Do zoos have a place in today’s society?

When zoos first appeared, they were to show exotic animals to the public in zoological gardens, like plants in botanic gardens. With the days of international travel and amazing wildlife programmes on TV, people now have a much greater understanding of the behaviour and welfare needs of wild animals – do zoos still have a place in today’s society and if they do, what is it?

What are zoos for and should they still exist? Professor Bownes commenced by stating that there are no right answers to these questions and the issues surrounding keeping animals in captivity are open to debate. For centuries, people have had an intrinsic interest in animals and wildlife. However, in Victorian times, when the first zoological parks were opened, opportunities for foreign travel were limited and for many people, animals were only ever experienced through images in books. The first zoological parks were set up like botanical gardens, with the sole purpose of viewing the animals; there was little attention paid to how they were displayed or to their welfare. These new parks, including Edinburgh Zoo, received millions of visitors, allowing access to animals that people had only previously heard about. The original site of Edinburgh Zoo was farmland. Today, the zoo, despite remaining relatively small, is the biggest in Scotland and considered one of the best in the United Kingdom.

Professor Bownes described examples of Victorian zoological parks where the hippopotamus was kept in a cage and lions housed next to zebras, with no attempt to replicate their natural environments. However, the Victorians were fascinated by the ‘new’ animals and visits to the zoo stimulated a genuine excitement in and enthusiasm for the natural world for children and adults alike. This sentiment remains true today and the public being able to experience a connection with the animal world is vital for the zoos’ conservation work. In addition to foreign travel becoming more widely accessible, today, the general public are significantly better informed about animals and their natural environment through viewing of the wildlife documentaries shown on television. Furthermore, more research is now undertaken relating to animal life and behaviour in the wild, all of which has impacted upon how zoos currently care for and display their animals, leading to improved welfare conditions and standards.

One of the major factors affecting the continued existence of species in the wild is the conflict between developing human society and maintaining places for wild animals, particularly in developing countries. Urban development and climate change can impinge upon and affect the animals’ environment and habitat, in some cases leading to loss of species. Additionally, in some countries, some species are illegally poached for traditional medicine production. Professor Bownes commented that there is no right answer to this problem; it is difficult to expect certain groups of people who are trying to improve their standard of living and feed their families to reject this in favour of maintaining the animal population. Further conflict between the animal and human worlds can be caused by tourism; an increased interest in wildlife and easier foreign travel can lead to too many visitors in sensitive environments.

Indeed, some governments concerned about sustainability have restricted the number of tourists visiting certain regions. However, the issue of species loss does need to be addressed, as over the last century, while the size of the human population has doubled, the number of animal species has been reduced by 50%. Furthermore, these conflicts have led to a situation where, for some species, the only remaining examples are housed in the world’s zoos.

With developments in research and enhanced understanding, questions are particularly asked regarding keeping primates in captivity. Much of what was once considered unique to human behaviour, for example communication and tool use, has now been observed in the primate community. These discoveries give rise to the question ‘do we need zoos’ and, if so, what are they for, which species should be kept within them and who are they for? Most modern zoos consider their remit and three main objectives to be conservation, research and education. However, there is also a balancing act due to their status as commercial enterprises. Paying customers expect a certain level of experience, during which they will be both informed and entertained. Running a zoo is extremely expensive and as most zoos are registered charities receiving no income from government funds, they depend upon income from ticket sales, philanthropy and fundraising to cover all their running costs and research activities, including working in communities in other countries from where the animals originate.

Professor Bownes stated that both wild and captive animals require the right kind of space, food, environment, stimulation and population grouping (age and sex). This requires a lot of research and behavioural studies in the wild and captivity. But should zoos be restricted to housing only threatened species, or should animals that live side by side in the wild be kept in the zoo in order to replicate a natural environment? The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) runs two sites, Edinburgh Zoo and the Highland Wildlife Park in Kincraig. Edinburgh Zoo houses over 5000 animals from 166 different species and the Highland Wildlife Park, a much larger park comprising 105 hectares, cares for 300 animals from 37 species, including Scottish wildlife. At both sites, however, 50% of the species are under some kind of threat in the wild. Zoos no longer have the aim of housing ‘two of each species’, instead focusing largely on animals under threat in the wild. Indeed, many zoos have their own specialisms, enabling the development of specific environments best suited to the needs and welfare of the animals.

