JAMES AND WILLIAM
HOWES’ NEW YORK MENAGERIE,
WHICH TOURED NEW ENGLAND WITH
AN ELEPHANT, A RHINOCEROS, A
CAMEL, TWO TIGERS, A POLAR BEAR,
AND SEVERAL PARROTS AND
MONKEYS.
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Some of these traveling menageries became circuses... the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
advertised their shows as the “World’s Greatest Menagerie”.
THE FIRST ZOOS
THE FIRST PUBLIC ZOO WAS THE MÉNAGERIE DU JARDIN DES
PLANTES, FOUNDED IN PARIS IN 1793 PRIMARILY FOR
SCIENTIFIC AND EDUCATIONAL REASONS.
EARLY ZOOS HAD ONLY LARGE, IMPRESSIVE ANIMALS, BUT
EVENTUALLY, THE COLLECTIONS EXPANDED TO ENCOMPASS
ANIMALS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
OVER TIME, ZOOS BECAME PLACES WHERE ZOOLOGISTS
COULD COME TO STUDY, AND THE GENERAL POPULACE COULD
COME TO OBSERVE ANIMALS FROM EXOTIC AND UNFAMILIAR
LANDS.
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EARLY ZOO ENCLOSURES
EARLY ZOOS USED SMALL CAGES
TO ENCLOSE THE ANIMALS.
ANIMALS WERE SEPARATED FROM
THE PEOPLE BY STEEL BARS, AND
THERE WAS LITTLE OR NO
CONCERN FOR THE ANIMAL’S
WELFARE.
OLD LOS ANGELES ZOO/FLICKR
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These are contemporary images from the old Los Angeles Zoo, built in the 1930’s. The exhibits did not
relate to the animal’s natural habitat.
CONSERVATION AND THE
MODERN ZOO
WHEN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION EMERGED AS A
TOPIC OF PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE 1970’S, A FEW ZOOS
BEGAN TO CONSIDER MAKING CONSERVATION THEIR
CENTRAL ROLE.
SINCE THEN, ZOO PROFESSIONALS HAVE BECOME
INCREASINGLY AWARE OF THE NEED TO ENGAGE
THEMSELVES IN CONSERVATION PROGRAMS, AND THE
AMERICAN ZOO ASSOCIATION SOON DECIDED THAT
CONSERVATION HAD TO BECOME ITS HIGHEST PRIORITY.
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Conservation biology, or conservation ecology, is the science of analyzing and protecting Earth's
biological diversity. Protecting, preserving, or restoring the natural environment, ecosystems,
vegetation, or wildlife... to prevent them from disappearing from the Earth.
MODERN ZOOS
MANY ZOOS IN EUROPE AND NORTH
AMERICA KEEP ANIMALS IN ENCLOSURES
THAT ATTEMPT TO REPLICATE THEIR
NATURAL HABITATS, FOR THE BENEFIT OF
BOTH RESIDENT ANIMALS AND VISITORS.
THEY MAY HAVE SPECIAL BUILDINGS FOR
NOCTURNAL ANIMALS, WITH DIM LIGHTING
DURING THE DAY, SO THE ANIMALS WILL BE
ACTIVE WHEN VISITORS ARE THERE, AND
BRIGHTER LIGHTS AT NIGHT TO ENSURE
THAT THEY SLEEP.
SPECIAL CLIMATE CONDITIONS ARE CREATED
FOR ANIMALS LIVING IN RADICAL
ENVIRONMENTS, SUCH AS PENGUINS.
SPECIAL ENCLOSURES FOR BIRDS, INSECTS,
REPTILES, FISHES AND OTHER AQUATIC LIFE
FORMS HAVE ALSO BEEN DEVELOPED.
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MODERN ZOO GOALS
MOST MODERN ZOOS IN EUROPE AND
NORTH AMERICA DISPLAY WILD ANIMALS
PRIMARILY FOR THE CONSERVATION OF
ENDANGERED SPECIES AND FOR
EDUCATIONAL AND RESEARCH PURPOSES,
AND SECONDARILY FOR THE
ENTERTAINMENT OF VISITORS.
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CONSERVATION
ZOOS AREN’T JUST ABOUT SHOWING ANIMALS TO
VISITORS; THEY ARE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN
CAMPAIGNING AND RAISING MONEY FOR A VARIETY OF
CONSERVATION GROUPS WHO WORK DIRECTLY WITH
ENDANGERED ANIMALS IN THEIR HABITATS.
