I believe you have misunderstood the purpose of zoos. A zoo’s main purpose is not to have animals for people to gawk at and admire. Sure people may go there for that reason, but zoos are established to conserve species and educate the public.
I worked at a zoo for the past two summers, so I speak from experience.
Zoos across the world have research and breeding programs to assist in recovering endangered plants and animals. Examples of this are the black-footed ferret and the Przewalski’s horse.
Both species were extinct in the wild before breeding programs were set up, and now both have been reintroduced into the wild.
From working at a zoo and learning about the exotic species, I cannot stress the significance of zoos’ conservation efforts.
Without these efforts I am confident many more species would go extinct.
Why should we care if species go extinct? It’s not because we like them but because they have an impact on their ecosystem.
The extinction of one species impacts many others, including humans. All organisms are connected to one another.
Furthermore, zoos educate people through animals and the different programs they offer.
Zoos have a big impact in educating people about the importance of conservation.
Things people learn at zoos can inspire them to do things to better the environment as well as inspire careers and shape life styles in young minds.
Gregg Janos
