8 Ways Zoos and Aquariums Support Conservation : Jenny Wren Rambles

You might think a trip to a zoo or aquarium is just a fun way to spend a day out. But did you know that it’s also a great way to support conservation? While they may have originated as simple menageries to show off strange animals from foreign lands, modern zoos and aquariums are focused on saving endangered species around the world. Here are 8 ways zoos and aquariums support conservation, from education to inspiration.

1. Education & Exposure

Zoos are important points of education for visitors young and old. Through a variety of signs and interactive displays, visitors can learn about the animals and habitats they are seeing as well as the threats they face. Educational programs in the form of keeper talks, school visits, and topical displays allow visitors to engage more deeply with topics of conservation. Studies have shown that after visiting a zoological facility or participating in zoo education programs, visitors and children show an increased understanding of what biodiversity is and what actions they can take to protect it. They can also expose visitors to wildlife and conservation projects they wouldn’t have known about otherwise. With so much to see and explore, visitors are sure to find an animal or project that they connect with.

2. Funding

When you buy a ticket or a souvenir from the gift shop, where do you think that money goes? To the care of the animals, and paying the employees? Of course! But that’s not all!

Zoos and aquariums donate millions of dollars a year to support conservation projects around the world. They help fund and provide supplies for projects on the ground doing the work in the homes of threatened habitats and species. The AZA estimates that $231 million was spent last year in supporting conservation projects by AZA-accredited facilities. When you go to the zoo or aquarium for a day of fun, you are helping “fun-d” direct action to help endangered species around the world. How great is that?

Beyond the entry tickets, there may be other opportunities to donate at certain exhibits. There may be signs and donation boxes to highlight a certain species or group. Zoo Boise and Zoo Atlanta have a program where 25-50 cents from each admission ticket will go to fund a field conservation program. Visitors can then vote for which of 3 causes they want the zoo to donate to for that year. Other zoos have similar programs for visitors to choose which project the zoo supports or for them to directly contribute to a particular project.

3. Breeding & Reintroduction Programs

Photo by Matt Flores on Unsplash
Golden Lion Tamarin

Zoos have been an integral part of the breeding and reintroduction of many species. Perhaps one of the best known is the California Condor which was brought back from the brink with only a few individuals. Zoos have had success breeding and reintroducing many other species such as the Golden Lion Tamarin, Arabian oryx, and Przewalski’s horse. They have done this through carefully thought out species survival programs (SSPs). These are plans put together to consider the genetic health and diversity of populations at risk. Individuals are carefully matched up for breeding and once safe habitat is secured, they can move towards reintroducing groups of individuals into parts of their native habitat. If the reintroduction is successful, they will continue to release more individuals in the same or nearby areas where it is safe to do so.

David Sischo/Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources
Hawaii is home to a unique diversity of snails, found only on the islands and nowhere else. They have beautiful shells but unfortunately it’s estimated that over 90% of their species diversity has been lost.

And it’s not just the popular species they do this for. Zoos and aquariums also breed and release animals such as frogs and snails which may not be the most charismatic of species but are, nonetheless, an important part of their ecosystems. The Honolulu Zoo has been breeding and re-introducing an endangered species of Hawaiian snail into protected habitat. Like the Hawaiian snail, some of the species bred in zoos are locally endemic, so not only do zoos support exotic species, but they help protect and re-establish their native wildlife as well.

4. Protect Habitat

While breeding animals is important to restore populations, zoological institutions recognize that this is meaningless without healthy, protected habitat to return them to. Protecting habitat is vital for saving and restoring wild animal populations. Zoos and aquariums support this goal in 2 ways.

One is by collaborating with habitat restoration projects. With the help of volunteers, trash and invasive plant species are removed and native species are planted instead. Native plants provide food and homes for local, native wildlife and pollinators. Aquariums may organize beach cleanups to remove litter and fill holes that could trap hatching turtles. They may also establish patrols to locate and monitor nests. This helps species to recover and return to local areas.

Picture: Glenn Walker
The Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve covers 330,000 acres of wetland habitat in Queensland and serves as protected habitat and a study site for researchers and scientists.

The other way they protect habitat is by the purchase of land. Some zoos are able to purchase and set aside land to protect the habitat. Perhaps the most famous example of this is the Australia Zoo. They have purchased and set aside over 450,000 acres of native habitat across Queensland. This land is protected for wildlife to live in undisturbed. 330,000 acres of this land makes up the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve which is available for scientists to conduct ecological and conservation studies. Being able to set aside such a large amount of land is an amazing accomplishment, but not many zoos have the same star power as the Australia Zoo. That’s okay though, every little bit helps. A smaller example of this is The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens which has set aside about 1,100 acres of desert. This land has hiking trails for visitors to enjoy the natural landscape and spot wildlife. It provides a safe space for many desert critters, such as bighorn sheep and roadrunners, to roam safe away from the roads.