THESE CONSERVATION GROUPS CAN USE THE MONEY
THAT HAS BEEN RAISED BY ZOOS TO:
BUILD AND MAINTAIN RESEARCH CENTERS,
BUY EQUIPMENT FOR THEIR ANTI-POACHING RANGERS OR
THEIR SCIENTISTS,
EDUCATE LOCAL PEOPLE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR
NATIVE WILDLIFE,
AND BUY FOOD AND MEDICINE FOR ANY SICK OR INJURED
ANIMALS THEY CARE FOR.
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Conservation biology, or conservation ecology, is the science of analyzing and protecting Earth's
biological diversity. Protecting, preserving, or restoring the natural environment, ecosystems,
vegetation, or wildlife... to prevent them from disappearing from the Earth.
CONSERVATION
THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF ZOOS CAN EVENTUALLY BE BOILED
DOWN TO CONSERVATION. MOST ZOOS HAVE AT LEAST ONE
PROGRAM THAT WORKS TOWARD REINTRODUCTION OF
ANIMALS INTO THE WILD.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN 1975, THE SAN DIEGO ZOO CREATED THE
CENTER FOR REPRODUCTION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES, OR
CRES, TO HELP MANAGE THE ZOO’S REINTRODUCTION
PROGRAMS. IN THE LATE 1980'S CRES SAVED THE CALIFORNIA
CONDOR FROM EXTINCTION.
IN 1985 THERE WERE TOTAL OF NINE CALIFORNIA CONDORS IN
THE WILD. CRES AND THE SAN DIEGO ZOO’S WILD ANIMAL
PARK BROUGHT THE FINAL NINE INDIVIDUALS INTO
CAPTIVITY AND HURRIEDLY SET UP A BREEDING PROGRAM.
BY 1992, THEY HAD DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF CALIFORNIA CONDORS IN THE WORLD
AND IN JANUARY RELEASED THEIR FIRST FLOCK INTO LOS PADRES NATIONAL
FOREST IN CALIFORNIA. CONDORS WOULD LATER BE RELEASED IN SOUTHERN AND
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, ARIZONA, AND BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO.
TODAY THERE ARE NEARLY 290 CALIFORNIA CONDORS WITH ABOUT 140 LIVING IN
THE WILD.
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Controversy: some people would argue that we should let nature take its course
EDUCATION AND RESEARCH
ZOOS OFFER ZOOLOGISTS AND OTHER SCIENTISTS ACCESS TO STUDY
A VARIETY OF ANIMALS THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO EASILY STUDY IN
THE WILD.
CONSERVATION CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED THROUGH STUDY AND
RESEARCH. WITHOUT THOROUGH AND CONSTANT STUDY OF HABITATS
AND INDIVIDUAL SPECIES, PROPER CONSERVATION PROCEDURES CAN
NOT BE FOLLOWED. ZOOS HAVE TAKEN THE RESPONSIBILITY OF
STUDYING ANIMALS TO PROVIDE THEM WITH THE MOST APPROPRIATE
HABITATS AND ADEQUATE ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES.
TODAY, RESEARCH FIELDS HAVE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE FIELDS SUCH
AS: CYTOGENETICS, MOLECULAR GENETICS, REPRODUCTIVE
PHYSIOLOGY, APPLIED ANIMAL BEHAVIOR, DEMOGRAPHY, AND
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY. ALL THESE NEW FIELDS OFFER MUCH MORE
INFORMATION INTO HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY PRESERVE SUSTAINABLE
ENVIRONMENTS FOR BOTH HUMANS AND NATIVE PLANTS AND
ANIMALS.
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VISITOR IMPACT
ASIDE FROM ALL THE SCIENTIFIC AND
EDUCATIONAL ASPECTS OF ZOOS, THEY HAVE TO
BE FUN. VISITORS TO THE ZOO NEED TO LEAVE AT
THE END OF THE DAY WITH A SMILE ON THEIR FACE
AND A HAPPY FEELING IN THEIR HEART.
