Conclusion

To conclude our blog, we decided to each reflect on what we learned in the zoo community and how it impacts us now in our daily lives. For me (Katie) personally, I learned more about animal conservation and preserves and how sometimes the zoo environment is not conducive for animal sustainability. I never thought about the preservation of animals and how sometimes zoos are cruel to their animals. It never occurred to me that sometimes animals are not able to procreate in the zoo environment. But I also learned that sometimes animals do better in the zoo environment because it allows for the animals to rehabilitate and prevent them from becoming endangered or extinct. This sums up more about what I learned but more importantly I have formed a more informed opinion about zoos. Everything that I learned goes along with what I believe now, I think that zoos are a great learning experience but they aren’t always good if they aren’t ethical for animals.

You hit it right on the nose Katie. I (Ben) believe the zoo has its pros and cons, but what doesn’t. There’s always strings attached. However, I do believe zoos do more good in our world than bad. Yes a few out there may ruin it for the rest of them with poor ethics and inhumane treatment, that will never end, whether the animal is in its natural environment or not. But it has been proven for thousands of years that zoos are a very important learning tool, especially for the young. They are also strong entertainment avenues, and more often than not the money you pay to explore the zoo goes to wildlife reserves and various charities to help endangered species. Which brings me to my next point. Zoos have proven to be a reliable wildlife conservation tool. Many endangered species are held in captivity within zoos and are part of a breeding program to increase their numbers. Without zoos many of those species would already be extinct. I believe zoos reflect the responsibility we as the human race possess in order to conserve mother nature.

These are all great points. I (Molly) learned a lot about the relationships and ties people within the zoo have and also the impact it can have on people outside of the zoo. When looking deeper into what zoos have to offer, you can see how that small community can help build a society outside of just the zoo. Looking from all different viewpoints of workers, children, and experts, my opinion of zoos has not really changed, but just has become more knowledgeable about what I used to think. Learning about the public and private aspects of the zoo really helped me grasp a better understanding of the pros and cons of what zoos have to offer.

Zoo School

While I visited the zoo and observed the surroundings and animals I noticed two kids watching the goats and talking animatedly about the zoo. At first I was a little skeptical about approaching them because I was afraid they might not open up to a stranger. But I got over my fear and walked over to them and decided to ask them some questions. Here is a little Q & A with the students I talked to.

Q: I heard you guys talking about this “zoo school” can you tell me a little more about this?

A: Well it’s a volunteer program for kids ages 12 and up who want to work with animals some day or who enjoy working with animals.

Q: That is really cool! What kind of jobs is this preparing you for?

A: Well there are a lot of options but some of the ones we have learned about so far are working in a zoo, owning your own organic farm, becoming a zoologist, or having a nursery for newborn animals.

Q: So how did you learn about this?

A: Well it is one of the biggest volunteer programs in Nebraska and we heard about it from our school.

Q: So what kind of things do you learn in the program?

A: Some of the things we learn about include: learning about animals and how to care for them, working hands on in the zoo, and we have also learned more about nature and wildlife preserves.

After the kids started looking a little bored I decided to let them continue with their goat watching and I decided to do a little more research on my own. According to the Lincoln zoo’s website, 400 students can enroll in the program. There are also 5 levels of the school. Levels 1-3 work for half of the summer and then levels 4 and 5 work the entire summer. Some of their responsibilities include: leading and caring for the ponies, sharing facts about the animals with the public, caring for the animals in The Hive and Critter Encounter, and leading goats on leashes.

The kids work an 8 – 5 shift in the summer and the hours they work can be used for volunteering hours. The two options of work they choose to specialize in can either be education or husbandry. The education students interact with the public, present animals, and share information about the zoo. The husbandry students specialize in animal care, perform wellness checks, and daily cleanings.

I thought it was kind of ironic to find out about this zoo school because we were pondering why it was so important for zoos to teach kids something. And this is definitely carrying out what we said about the learning portion of it. Whether it is to learn something new about their environment and about the animals that inhabit the area to learning how to specifically care for animals and prepare them for a possible future working with animals.

"Zoo Crew." Lincoln Children's Zoo. Lincoln Children's Zoo, 2012. Web. 25 Apr 2012. <http://www.lincolnzoo.org/education/zoo_crew.html>.