Many zoos work with local, national and international communities to foster interest in and educate the general public about wildlife and its conservation. Despite being very different sites and housing different species, both RZSS sites are involved in important conservation projects. Edinburgh Zoo has field teams across the globe, working in the conservation of species such as armadillos in Brazil, tigers in Asia and chimpanzees in Uganda. The Bodongo project at Edinburgh Zoo funds a project in Uganda, whereby a staff member was able to work at the field station researching and caring for the chimpanzees in this region. From these on-site studies, knowledge has been gained about the chimpanzee population, which has changed how the animals are cared for within the zoo. For example, researchers noticed that the Bodongo forest had changed over time and now produces more nuts than fruit. The local chimpanzee population had adapted to this change in food source by foraging on the ground and eating nuts, bark and leaves. This new information has led to the chimpanzee population at Edinburgh Zoo being offered an amended diet. Furthermore, researchers have worked with the local Ugandan population to encourage conservation and understanding of the importance of their primate population. Former poachers have been hired as trackers and this has assisted in the reduction of hunting and poaching. Whilst is it illegal to trap the chimpanzees in the Bodongo region, Professor Bownes commented that “60% of the Ugandan population are unemployed and looking to make a living and feed themselves; chimpanzees often fall foul to traps positioned to capture antelope”. Education and employment of the local population is, however, beginning to help preserve these forest regions and protect the chimpanzee population.

The Highland Wildlife Park is involved in a project focused on the conservation of the Scottish Wildcat. This species has experienced significant difficulties relating to loss of native habitat, occasional poisoning and, particularly, interbreeding with domestic cats, which has diluted the population and affected their genetic pool. Indeed, many wild Scottish ‘Wildcats’ are now largely a mix of feral domestic and wildcat. A captive breeding project is underway at the Highland Wildlife Park and other sites, with the hope of ultimately releasing animals to the wild. It is crucial that the animals bred are a genetically diverse pool, in order to avoid inbreeding and birth defects. Thus, this requires strong collaboration between zoo communities and carefully maintained stud books for all the cats in the programme. Other parks collaborate in the programme and cats move between parks to avoid the risk of genetic inbreeding. Indeed, all zoos undertake a census of all animals each year, which allows for the international sharing of data that is vital for the breeding programmes.

Professor Bownes highlighted some of the other projects undertaken by RZSS. In 2011, Edinburgh Zoo took delivery of two Giant Pandas on loan from China. ‘Yang Guang’ and ‘Tian Tian’ are part of a breeding and research programme involving many zoos worldwide. Little is known about the reproductive behaviour of pandas in the wild and, through working with reproduction scientists at the University of Edinburgh, discoveries are being made regarding the hormones and reproductive cycle of the panda. Data from across the world suggest that two thirds of panda pregnancies are not successful and, thus, the lack of success at Edinburgh Zoo so far is not unusual. Working with other groups across the world should lead to improved knowledge and, hopefully, a successful breeding programme. Another project, “Living Links’, is focused on the study of the captive Squirrel Monkeys and Brown Capuchins, whose natural habitat is the forest floor of the Amazon. These species forage for food and mostly eat nuts and leaves. The studies at Edinburgh Zoo revolve around the psychology and behaviour of the monkeys living together in groups. Unusually, in this project, both the monkeys and the researchers are on view to the public. The monkeys are free to choose whether they take part in the research, although they are rewarded for doing so. Researchers have discovered that these monkeys take part in a social group activity whereby they rub smelly items into each other. This is thought to assist with relief and prevention of mosquito bites. Furthermore, the monkeys have different personalities and appear to be more sociable with the animals that are similar to them.

Education is an important remit of zoos worldwide. Many zoos, in collaboration with other organisations, incorporate programmes for schools and young people. ‘Wild About Scotland’ is one such programme, which enables an educational bus to visit schools and communities and provide workshops on topics including ‘mini beasts’, beavers and wildcats, thus introducing school children to Scottish native animals. This bus allows the zoo, which is a fixed site, to visit different communities and doesn’t rely on people coming to the zoo, in order to spread the message of conservation and animal protection. Edinburgh Zoo has also introduced some enclosures where visitors can experience a closer interaction with the animals, including pelicans, wallabies and ring tailed lemurs. This also can assist with the balancing act between housing the animals in enclosures with indoor and outdoor space, which they like, but can be frustrating for visitors to the zoo if they choose to be inside! For safety reasons, there are obvious limitations regarding which animals can be included in interactive experiences!

Professor Bownes commented that the partnership working between the RZSS and the University of Edinburgh is mutually beneficial. For the RZSS, it allows access to the expertise of academics on subjects ranging from animal reproduction to architecture; and for the University, it enables real-life experience on important education projects for the students.

Concluding, Professor Bownes reiterated that there is no consensus of opinion regarding whether zoos have a place in today’s society. However, there are many dilemmas and discussion points, particularly concerning interaction with the public to educate them about conservation and animal welfare. What is apparent is that for many species, to avoid possible extinction, it is vital to consider how best they can be protected and, while doing so, maintain the enthusiasm people have for the animal world.