I have heard many people say they ‘don’t agree with animals in cages’ and they ‘don’t agree with zoos’ over the years. So, I decided to dedicate my blog to give a little more substance to why we actually need zoos.
I would love nothing more than for my job to be obsolete. I would simply get another out in the field to see all these animals out in their natural habitat. Unfortunately, the reality of the situation is far from perfect.
A zoo has many roles besides being an attraction. It’s easy for us to say we love all animals but there is an expression, ‘out of sight, out of mind’. It simply means that we forget about things that we don’t see for a while or at all. Zoos bring these animals to us so that we don’t forget them. How many times have you gone to a zoo and said ‘I’ve never heard of that’, or ‘what is that?’. It is easier to remember big things like lions, bears and giraffes. However, there’s a whole host of other creatures that the majority of people don’t even know exist. Zoos are there to show them to us.
Education
Education is also a fundamental part of zoos, especially for children. It’s easy to put on the TV and show them a program on wildlife but these are just a picture on a screen. Having the actual animal there in front of them makes them real. A documentary can tell you an elephant is big but to comprehend what big actually means can only be achieved through experience. By teaming the animals up with informative signs around their enclosure we can fill inquisitive minds with facts. This encourages more people to care about their plight.
Conservation
A crucial role for zoos is to provide a lifeline for vulnerable species who without help could disappear entirely. The ecosystem requires balance in all things to thrive. This involves the food pyramid.
If any part is removed the whole pyramid could collapse. Zoos hold animals that can be bred from to replenish wild populations in just such situations. Some people will argue that it’s natural for animals to die out. However, sadly in most cases it is us causing and speeding up that process. Habitat loss and fragmentation is a threat to flora and fauna. Now, it is all we can do to slow down the damage.
Providing a home
There is another function to zoos which I think Wingham broadcasts very well. That is to provide a home for animals that can’t be released into the wild. This may be due to illness/ injury or due to breeding.
One such example has to be our lion Clarence. He was an ex-circus lion and we don’t know anything about his breeding. Circuses don’t tend to care what they put together to get animals to work so his parents could have been brother and sister. He could have Asiatic lion blood thrown in somewhere down the line. So genetically he doesn’t represent anything in the wild. He also doesn’t know how to hunt or defend himself from other animals. He probably has a limited immune system. Therefore, without zoos his only option would have been euthanasia. Instead he’s been with us for years and enriched the lives of so many people while we’ve enriched his. There are many other examples like this around the park.
It is a lovely idea for all the animals to be released back into the wild but the reality is it is not possible. Yes the outside world is the most enriching place for all animals but zoos are a necessity. We do all in our power to make their lives as similar in captivity as they would be in the wild. We provide varied food, medicine and as much enrichment as we can. Advancements in animal husbandry are constantly being made. We remove natural predators. They don’t have to compete for territory, mating rights or simply to survive. Maybe in time we will find a way to live truly side by side with the animals but until then zoos will continue to safeguard the more vulnerable.
These are just some of the roles a zoo plays. Next time you visit us come and see Clarence and have a look around at who else calls wingham home.
