People in today’s society often complain about zoos. People complain about how animals are used to raise money and how they aren’t truly wild anymore. While I understand their position, I think they are misunderstanding the important work zoos do.
Zoos are important to conservation. The money that zoos raises go obviously towards the animals at the zoo and the works but they also go towards conservation projects. These conservation projects help endangered species such as the Houston Toad. The Houston Zoo helps breed and head start captive Houston Toad which are endangered in the USA.
Zoos also provide refuge to animal species that have had their habitat destroyed or face other problems. The Panamanian Golden Frog is probably extinct in the wild because of chytrid fungus but populations of them have been living in zoos such as the Maryland Zoo.If you are worried about the care and health of the animals in a zoo, check to see if they are an AZA accredited zoo. AZA stands for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. To become an AZA accredited zoo, the zoos have to be inspected to see if they match the AZA’s high standards for animal care. Also try to look for non-profit zoos vs for profit zoos.
Overall, zoos are a critical part of the fight to save animals species. Donate and visit zoos that support conservation!
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