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America's Zoos: Entertainment To Conservation

America's Zoos: Entertainment to Conservation


The children run ahead, squealing with delight. Their parents lag
behind holding the children's brightly colored balloons and carrying the
remnants of the half-eaten cotton candy. The family stops to let the children
ride the minitrain and take pictures together under the tree. They walk hand-
in-hand toward the exit, stopping first at the gift shop where they each splurge
on a treat to remind them of the day's adventure. Although this may sound like
a typical scene from the local amusement park, it's actually the city zoo. All
that forgotten was walking from cage to cage watching the anxious animals pace
back and forth in their closed-in prisons (Hope, 1994). Their cages feel cold
and desolate. The concrete floor provides no warmth and the atmosphere is
sterile. The animals do not appear very happy in this closed-in environment.
Just who are these anxious animals? They are the common everyday animals any
child could name: the bears, the tigers, the elephants and the monkeys. What
about the rest of the world's unique creatures? Hundreds of species are
endanger of becoming extinct, and conservation is in need. Extinction is a
permanent issue. The treatment of all our animals and their rights is important
as well. As concern for the world's animals becomes more prominent in the news,
our zoos rise up to meet the challenge. Animal's rights and their treatment,
regardless of species, have been brought to attention and positive movements
made. While the number of endangered species grows, zoos attempt to do their
part in conservation. Both in and out of the park, zoos and their scientist do
their best to help these species. Efforts out in the field within the United
States as well as other countries are currently in progress. The question lies
in the worthiness of these efforts. Is the conservation successful? Are these
efforts being done for the right reasons? Will zoos remain as a form of family...