Childrens Illustrated Encyclopedia

Thousands

of school-

children visit

zoos each year

with their

teachers.

581

Signposts

around the zoo

direct visitors to

different areas.

Zoo vans collect dirty straw from

each of the animal houses.

Modern zoos

In some zoos, such as the Binder Park zoo (left),

animals range free in large enclosures with trees

and other natural features. People view the animals

through glass panels rather than iron bars. You can

even see the animals from an open-topped bus. In most

countries inspectors can arrive unannounced to check

the welfare of the creatures. A few zoos still treat their

captives badly, and organizations such as zoo Check

work toward ensuring better conditions in zoos.

Gardeners take care of the

zoo grounds and look after

all of the plants.

PeoPLe BeGAn To keeP animals in

zoological gardens, or zoos, more than

3,000 years ago, when rulers in China

established a huge zoo, called the Gardens

of Intelligence. Today, most cities have a

zoo, wildlife park, or aquarium, which

provide a chance to observe and study

hundreds of different animals. However,

many people do not agree about the value

of zoos. zoo supporters say that zoos give

people the opportunity to be close to

animals, which they would never otherwise

experience; zoos help us appreciate the

wonder of the natural world; and zoo staff

carry out scientific research and important

conservation work, such as breeding rare

species. zoo critics believe that it is wrong

to keep animals in captivity; the creatures

behave unnaturally, and in poorly run zoos

they suffer because of stress, unsuitable

food, dirty conditions, and disease.

eArLY zoos

In early zoos animals such as

elephants were taught to perform

for the visitors, as shown in this

picture. Animals are no longer

trained to perform for the public.

The purpose of a zoo is to enable

people to see how wild animals

behave in their natural

surroundings. The ideal solution is

to save wild areas, with their animals

and plants, and allow people to visit

these, but this is not always possible.

Display boards and guide books full

of information provide education.

How zoos Are run

A zoo employs zookeepers to

look after the animals, zoologists

(scientists who study animals),

veterinarians, accountants,

architects, cooks, gardeners,

builders, and many other people.

The zoo manager must keep

all of these people organized

because there are many jobs to

do, such as ordering the correct

food for each animal and

running the souvenir store and

the restaurants. Visitors have to

pay an entrance fee toward the

upkeep of the zoo, but most zoos

also need government funding.

Zookeepers hose down the animal

houses every day with water.

Zookeeper delivering

straw to animals

Zoos have

restaurants

and cafés,

where visitors

can eat, drink,

and relax.

Visitors

can buy

souvenirs in

the zoo store.

Zoos

Tons of animal food are

delivered to the zoo each

week from all over the

world, including eucalyptus

leaves from Australia for

the koalas.

This huge

birdcage

is called

an aviary.

Storehouse,

where food is

stored. Zoo trucks take food

from here to the animals.

Find out more

Animals

Conservation

and endangered species

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