What animals are zoos trying to save?

Zoos do a lot for conservation. There are dedicated species survival programs which have helped species come out from the brink of extinction, good examples of that being the black-footed ferrets, the red wolves, the Przewalski's wild horse, and the California condors.



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Protection Against Extinction Even currently, many species are going extinct across the globe, and many more are facing the threat of extinction. Modern zoos and aquariums help combat these problems. Breeding programs help preserve genetic biodiversity and help reintroduce critically endangered species into the wild.

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That captivity can be REALLY bad for both physical AND psychological health. And while zoos have been really helpful is saving endangered animals, it doesn't work out for certain species. For example, most large carnivores like lions and tigers that are bred in captivity die when released into the wild.

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5 animals that wouldn't exist without zoos
  • Chicken frog. The population has decreased with over 90% the last 10 years which makes it critically endangered. ...
  • Scimitar-horned oryx. Scimitar-horned oryx are extinct in the wild. ...
  • European bison. ...
  • Lesser White-fronted Goose. ...
  • Przewalskis wild horse.


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According to the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA), there are over 10,000 zoos worldwide.

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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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“Yes, in a lot of cases it is still impossible, especially if the animals have been traumatised or were very young when captured. And you need to be very careful about introducing diseases to a wild population. But for some animals, if we proceed scientifically and thoughtfully, it can be done.”

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In 1935, more than a hundred rhesus macaques escaped an enclosure on Long Island in New York state by crossing a moat via a plank left by a keeper. The macaques ran wild in the surrounding community, climbing on houses and blocking train tracks, according to a news article in the Evening Post.

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Zoos and aquariums also often rehabilitate injured animals, and then release them into the wild.

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MYTH 4: Animals in Zoos are happy. Animals in captivity across the globe have been documented displaying signs of anxiety and depression. In fact, psychological distress in zoo animals is so common that it has its own name: Zoochosis.

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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. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, being a part of the Schönbrunn Palace gardens.

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It wasn't until 1958 that the United Nations condemned human zoos, recognizing them as a violation of human rights. The last human zoo was hosted in Brussels, Belgium, and it closed its doors that same year. This means that human zoos were in operation as recently as 60 years ago, which is a shocking fact to consider.

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Today, zoos are meant to entertain and educate the public but have a strong emphasis on scientific research and species conservation. There is a trend toward giving animals more space and recreating natural habitats. Zoos are usually regulated and inspected by the government.

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But if you don't want to support zoos or aquariums, that doesn't mean you and your children will never get to observe animals in that way. Luckily, there is a clear-cut, ethical alternative to zoos and aquariums: visiting an animal sanctuary.

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Babies are great crowd-pleasers, but when the babies grow up, they don't attract the same number of people, so zoos often sell them off in order to make room for younger animals. The unwanted adult animals are sometimes sold to “game” farms where hunters pay to kill them; some are killed for their meat and/or hides.

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Great white shark The shark refused to eat. Great white sharks also like to roam. “We can't replicate their habitat in a way that they would be able to survive in captivity,” Mizejewski says. Find out more about why great white sharks don't survive in captivity.

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