In order to house more animals of a single species for maintaining a viable population, zoos are forced to drop others. In another instance, the Mhor gazelles that had been squeezed out of the Saharan grassland by increased cattle ranching had to be phased out by the St. Louis Zoo because with only 50 of these left in American zoos, there was not enough genetic diversity without the risk of inbreeding depression. Zoos prioritize animals for conservation based on the following criteria: the animal must be endangered; it must have an important ecological role; and it should have a captive population big enough to grow the population without inbreeding.
Another challenge zoos face is funding constraints which often tend to interfere with conservation efforts. Lastly, there is a potential danger from destruction caused by natural disturbances especially when zoos and aquariums are concentrated distribution of animals from all over the world.
So how do zoos overcome these challenges? For starters, they must choose quality over quantity. They should try and devote more resources to a chosen few rather than trying to conserve too many species together.
Zoos should specialize in breeding a few at-risk targeted species rather than aiming to increase its species diversity as specialization increases breeding success. They should think beyond the visual appeal by placing less emphasis on attractive charismatic animals which are doing fine in the wild for example the African Elephant and California sea lions and focus more on animals in more urgent need of conservation Monfort, They should try and work as a network because there is still a decent percentage nearly 83 per cent that needs to be represented in the global zoo network and it is important that they do that because membership to a regional association does influence their conservation effectiveness.
After membership, the benefits in terms of conservation activity outweigh the monetary membership costs Fabregas, Zoos should also make efforts to expand their conservation department since its small size often hampers conservation programmes Miller, et al. They should try and provide more room to animals to increase their natural reproductive behaviour Monfort, They should also strengthen their record keeping system because good records are really the backbone of effective management of any zoological collection Fabregas, Lastly, zoos should try and move beyond the reintroduction paradigm because single species programs can often divert attention from ecosystem conservation Zimmerman, et al.
Does the institution contribute directly to habitat protection locally and internationally? According to Fabregas et al. Private zoos and member zoos and those with a good record-keeping system are likely to contribution better to conservation.
In the end, it really depends on what zoo is in consideration. In a nutshell, zoos cannot be considered panacea for biodiversity conservation but there is enough scientific evidence to suggest they do play a critical role and have a great potential for conserving endangered species. As animals find it increasingly difficult to live in the wild, it's important to leverage the power of zoos and aquariums to protect animals and restore endangered species, even as some activists seek to dismantle these arks of hope.
The U. Right now, zoos and aquariums should be rallying points for conservationists. Unfortunately, between and , nearly a quarter of Americans became more opposed to zoos and aquariums, according to a YouGov poll. And an activist group called Empty The Tanks is hosting a global series of aquarium protests Saturday demanding that all aquatic mammals be released into the sea. These so-called activists apparently aren't concerned with saving animal lives.
From almond milk to veggie burgers, does anyone really have trouble knowing what these products are? Donald Trump doesn't have a dog or a sense of humor. Presidents need both. Without the efforts of zoos, there would be fewer animal species alive today!
In order to reintroduce animals into the wild and repair the ecosystem, we need to understand how certain animals live and act. Studying animals in zoos can create real positive change for wildlife populations. Even if animals in zoos are never introduced to the wild, they still help improve the lives of their counterparts living in nature. Modern zoos act as a place for observation and research to study issues such as animal disease or infection and to help develop treatments.
Zoos and aquariums are an essential part of the recovery program for many endangered species listed under the Endangered Species Act. Without the help of keepers, veterinarians, researchers, and educators working for and with zoos and aquariums, many recovery programs would not have the tools and resources they need to prevent extinction.
The AZA also works with the U. Congress and Federal agencies on matters pertaining to animal care and welfare, wildlife conservation field programs, conservation, and other scientific research, education initiatives, and more to further conservation and animal welfare. It also combats illegal wildlife trade and trafficking and has joined forces with the Wildlife Trafficking Alliance to expand partnerships and fight wildlife trafficking globally.
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