AS TECHNOLOGY PROGRESSES, OPPONENTS OF
ZOOS HAVE INCREASINGLY RELIED ON THE
ARGUMENT THAT BOOKS, VIDEOS AND PHOTOS
CAN EASILY TAKE THE PLACE OF ZOOS TO TEACH
PEOPLE ABOUT THE WORLD’S WILDLIFE. WHILE
THESE METHODS CAN GIVE STRAIGHTFORWARD
INFORMATION ON THE SPECIES IN QUESTION, THEY
CANNOT COMPARE TO THE EMOTIONAL IMPACT OF
BEING AT THE ZOO.
IT DOESN’T MATTER HOW HIGH DEFINITION YOUR TELEVISION SET IS, OR HOW MANY
MEGAPIXELS THE CAMERA THAT TOOK THE PICTURES IS, THESE MEDIA CANNOT CREATE
THE SAME ATMOSPHERE OF THE ZOO OR ENTICE THE EMOTIONAL BOND MADE BETWEEN
A VISITOR AND AN ANIMAL WHILE AT THE ZOO. YOU CAN LOOK AT THE PICTURES OF THE
PANDAS ON THIS WEBSITE, BUT TRY TO IMAGINE THE FEELING WHEN YOU ARE
LITERALLY INCHES AWAY FROM ANIMAL SEPARATED BY ONLY A PANE OF GLASS. OR
TRY TO IMAGINE THE JOY ON A CHILD’S FACE WHEN A GORILLA COMES TO THE GLASS TO
GREET THEM AND THERE IS REAL INTERACTION BETWEEN THE TWO. THERE JUST IS NOT
A FORM OF MEDIA THAT CAN REPLICATE THAT EXPERIENCE.
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Help people develop an interest in and appreciation for animals
"People only love what they understand, and they only protect what they love."
Are books, photographs, television programs, or even a “Panda Cam” enough to create the same feeling as being feet or
even inches away from a wild animal?
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
FAULK, JOHN H., AND ERIC M. REINHARD. "WHY ZOOS & AQUARIUMS MATTER: ASSESSING THE
IMPACT OF A VISIT TO A ZOO OR AQUARIUM." AZA.ORG. 2007. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION. 6
APR. 2008 <HTTP://209.85.165.104/SEARCH?Q=CACHE:B2HGOT4GQKAJ:WWW.AZA.ORG/CONED/
DOCUMENTS/WHY_ZOOS_MATTER.PDF+WHY
+ZOOS&HL=EN&CT=CLNK&CD=2&GL=US&CLIENT=SAFARI>.
"KID TERRITORY: WHY DO WE NEED ZOOS?" SANDIEGOZOO.ORG. 2008. ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF
SAN DIEGO. 6 APR. 2008 <HTTP://WWW.SANDIEGOZOO.ORG/KIDS/
READABOUTIT_WHY_ZOOS.HTML>.
"MENAGERIE." WIKIPEDIA. 6 APR. 2008 <HTTP://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/MENAGERIE>.
"WHY WE HAVE ZOOS." WHYZOOS.COM. 6 APR. 2008 <HTTP://WWW.WHYZOOS.COM/INDEX.HTML>.
"WHY ZOO'S." COLCHESTER-ZOO.CO.UK. COLCHESTER ZOO. 6 APR. 2008 <HTTP://
WWW.COLCHESTER-ZOO.CO.UK/INDEX.CFM?FA=EDUCATION.HOMEWORK.WHY>.
"ZOO." WIKIPEDIA. 6 APR. 2008 <HTTP://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/ZOO>.
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QUIZ
1.
WHAT WAS A MENAGERIE?
2.
WHAT WAS A MENAGERIE A SYMBOL OF?
3.
WHAT IDEA CHANGED THE DIRECTION OF ZOOS FROM MOSTLY
ENTERTAINMENT TO A FOCUS ON PROTECTION ON THE ANIMALS AND
THE ENVIRONMENT?
4.
LIST AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENCES BETWEEN OLD ZOOS AND MODERN
ZOOS.
5.
WHERE DOES A ZOO SPEND THE MONEY THAT IT MAKES?
6.
WHAT THREE GOALS DO MODERN ZOOS FOCUS ON?
7.
WHAT IS ONE ANIMAL THAT WAS SAVED FROM EXTINCTION BY A ZOO?
8.
EXPLAIN HOW THE STATEMENT, “PEOPLE ONLY LOVE WHAT THEY
UNDERSTAND, AND THEY ONLY PROTECT WHAT THEY LOVE" RELATES TO
A ZOO?
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