There were zoos in ancient Babylon, in ancient Egypt, in the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, and in ancient China. For example, by 3500 BCE, Hieronkopolis in Egypt had a zoo. Among the animals kept at the zoo were baboons, hippos, elephants. The animals were buried in the city’s elite cemetery. Some of the animals may have been sacrificed on the death of a ruler.
In other words, for thousands of years our species, Homo sapiens, has been capturing and exhibiting other animals. Unlike the ancient zoos, or even the zoos of a century ago, where the animals were kept in cages for human amusement, today’s zoos function as educational institutions. While the animals provide the entertainment which attracts the public, the zoos of today show not only the animals, but their displays help education people about the environment, climate change, endangered species, ecology, and other topics. Shown below are photographs of some of the displays at the Portland, Oregon, Zoo.
Northwest:
One section of the zoo focuses on the Northwest—the area where Portland is located. While animals from this region are featured, the signs and displays along the pathway attempt to explain the local environment and the interrelationships between plants, animals, water, and other aspects of the local ecology.
Condors, such as those shown above, were once common along the Columbia River and as far east as the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains in Montana (the Blackfoot Indians have a word for condor in their language and have stories about this large bird). The efforts of zoos have resulted in the release of a few breeding pairs back into the wild.
Polar Bears:
A popular attraction at many zoos is the polar bear exhibit. At the Portland Zoo, the exhibits not only show the bears, but also attempt to educate people about the impact of global warming on these magnificent animals. The exhibits make it clear that: (a) global warming is real, and (b) global warming is the result of human activity.
According to the display:
“Climate change is a nature part of Earth’s history.
However, the current rapid climate change is a unique consequence of human activity.
Each year, about 20 billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases are released from energy production, cars, and factories.
Only half of the CO2 emissions are absorbed naturally by the biosphere. The remaining CO2 stays in the atmosphere for about 100 years trapping solar heat, which would otherwise radiate back into space. This heat, confined within earth’s atmosphere, increases average global temperatures.”
Malayan Sun Bear:
Southeast Asian Pigs:
The Visayan Warty Pig is shown above. Native to six islands on the western Philippines, farm expansion and hunting is threatening this species.
The Babirusa shown above lives in the moist forests along rivers on several Indonesian islands. Expanding human populations are taking over Babirusa habitat.
Elephants:
Orangutan: