Imagine a world without white tigers, rhinos, or Asian elephants. All of those animals are becoming extinct, and may be gone in a couple of years. Zoos are a place that these animals can be brought to and protected. In a world full of predators, hunters, and environmental issues, animals’ cannot catch a break. By housing endangered animals in zoos, the animals can now be bred, or protected from the obstacles in the real world.
In the Scientific American article entitled, “How do Zoos Help Endangered Animals?” a group called EarthTalk discusses how “dozens of zoos across North America participate in the Association of Zoos and Aquarium’s (AZA’s) and Species Survival Plan (SSP) Program, which aims to manage the breeding of specific endangered species in order to help maintain healthy and self-sustaining populations that are both genetically diverse and demographically stable.”
“According to the AZA, SSP and related programs have helped bring black-footed ferrets, California condors, red wolves and several other endangered species back from the brink of extinction over the last three decades.” This proves that the programs are working, and it is not just an idea that is being pitched to keep the public happy. Zoos are preserving the animals that are slowly dying out. They are coming up with a smart solution to a difficult problem.