How many zoos exist?

There are, according to the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, over 10,000 zoos around the world, so while travelling, the opportunities to visit one are innumerable. Whether as an adult or a child, most people love zoos. But first, what is the definition of a zoo?



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Have Your Gift MATCHED to Help Animals in Laboratories! There are around 430 zoos in Britain alone and 10,000 worldwide.

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As there are estimated to be around 2,000 zoos in Europe, this figure can be extrapolated to an estimate of as many as 10,000 large mammals killed each year in European zoos alone.

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Only in very special circumstances do zoos obtain animals from the wild, which is illegal in many nations. Thus, zoos are not in the practice of actively capturing animals in the wild from their natural habitats.

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Zoos engage in research, preserve biodiversity (genetic and species) that may be threatened or at times even extinct in the wild, and they provide much needed funding for research and conservation projects across the world.

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Not only can Hierakonpolis be considered the first zoo, but very significantly, the animals were given special treatment in death; some were covered with linen, and buried with pottery and other artifacts.

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Whipsnade Zoo, Bedfordshire. Covering 600 acres of ground in the glorious Bedfordshire countryside, Whipsnade is home to the biggest zoo in the UK and is one of Europe's largest wildlife conservation parks. Whipsnade Zoo is owned by ZSL and known for its conservation work and striving to protect endangered species.

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However, the UK's largest zoo by number of animals, and a contender for the biggest zoo in the world, is the 36-acre London Zoo. The world's oldest scientific zoo opened its doors to the public in 1847, and is reputed to have around 19,300 animals.

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Schönbrunn Zoo (German: Tiergarten Schönbrunn; also simply called Vienna Zoo) is a 17-hectare (42-acre) zoo in the city of Vienna, Austria. Established in 1752, it is the world's oldest zoo still in operation.

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The word “zoo” is short for “zoological park.” Zoos contain wide varieties of animals that are native to all parts of the Earth.

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The term is derived from the Greek ????, zoon, 'animal', and the suffix -????a, -logia, 'study of'. The abbreviation zoo was first used of the London Zoological Gardens, which was opened for scientific study in 1828 and to the public in 1847.

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Chester Zoo – Catch The Rarest Animals Spanning an area of 125 acres and inaugurated by the George Mottershead family in 1931, it's one of the largest in England. In terms of animal count, this is the largest zoo in the world with over 21,000 animals across 500 or more species.

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On average, captive animals (especially mammals) live longer than wild animals. This may be due to the fact that zoos provide refuge against diseases, competition with others of the same species and predators.

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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.

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For giraffes, the world's tallest land mammal, captivity presents multiple welfare issues, not least because of their huge size, climactic needs, the natural tendency to roam great distances, and their adaptation to spend around 60% of their time foraging.

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