Wildlife Reserves

                In response to Molly’s post about saving wild animals from outside factors I decided to do a little research on wildlife preserves because I was interested in learning a little more about them. It turns out there are a lot of wildlife preserves around the world so I decided to narrow my searching to the United States. I came across the National Wildlife Refuge System and spent a lot of time on their website www.fws.gov. In addition to conserving the wildlife, they also manage six wildlife-dependent recreational uses: hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, photography, environmental education, and interpretation. One really interesting thing that I found on their website was how proactive they are with protecting animals and providing areas for the species to be rehabilitated. The website says,

                “National wildlife refuges are home to more than 280 of the nation’s 1, 311 endangered or threatened species. So far, 11 of those species have been removed from the list due to their recovery, and 17 others have improved in status from endangered to threatened. More than 500 listed species are now stable or improving. Fifty-nine national wildlife refuges have been created specifically to help imperiled species” (National Wildlife Refuge System).

                Another thing that I found impressive was that there are even preserves in Nebraska. They are used for fishing, hunting, and even protecting animals that reside here. They are used mostly for restoring species here. I didn’t realize how expansive this movement was. I think it relates to the zoo because we all have previously talked about creating a life that is suitable and humane for the animals that belong in the zoos. If the zoo can’t handle doing something as simple as creating a healthy and natural environment for the animals they should be moved to a preserve where they will be more comfortable and happy. Confining animals to small cages and spaces is not okay and doesn’t sit well with me. The preserves provide a home for the animals outside of the zoos that aren't suitable for them and creates an environment that is as close to their natural one as possible.
-Katie

"Endangered Species." National Wildlife Refuge System. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 17 Feb 2012. Web. 24 Apr 2012. <http://www.fws.gov/refuges/whm/endangered.html>.

Thinking Deeper

Think back to the last time you were at a zoo. What do you remember thinking? Do you remember what was going through your thought’s. If you can think of anything at all you are probably one of the few. And if you do remember what you were consciously aware during your visit it may have been about what your favorite animal was, or maybe which was the most frightening. My point is that the memory most likely had something to do with the entertainment aspect of the zoo. But they run much deeper than that.

                Next time you go to a zoo take time to look around at the people around you who are taking in the same sights. Chances are you will see more kids than adults. Now ask yourself, “Why kids?” ”Why does the zoo appeal to the younger population?” The answer is closer than you think.

                Dive into your own childhood and try to remember what made your very first trips to the zoo so important to you. I think we can all relate in the same way when I say the zoo peaked our curiosity. We all felt the need to see and learn about all the new things at the zoo. The zoo could be seen as one of the pivotal places of learning, especially to a child. It is one of the first experiences we all have with the “rest of the world.” It is an awe inspiring feeling to think that these animals came from every corner of the planet. As a child the zoo puts into perspective how big the world really is.

                As you grow older the learning experience starts to dissipate and the zoo starts to become more of an avenue of entertainment. Most adults who attend the zoo are there with their kids, and it’s kind of funny to see the big difference in levels of enthusiasm between the two. For the parent it’s sort of like “been there, done that” whereas for the young mind it’s more of a “so much to do, so little time!” type of experience.

                Next time you go to the zoo remember its purpose, remember to respect the learning experience of the young people. Feed their enthusiasm for learning, and let that same enthusiasm spark a fire in you. You were young once, don’t forget that.

Posted by Ben Keller

Saving wild animals from outside factors

Wild animals are exposed to the dangers of the outside environment such as poaching, hunting, deforestization, extreme weather, and more. Zoos believe they are protecting the animals from these extreme conditions, which they may be, but they are wild for a reason. The zoos may be protecting them from poachers, hunters and other conditions, but is it worth it? According to Amy Whiting, animals are very hard to breed when in captivity. For example, no elephants have ever bred successfully in an Australian zoo. Also with inbreeding, the offspring can be genetically weaker. These offspring are less likely to survive in the wild. With this, the offspring will also miss out on important survival tips that its mother would teach them in the wild and dont have the opportunity to do in zoos. (Whiting) Making a protective environment in their natural environment may be much more beneficial.

Whiting, Amy. "What's Wrong with Zoos?" Animal Liberation Victoria: Fighting for Animal Rights.  Media Two. Web. 24 Apr. 2012. <http://www.alv.org.au/issues/whatswrongwithzoos.php>.

"Making a difference"

This is a picture I took inside one of the buildings at the Lincoln zoo. On the sign it says "You can make a difference" and then asks you to put money in the jar of the particular animal you would like to support. As you can see, there is just change in the jars that don't add up to much. These animals require so much money to feed, have the right equipment for each individual animal, to simply just have in the facility, and so much more that this small amount of change probably does not even make a dent in the amount they are spending. Therefore, I believe that this is just a simple way to make the zoo appear better and to help prove that they are trying to help the animals, and also give the visitors an outlet to feel like they are helping too so that they don't feel so guilty when they see the animals in these small cages.

