Zoological parks have been recorded in history as far back as 2,500 BC, when ancient Egyptians collected wild animals.
Zoos as we know today began in the 1800s. However, it wasn’t until after the World Wars that society saw a shift in the purpose of zoos from solely entertainment purposes to taking on a role in conservation.
Currently, there are 238 Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited zoos and aquariums that run 117 reintroduction programs for species listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as vulnerable to extinct in the wild.
Despite the long evolution of zoos, there is still concern of whether zoos are beneficial to the animals that occupy them.
Because zoos conduct research to understand and better support various species, animals in these collections are ambassadors of their species in educating the public about them and have saved several species from extinction through reintroduction programs, zoos and collections do protect threatened and endangered species.
While scientists can’t put an exact number on the rate of extinction, it is estimated we lose about 10,000 species annually. Some species are hanging on by a thread and can no longer be found in the wild. The only chance anyone may still see these animals is in zoos.
Zoos and aquariums have historically collaborated with other conservation organizations and government agencies to aid species recovery through a variety of conservation efforts. These efforts are often carried out by individual facilities and for species. Behavioral observations made by zoo staff and researchers assess animal welfare in captive settings. These observations can be applied to their natural relatives in efforts to understand a specie’s needs.
Most of the common population will not have the knowledge or experience of behavioral observations. Nor are they likely to have an extensive understanding of what conservation is. Through zoos, everyone can gain the opportunity to experience unique species and develop empathy for their struggles.
Animals in zoo collections act as ambassadors to their species. By telling their stories and giving them names, people are more likely to retain information about the species and care about their welfare.
Zoos not only manage ex situ assurance populations, but they also do conservation research and field-based population monitoring and evaluations. Zoos have a long history of helping animals recover through habitat restoration and breeding programs, such as the American bison and California condor to the black-footed ferret. In the United States, all facilities certified by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums incorporate species conservation as a significant component of their objectives, as specified by accreditation requirements.
Based on the collected research, zoos and collections do protect threatened and endangered species. You can support further conservation efforts simply by visiting your local zoo as any financial contributions will go toward funding quality care of the animals in the zoo and the projects the zoo participates in to protect other species in the wild.
Cassandra Carpenter
Morton
