Running head: ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS 1

Zoos and Aquariums

Sam Swenson

Arizona State University

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Abstract

In this essay the author will talk about the importance of zoos and aquariums and the relevance

they have in society today. He will talk about the economical, educational and conserational

benefits that come with zoos and aquariums and why they need to remain in society.

Keywords: zoos, aquariums, benefits, society

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Zoos and Aquariums

Zoos and aquariums have been in our society for a very long time, 1000s of years

actually. Originally, zoos and aquariums were created just to show off exotic animals to the

public. People went to zoos and aquariums more for entertainment than enlightenment. But times

have changed, the old cold cement cages and steel bar enclosures are gone. You can now expect

to see more natural-looking barriers like moats or ditches to separate animals from people, and

mini-habitats that resemble the animals' natural environment. Zoos and aquariums have made

strides over the years to improve the quality of life for animals inside and outside of zoos and

aquariums. Zoos and aquariums have come into the spotlight in recent years after the recent rise

of social media. Now that social media is more prevalent, people are able to post and share

everything they see and do. This means that every little mistake zoos and aquariums make are

more susceptible to being shared and having millions of people see with ease. Zoos and

aquariums are very important for today’s society and it would be a big loss if they were to be

disbanded. They have plenty to offer and the benefits they provide greatly outweigh any

consequences that may come forward with them.

One of the more obvious benefits of zoos and aquariums is the entertainment they

provide for our society. If you’re reading this right now, then the odds are that you’ve been to a

zoo or aquarium before in your lifetime. It was estimated that over 164,000,000 people visited

U.S. zoos and aquariums in 2013 (Josephine, 2013). For many cities, zoos and aquariums are

giant tourist attractions that drive people into the city. This is big for other businesses that

surround the area as they can feed off the influx of people that the zoos aquariums have brought

it. Zoos aquariums and aquariums are a massive past time that has been a staple in our society for

generations. Even though zoos and aquariums draw in a lot of people yearly they don't just
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entertain, they also aim to educate. Zoos and aquariums organize a variety of programs tailored

toward children and adults. Zoos teach people about all the different animal species worldwide,

the characteristics and tendencies of those species as well as the needs of animals and the

importance of conservation. This can excite and inspire the people who come to visit these and

look at these animals. And if people get excited enough, they'll be more inclined to donate

money to conservation efforts -- another pro of zoos and aquariums. Beyond educating the

general public, zoos and aquariums go a long way in educating teachers and helping them get

their degrees. Zoology is a giant career path and many people that choose this go on to do great

things regarding the conservation of animals and improvement of the environment. It is

estimated that in the last 10 years, AZA-accredited zoos (Association of Zoos and Aquariums)

have trained more than 400,000 teachers by supporting them with a rigorous science curriculum

and hands on experience (AZA, 2019). Without zoos and aquariums, a lot of teachers would

struggle to find the necessary hands on experience they need to obtain their degree. Zoos and

aquariums are a big hub for education and greatly contribute to the efforts of education.

Something that is swept under the rug is the economical importance of zoos and

aquariums. Everyone always talks about the entertainment or educational impact, but people fail

to realize that zoos and aquariums are a massive part of the U.S. economy. With over a

164,000,000 yearly visitors to zoos in the United States (Josephine, 2018) zoos and aquariums

generate a ton of money. AZA reported that in 2013, AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums had an

economic output of $17.2 billion (AZA, 2013). This is an incredible amount of money that can

not be overlooked. While the whole U.S. economy would take a big hit, individual cities that

have zoos and aquariums as their main attractions would be ruined. Cities such as Columbus and

San Diego that have some of the largest zoos in the country, would take massive hits economy.
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Subsequently. The surrounding businesses in those areas would also take a hit as the traffic in

those areas would significantly drop off. On top of zoos and aquariums churning out a massive

amount of sheer money, it is also reported that in 2013, AZA-member zoos in the United States

employed 38,078 people. Also, off-site spending by U.S. zoos supported an estimated 62,126

jobs (Jospehine, 2018). That’s approximately 100,000 jobs that zoos and aquariums provide

yearly. That is a gargantuan amount of people and it would be catastrophic if all those jobs

would cease to exist. Not only would you have a 100,000 people who are jobless, but that

100,000 less people that are able to spend money normally and contribute to the flow of money

in the U.S. economy. Zoos have been and will continue to positively affect the U.S. economy. In

difficult times and prosperous times, zoos and aquariums are there to help boost the economy.

Planet Earth is in trouble, and the animals in the inhabit it are in trouble as well. With the

increase of global warming, industrialization and population size, the Earth's resources are being

used up fast. A lot of these resources come from the natural habitats of animals around the world,

and these habitats are being destroyed so humans can use their resources. In the midst of all this

happening, zoos and aquariums are greatly contributing to the conservation efforts of animal

species. Millions are invested every year to conservation efforts as countless programs and

initiatives are set up to save animal species. Successful breeding programs brought the Pere

David's deer back from extinction. Though this Asian deer ceased to exist in the wild, Chinese

and European zoo programs enabled four of the deer to be released back into the wild in 1985,

where they're now self-sustaining (Encarta, 2008). Zoos and aquariums also advocate for the

conservation of animal species. They advertise this in their own parks and out in public too to try

and get the word out there. This helps with conservation efforts as it brings more attention to the

problem and get people to start talking about it. On top of setting up conservation programs and
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initiatives, zoos also present an opportunity for scientists to conduct research. In 2002, zoos

participated in 2,230 research and conservation projects in more than 80 countries. The

information they gather helps them to develop new medicines and techniques to improve animal

health (Fravel, 2003). Zoos and aquariums continue to provide the opportunity to scientists and

students to research animals and develop all sorts of valuable things. Between this and the

amount of money they invest and the programs they set up, zoos and aquariums immensely

contributed to conservation efforts worldwide.

Zoos and aquariums are intertwined into our society. While they started out as barbaric

meat shows that only aimed to entertain, they have evolved into much more. They greatly impact

the economy, education system and the conservation efforts for animals species. Humans and

animals are better of with zoos and aquariums. Getting rid of them wouldn't be easy, and it’s not

something that would be beneficial either. Nothing in this world comes easy, and just about

nothing in this world comes without some sacrifices. The benefits of zoos and aquariums far

outweigh the consequences, and it seems that they are here to stay for a long long time.
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