White Tigers

This video I found partly in response to Molly's video with Jane Goodall, just to be sure to capture the other side of the zoo/no zoo debate. It is more of a focused video of one animal in particular that is a very popular exhibit at many zoos.

Posted by Ben Keller

Humans? Zoos?

What would you think if I told you there were actually zoos based around human exhibits? Well, there were.  The earliest recorded instance of a human display at a menagerie was in Moctezuma, Mexico where, along with animals, were bizarre humans such as dwarves pygmies and albinos. The first, and last human display in America was in New York at the Bronx zoo. Ota Benga was a Congolese Pygmy that was in America after being displayed at the World’s Fair in America by the Museum of Natural History in 1906. After the World’s Fair he was moved to the Bronx Zoo, whether by force or on his own free will, nobody knows. Ota was displayed in the Monkey House as the “Missing Link” between humans and apes. Needless to say this put the city in an uproar and the display was ended in a few short weeks. Ota, after working at the zoo, committed suicide.

                For those people who think zoos are a good thing (myself included) does this topic help you understand why those who oppose zoos would like to get rid of them? Put yourself in the animals place. Would you like it? Would you know any different?


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_zoo
.http://ephemeralnewyork.wordpress.com/2009/01/07/the-bronx-zoos-short-lived-human-exhibit/
Posted by Ben Keller

Zoos, a History

Zoos have been around for thousands of years. The earliest discovered zoo was unearthed in 2009 in Egypt and was dated back to 3500 B.C. Zoos, origionally called menageries, were brought upon as a way for ancient rulers to display their wealth and power. Through the ancient social network the world learned of menageries and ancient Greece was the first to have zoos open to the public. The exotic animals in ancient Greece were made public so as to add another level of education to the philosophical communities as well as the school systems. America saw its first zoo in Philedelphia in 1859. Today the Philedelphia zoo has over 1300 animals and has over 1.1 million visitors annually.  Todays modern zoos stand on the same principles the were founded on, education and entertainment.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoo
www.philadelphiazoo.org/about/AboutZoo.htm
Posted by Ben Keller

Shaping our future

One addition to the Lincoln zoo that really stood out to me of all of the children's playgrounds and more, was a big, metal, pretend lion that "talked to the children". It had a vacuum mouth and when the recording talked to the children it told them to pick up trash around the zoo and feed him. This is a very interesting way to get children involved and help out a small community. This is one small part of a very small community, helping shape the future. This big, metal lion can be the source of teaching our children how to be a productive member of society and become an essential part of a community as they grow older. Without things such as this talking lion, children would have less of an opportunity to actually learn how to be a part of a community. Watching their elders and how their parents behave is a huge part, but if you look deeper into the things around you in a community, you may find things such as this lion that are helping shape communities more subliminally.

Jane Goodall's view of zoos

Jane Goodall is a very well-known professional of animals, particularly chimpanzee's. Her view of zoos is that they do provide a good education for the public who wont on a regular basis be able to see how wonderful these animals really are. She also believes that there are certain animals that should not be held in zoo's because they need extra room and their nature is to be more wild, such as wolves. She doesn't give us a straight answer on whether she thinks zoo's are humane or not, just pros and cons of the situation. She believes that zoos are OK if the animals are truly getting all of the care that they need; most importantly a big area and not confined to a small cage. An important point that she brings up is that wild animals and there habitats are becoming more and more scarce and zoo's can actually help keep the animals in a more safe environment and protect them from hunting. If Jane Goodall, the expert for wild animals, is accepting zoos if and only if the zoo's are doing a good job of keeping the animals  in a great environment, this may sway are beliefs on the role zoo's play in our community.

Pictures from the Zoo

Animals from top left to right: Humboldt Penguins, Alpaca, Scarlet Ibis, Goat
Middle row: Squirrel Monkey, Flamingo, Macaw
Bottom row: Bearded Dragon, European White Stork, Muntjac, and Peacock

Are Zoos Humane?

When thinking about what to consider when doing background research for the zoo, ethics seemed to be an interesting thing to look into further. When I think about zoos, ethics is not something that usually comes to mind. I never thought of zoos being a showcase of animals and how sometimes they are not always in the perfect living conditions, especially when they are not in their natural habitat. According to thehumanesociety.org, some of the problems associated with zoos are: not meeting the minimal requirements for exhibiting animals and having outdated exhibits because they focus on the more glamorous species.

