the value of zoos for science and conservation
TRANSCRIPT
The Value of Zoos for Science and Conservation
Courtney Dunn, M.S.Ph.D. Student, Quantitative Biology
University of Texas at ArlingtonDallas World Aquarium
IntroductionZoos have been a source of
great controversy since their beginnings
A transformation has occurred in recent years from menageries to vessels for conservation change
But, how much do zoos actually contribute to conservation?
Noah’s Ark Existence
Insurance populations to safeguard the future
(Lees and Wilcken 2009)
“Taxonomically-Biased Collections” Some propose zoos have yet to
unveil their full conservation potential (Fa et al. 2014)
Claim zoos house species of lesser conservation priority, more charismatic
Prioritized species often require huge conservation efforts in the wild with a small chance of success (Fa et al., 2014; Possingham et al., 2002).
23%of zoo collections are currently devoted to threatened species,
spread across several animal orders
(International Species Information System)
Extinct in the Wild
Conde et al. (2011)
Reintroduction Programs
A combination of captive breeding, reintroduction programs, and hunting
restrictions have been the most effective conservation actions (Conde et al. 2013)
Success StoriesKeirruf (2012)Morrison, et al. (2014) Grow, et al. (2015)
Olson and Chestnut (2015) Lafferriere, et al. (2016)
Reintroduction Failures“The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.” - Henry Ford
Introduced American Burying Beetles abandoned burrows, mainly bad release timing (FWS 2013)
Captive born carnivores harder to release (Hedrick and Fredrickson 2003)
“Education is
Conservation”
Zoos promote a stronger connection to nature and
prompt visitors to reconsider their role in environmental
problems
180,000,000People visit AZA-accredited zoological institutions each year to learn
about wild animals, their habitats, their related conservation issues, and the ways in which they can contribute to their preservation (AZA 2016)
51,000,00Of those yearly visitors are students, ranging from pre-K to the college
level (AZA 2016)
400,000Teachers trained with award-winning and proven science curricula (AZA
2016)
Connecting People with NatureSpending time in a zoo
setting leads to an increase in implicit connectedness with nature (Bruni et al. 2008)
Suggest that zoo experiences can promote an increase in connectedness with nature
Effect occurs primarily at the implicit level and may not be apparent to visitors at the time.
Citizen Science ProgramsExample: FrogWatch
Trained individuals listen for frogs and toads during evenings from February through August and submit these observations to a national online database (Steelman et al. 2010)
Magle (2016)
Assessing the Role of Zoos in Wildlife ConservationZoo should work on transforming
themselves from displays to interactive conservation centers.
Work on bridging the gap between captive collections and free-range wildlife (Tribe and Booth 2006).
Changing public perceptions of zoos requires institutions to act together rather than independently (Carr and Cohen 2015).
Questions?