Here are the answers to your zoo questions.
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A zoo is a place where a collection of animals is kept for public education,
recreation and conservation. Each year more than 100 million people visit a
zoo. Collections of animals have been known since ancient times. Rulers from
China to Egypt kept animals for their own pleasure and to impress visitors.
The modern zoo had its beginnings in Vienna in 1765 and in Paris in 1793. The
famous Regent's Park Zoo in London was opened in 1828 and 3 years later the
Society opened Whipsnade Park-a 567 acre zoo that is one of the best known in
the world.
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A menagerie is where animals are displayed in cages for money. The animals at
a circus in the side show are in a menagerie.
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Only a few special types of animals are kept in cages. These are the really
good climbers and jumpers. Usually most zoos have wide ditches and motes
filled with water to contain the animals. Zoos attempt to give the animals
their natural habitat but one that is safe for the caretakers and open enough
for the people to enjoy.
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In the United States, Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago is the oldest, opening in
1868. The Philadelphia Zoo opened in 1874. The National Zoological Park was
established by the Federal Government in Washingtion, D.C. in 1889. The
International Wildlife Conservation Park (popularly known as the Bronx Zoo)
opened in 1899 and has one of the largest collections of animals in the world.
Some other important zoos are Forest Park in St. Louis, Mo. and The San Diego
Zoo in California. Important zoos in other parts of the world include Mumbai
(Bombay); Calcutta, India; Cairo, Egypt; and Berlin and Munich, Germany.
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The world is divided into 6 zoological regions.
Each has its own types of animals. Frequently zoos will exhibit animals found
in one region all together as they would be in the wild.
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You know that the purpose of a zoo is conservation, the saving of kinds of
animals. This becomes more important as humans invade the habitat of animals.
In order to preserve and sometimes reintroduce animals into the wild, some are
saved and kept in zoos to breed. Some species have larger populations in zoos
than in the wild such as Arabian Orynx, Siberian Tigers and California Condors.
( the tiger animated grafic on the cirsus answer page is a Bengal tiger)
Zoos cooperate in order to exchange animals so their breeding programs remain
healthy. There is a world wide system called The International Species
Information System (ISIS) that keeps records on over 700,000 specimans in 460
zoos in 54 countries.
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Zoology is the study of animals. Animals have been formally studied since 400
B.C. There used to be just collections of folk lore and stories but zoology
became a scientific study during the 12th. century.
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Classification is a method of naming animals so their relationship in nature is
shown. Scientist don't just look at the shape or color of an animal. They
study the bones and structure and how it funtions. The hyrax is a little
animal about the size of a rabbit with tiny hoofed feet. Do you know that they
are in the group of animals know as ungulates (hoofed animals)--this is the
same group the elephant is in! They look very different but are still in the
same family because of characteristics that they share.
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The largest animal ever to exist is the Blue Whale. It can grow to over 100
feet in length and weigh about 300,000 pounds. You would have to be on the
ocean to see a Blue whale. You can see smaller whales at sea parks around the
country. (have you heard of Shamu?)
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Zoos have special houses devoted to unique species such as birds (in an aviary)
and reptiles and insects. You can see animals from all around the world.
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Apart from being able to see so many different animals many zoos have a
children's section where you can see and pet some animals up close. These are
usually farm animals and tame deer. Some zoos have special animals that you
can ride on and have your picture taken. These are usually elephants and
camels.
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Until the early 1970's , zoos collected their animals from the wild. (ask your
grandparents about Frank Buck "Bring 'em back alive!") Because of the U.S.
Endangered Species Act was passed in 1973, animals are exchanged between zoos
and only less than 1 o/o are collected from the wild.
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