What Are Zoos For?
A brief overview of the zoo, particularly as a form of family entertainment, is presented in this article. Included is a discussion of the purpose of a zoo.
According to the World Association of Zoos and Aquaria, worldwide, approximately 600 million visits are made to zoos each year. In Europe, zoos are among the most popular tourist sites.
The purpose of a zoo is unclear. While some believe the purpose of a zoo is to protect a particular species, most of the animals on display in the United Kingdom’s largest zoo, for example, are at a low risk of extinction. Less than one-fourth are “threatened” according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List.
According to a Born Free survey, most respondents thought that about a quarter of zoo income was spent on the conservation of threatened species in the wild. The actual number is more likely between 4-7%.