5. Research

Coinciding with their education goals, zoos and aquariums are also centers for research. They may have research teams on staff or work in collaboration with universities, other scientists, or research groups. And they publish their studies in a variety of scientific journals such as the Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, Zoo Biology, Biology of Reproduction, and Marine Mammal science. A study on AZA contributions to peer-reviewed research found that in the 2 decades from 1993-2013, AZA organizations produced over 5,000 publications. This research contributed to understanding the biology and health of captive and wild species.

Another way they contribute to research is by collecting valuable data from captive animals that can help scientists. Two separate studies of polar bear metabolism were conducted with cooperation from polar bears at the Oregon and San Diego Zoos. Using a modified treadmill to track their gait and an accelerometer collar, scientists tried to determine the efficiency of their gait. In another study, a polar bear was trained to enter a water chamber where she would rest and then swim against the current. Scientists measured the bears’ respiration to estimate how much energy they needed to use. In both studies, they found that polar bears had much higher energy expenditures and therefore higher metabolic needs than previously thought. For wild polar bears, this means that food available on land is insufficient and they need the high-fat content of marine mammals to survive, and sea-ice to hunt them.

Research in zoos and aquariums helps us understand the biology, reproduction, and medicine for exotic species. Through this knowledge, we can better understand the effects of our changing world on wild populations. It can also assist field researchers and vets with appropriate dosages and protocols when caring for wild individuals that need to be rehabilitated, sedated, or moved.

6. Rescue & Rehabilitation

Speaking of rehabilitation, certain facilities have rehabilitation centers to take in injured wildlife and nurse them back to health. With their expertise and experience in caring for these species, they give top-notch care and a home for as long as the animal needs to recover.

Photo: Mike Baird
Otterly amazing! Monterey Bay Aquarium has been saving sea otters for 35 years!

A great example of this is the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s sea otter program. Orphaned pups are rescued, fostered by resident adults to learn otter behavior, and later released back into the wild. The success of their program is backed up by research that shows otters they have rescued and released, and their offspring, have made up more than half of the population growth in wild otters. After being hunted nearly to extinction for their fur, they have grown from a group of about 50 to about 3,000 individuals today. Having this much population growth is a big success for the species and was helped by the Aquarium’s rescue program.

Other facilities have similar programs such as The Jacksonville Zoo’s Manatee Critical Care Center and Oregon Coast Aquarium’s Bird Rehabilitation Program. And if the animal cannot be released back into the wild, they can find a permanent home at a zoo, aquarium, or sanctuary where they can help teach visitors about human impacts on wildlife or be surrogates to young rescues.

7. Share Expertise

With all of the research they participate or assist in and the constant work towards improving their standards of care, zoos and aquariums form a deep knowledge base of animal care. This knowledge is shared between facilities so they can benefit from each others’ experiences and solve problems. When they make new developments in the diet or care of an animal, this is shared among the zoo and aquarium community as well as conservation projects abroad.

ZIMS, a product of Species 360, has modules for husbandry, studbooks, education, and more

One of the ways they share this information is through ZIMS, or the Zoological Information Management System. Members of the system can input health and care data, access health and genetic records for individuals, or look at general information on species such as husbandry practices and medical care. It is used by “wildlife professionals working within zoos, aquariums, refuge, research, and education centers in 97 countries” and with about 1,200 institutional members is “the world’s largest set of wildlife data.” This data can assist with field conservation efforts around the world and the extensive information on species reproduction (rate, survival, success in captivity) can even help wildlife officials identify possible wildlife trafficking in species that are being passed off as captive-bred.

8. Inspire

And finally, one of the last ways zoos and aquariums help conservation is by serving as a source of inspiration. No matter how clear or exciting the picture on a screen, it can never compare to experiencing an animal in person. Experiencing the difference in size, feeling the roar of a lion in your chest, or the light reflecting off vibrant scales, skin, or feathers. Having that personal experience, the connection to another life we see in front of us is what inspires us to do better. It is what kindles a passion and love for nature that lasts a lifetime and creates a new generation of scientists, conservationists, and naturalists.

Photo by David Clode on Unsplash
Emerald Tree Boa

One of my earliest zoo memories was a family visit. I remember going through the reptile room and excitedly running up to a tank set in the wall with an Emerald tree boa curled up on a branch. This was a snake I had seen in my favorite TV programs on animal planet and in books. A living jewel, and there it was right before my eyes. Staring in awe, I told my dad what species it was, excited twice over to know the name of this emerald given life. I can’t pinpoint exactly when I became interested in animals, but it is surely these magical trips that helped cultivate my interests and passion to protect and care for the diversity of life on our planet.

Zoos and aquariums inspire and connect us with the biodiversity on our Earth. Although we may not notice, there are many ways behind the scenes that they are supporting conservation projects and initiatives. By purchasing a ticket and attending an accredited facility, you are helping fund programs to save threatened species around the world. And by becoming educated on the threats they face and the ways you can help them, you can take direct action in your own life to help them too.

The next time you look for a zoo or facility to visit, check out their website to see what they’re working on. Many places will have a section that explains the conservation initiatives they are working on. And if you know of any great initiatives at your local zoo or aquarium, let me know! I love hearing about all the cool projects going on.