The website suggests ways to minimize these problems. One being focusing on “organizing the zoo around a core mission that educates the public about the needs of animals and the threats they face” (“Humane Society of The United States”). Another core process to keeping the zoos humane is keeping the animals in a habitat that is as close to their natural as possible. They should treat their animals with the “highest degree of humaneness and professionalism” (“Humane Society of The United States”).

I also found another website explaining the ethicality of zoos. The first question to ask is whether or not it is morally wrong to keep animals in zoo. The bbc.co.uk gives both the animal rights answer and the animal welfare answer. Animal rights refers to if one is thinking the animal has rights and animal welfare is addressing the point of view that it is wrong to keep an animal in a zoo if the animal would have a more pleasant life outside the zoo.

According to the animal rights answer, it is wrong to keep animals in zoos because it treats animals as a means to achieve some human end, the animals fail to get the respect they deserve and it violates the animal’s right to live in freedom. And according to the animal welfare answer, it is wrong to keep animals in the zoo because the animal is deprived of its natural habitat, the animal might not have enough room, it is deprived of its natural social structure and companionship, it is forced into close proximity with other species and human beings which may be unnatural for it, the animal may become bored, depressed and institutionalized, and many more (“BBC”).

However, the other side to the story is that if a species is endangered, keeping them in the zoo can help to save them from becoming extinct. As long as the animals are treated ethically and with respect then it is a good idea to do this. After researching this topic a little more I feel as though I could make a more informed decision about my standpoint on this issue. How do you feel about this issue?

 Sources

"Ethics Guide." BBC. BBC, 2012. Web. 23 Apr 2012. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/animals/using/entertainment_1.shtml>.

"Zoos: Working to improve zoo conditions and promote natural habitats." The Humane Society of The United States. The Humane Society of The United States, 25 Sept 2009. Web. 22 Apr 2012. <http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/zoos/facts/zoos.html>.

A Small Community

I did some field work in both the Omaha zoo and the Lincoln zoo within the same week and I found them to be extremely different communities even though they are essentially the same thing. The Lincoln zoo was much smaller than the Omaha zoo and I found this to create a much more compact and tight-knit community. Not just with the workers, but with the families and people visiting the zoo, one could feel a connection with the others visiting the zoo when at the Lincoln zoo in the smaller community.

When I was at the Henry Doorly zoo (one of the largest zoos in the country) many of the visitors seemed to be in a rush, stressed, making sure all of their kids were cooperating and staying close by since there was so many people there they didn't want their child to get lost. I conducted my own little experiment while at each of these zoos. I walked by people and sometimes made comments on the animals and observed their reactions of me doing both. At the Omaha zoo when walking by, many people would not acknowledge you or they would put their heads down immediately after making awkward eye contact. 

On the other hand, at the Lincoln zoo the atmosphere was much more calm, there were not many people there which caused for a less stressful and hectic environment. It seemed as though the families there were more willing to talk to you and after passing the same families around the zoo multiple times, you felt somewhat of a connection with them as you are both enjoying the same things that day. You just don't receive this type of connection with the families at larger zoos. The Lincoln zoo was much more enjoyable when having younger kids so that probably put the visitors in better moods so they were more happy and willing to talk to you than the families at the Henry Doorly in Omaha.

The outcome of this experiment was just what my hypothesis was, people would feel less connected to others and there wouldn't be as much of a response when making comments such as "Wow that tiger is so beautiful!" and there being no response. When at the Lincoln zoo, I was laughing and talking with a family about how funny the bats were behaving. Looking deeper, the family I was associating with at the Lincoln zoo could have felt the need to make a comment and respond to mine for the mere fact of socialization and to seize the awkwardness that could have appeared. Because of the non-existent commotion such as there would be at the Henry Doorly, the dead silence almost requires one to speak because only few humans can stand the awkward silences in life.

At Henry Doorly, it is much easier to pretend one didn't hear the comment I made because of all of that is going on around us and it be forgotten, but at the Lincoln zoo this is not the case. Did the family at the Lincoln zoo really want to have that short conversation with me? Or was it a form of a weird psychology most of us will never understand? Knowingly, we were most likely never going to see each other again; it is not as if we are at a dating site or someplace where we are trying to become one another's friend, so why have the conversation? There really is no outcome or relationship I made with these particular individuals, but somewhere inside of me I felt as if I made a connection with these strangers that would have been an abnormal thing to happen in a larger community at Henry Doorly.