The last time that I went to the zoo was in Japan on a humid summer afternoon. Sweat was dripping down my back because of the combined intensity of sun beating from above and reflecting from below, and I remember thinking how the polar bears and penguins were probably going to suffer from a case of heat stroke.

Zoos have long been a popular source of entertainment and a great activity for families. The earliest records are from the 12th century BC in China, and animals have been confined in enclosures and displayed to the public ever since. As a young child, zoos were a place of fascination and interest to me, and the idea that the cages and enclosures that the poor animals were forced into was not natural didn’t hit me till I was about 11.

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of going to the Oregon Zoo with my roommate who used to work at the venue over the summer as a camp counselor. And she told me some very interesting facts about zoos and the new direction that they are headed in.

Since the American Zoo Association started to implement heavier regulations and emphasis on ecological preservation, zoos have begun to more toward conservation sites, rather than just confinement for the sake of entertainment. This was visibly true at the Oregon Zoo, because of the new constructions zones that were building better matched habitats for the animals and larger spaces for them to live in. In addition, the zoo is involved in seven Species Recovery programs to help boost populations of endangered or sensitive species. Research programs and summer zoo camps for kids also promote the conservation, and how we as visitors can help preserve NorthWest wildlife.

It would be an interesting path to be on the public relations team of a zoo, with the new direction that they are moving in!

Oregon Zoo Conservation Information

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