The conservation value of zoos
SWAZILAND’S Big Game Parks (BGP) supports the conservation value of zoos and believes critics of zoos are well intentioned but often misinformed.
“No one will argue that life in a zoo is second best to the wild, but to condemn zoos out of hand is to be misinformed. We are the first to state that bad zoos should be abolished but that good zoos should be encouraged.
“Their value to education and the conservation ethos is too great to ignore,” says BGP.
Good zoos had served significant and important conservation functions over many decades, including the Californian condor, which had become extinct in nature and was bred in American zoos and returned back to the wild where they were successfully breeding once more.
The Arabian Orynx was bred back to viable numbers from the last six surviving animals taken from the wild, at the Phoenix Zoo in Arizona; the species was then re-established in the wild in its home range in the Middle East, The Hawaian (or Nene) goose, which had become extinct in the wild, was bred up at the Wildfowl Trust in Slimbridge and the London Zoo. It was now so common it had become a garden feature.
There were many other examples of the exemplary conservation achievements of good zoos in re-establishing endangered and threatened species in the wild, including the American bison, the golden lion tamarind (primate) of Brazil, the scimiter-horned orxy, the amur leopard, the pnager (wild ass), and Prezalski’s horse.
The roan antelope, which had become extinct in Swaziland, was another case in point, having been restored to the kingdom from Marwell Zoo in England. Swaziland’s now vibrant hippo population was helped to viability with two donations of two hippos from Whipsnade Zoo in England.
“Credible zoos have developed policies for contributing to both in situ and ex-situ conservation practices across the globe and this has helped to restore, conserve, and safeguard many species of both locally and internationally threatened and endangered species of animals,” says BGP.
BGP had developed productive long-term relationships with several accredited zoos in which monetary contributions to conservation projects were helping the wider interests of nature conservation.
These related to expansion of range, re-establishment of species, research, infrastructure, drought relief, and education, some of which were prohibitively expensive.
The 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP17) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is currently underway in Johannesburg. – ANA