A More Modern Zoo Philosophy
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| Living Desert Zoo |
Fast forward a couple decades,
and I found myself at the Omaha Zoo, simply to kill a little time. I was
floored. The habitats were so much more natural than I remembered from my
previous experience. Animals were
integrated into their particular habitat, such as a desert or jungle rather
than the old “reptile building.” The zoo
is constantly working to make habitats better, and it is currently constructing
an immense African Grasslands that I can’t wait to see.
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| Living Desert Zoo |
With my faith renewed, I visited
the San Diego Zoo and was again pleasantly surprised at the lengths they have
gone to make the habitats as good for the animals as possible. Most recently, I
spent a few hours at the Living Desert Zoo in Palm Desert, California. A few of the enclosures were amazing with
fences built out of view over rolling hills giving the illusion of endless
space. The Bighorn Sheep even had a natural rocky hill to climb, and again the
backside of the enclosure was left to the imagination out of view.
Nothing is an adequate substitute
for animals freely roaming their natural environment, but I admit that zoos do serve
an important purpose. Some animals are so close to extinction in the wild, one
would have to ask if it’s better to let them disappear or to try and keep the
gene pool healthy. Zoos contribute to
research and a better understanding of many species. Most important is the vital
role zoos can play in educating the next generation. Few can watch and learn
about animals, even in captivity, and not develop some desire to protect them.
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