The Importance of Zoos

( I'll make with an explanation!! )

When thinking about a visit to the zoo, most people imagine a fun day spent outdoors observing exotic animals. However, a visit to the zoo means much more. Zoo patrons support an organization that benefits both animals and people in countless ways. Here are just a few.

Zoos and Education

The more we learn about animals, the more we can do to protect them. Zoos provide tours, seminars, and exhibits to teach the public about animal habitats and how animal behavior is affected by where the animal lives. Visitors discover how animals interact and the role animals play in their environment. This helps us better understand why biodiversity, or a variety of life, is necessary for the health of our planet.

Zoos also help scientists and researchers learn. By studying zoo animals, scientists have discovered new medicines and new techniques to improve the health of animals living in captivity and in the wild. Their work with zoo animals benefits humans, too. For example, scientists study how certain illnesses are transmitted, or spread, from animals to humans. They use this information to decrease or prevent transmission of some of these diseases. By working closely with one or two species at the zoo, scientists become specialists in their field. They can then pass their knowledge along to other scientists.

Zoos and Conservation
A critical mission for most zoos is conservation of animal species. Zoos cooperate to preserve and grow endangered animal populations. In the wild, animals face health threats like pollution, poaching, destruction of habitats, and climate change. These threats cause animal populations to decrease and possibly disappear forever. Zoos take in endangered species, set up breeding programs, and work together to rebuild animal populations. Zoos have helped prevent several species, from tiny frogs to big cats, from becoming extinct.

Zoos and the Economy
By helping animals, zoos also help local economies. Zoos and their animals attract people from near and far. When people spend time and money in a local area, it is good for businesses and creates jobs. Zoos provide employment for scientists, veterinarians, animal behavior experts, groundskeepers, and many others. Zoos allow students and researchers to directly work with animals, which is much more difficult in the wild.

Zoos and Animal Welfare
Zoos have changed a lot from the early days of bars and cages. Zoos spare no expense in creating life-like habitats that resemble animals’ homes in the wild. Zoo animals receive expert medical care. Animal behaviorists are dedicated to finding ways to keep animals active and to prevent boredom. Studies show that some zoo animals have longer lifespans than they would in the wild. Zoos rescue animals from dangerous and abusive situations. They take in orphaned animals that may have lost a parent to hunters. They also rehabilitate injured animals that would have been unable to heal in the wild. Finally, zoos contribute money and research information to support conservation efforts around the world.

Zoos promote conservation, education, economic growth, and animal well-being. And they continue to try to improve. Organizations like the American Humane are working with zoos to set standards, or rules, to ensure animals receive the best care. Next time you go to the zoo, pat yourself on the back for supporting such a helpful organization. Ask a zoo employee how you, too, can become an advocate for animals!

According to “The Importance of Zoos,” zoo visitors can discover the ways animals interact with each other and their environment.

Based on the information in the article, what is the most likely result of this discovery?

A. People will develop an understanding of how biodiversity contributes to our planet’s health.

B. People will make a connection between biodiversity in the wild and in a zoo environment.

C. People will recognize how an animal’s behavior is shaped by its habitat.

D. People will be more likely to contribute to efforts to protect endangered animals.