London Zoo and Whipsnade have an excellent website at
https://www.zsl.org/
As with all organisations I think there are some bad, some good and some outstanding zoos, the best carry out conservation projects, research and education. I also think the animals in zoos are like ambassadors for there species, there is nothing like seeing the real thing in its natural habitat, but the we cannot all do that, a close-up encounter at a zoo can really inspire. It was a visit to London zoo, 46 years ago, at the age of seven that got me seriously interested in wildlife I still remember standing beside an Elephant in absolute awe and wonder as though it was yesterday. Despite the wonderful films and documentaries we now get on TV it’s not quite the same as seeing it in real life, especially for children.
Zoos along with Wildlife parks, which after all are only Zoo’s with more space, also offer a reservoir of animals to help restock wild environments from which a species has become extinct or dangerously reduced when the habitat or attitudes change for the better. The Arabian Oryx, Ne-Ne and Mauritius Pink Pigeon spring immediately to mind would these species even exist today if it was not for the actions of London Zoo, Wildfowl Trust (now the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust) and Jersey Zoo (the home of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust), I am sure there are other examples and I know there are many ongoing projects covering everything from Gorillas to snails and Vultures to Crickets and if the animals in these projects are on display to the public in zoos in order to help pay for these projects then that’s fine by me. As for the commoner animals well they might be common today but what of the future, if we have good breeding populations already in captivity we have a safety net.
Of coarse zoos have to be able to provide a suitable environment for each species and some are better suited to zoo life than others, I have as yet never seen or heard of a Zoo, Aquarium or Wildlife Park, there all Zoos after all, that comes anywhere near providing a decent environment for Dolphin’s and Toothed Whales.
I could go on but I feel I am staring to ramble and I supposed to be working from home today so must get on.
Ferret