Why do we need zoos? What is a modern zoo

Will keeping animals in captivity preserve animals in the wild?

“The main function of all zoos is the conservation of species. A zoo can house and study rare and endangered species in order to create artificial populations in captivity. That is, zoos are genetic banks for the conservation of rare and endangered species of animals by keeping specific individuals in order to obtain offspring from them and further develop their populations in captivity,” says Anastasia Chestina, head of the special projects section of the Moscow Zoo.

The expert notes, RIA Novosti reports, that some rare species of animals are preserved only in zoos. For example, guests of the capital's zoo can see a Przewalski's horse or David's deer, which are not found in the wild.

At the same time, the director of the Zoological Museum of Moscow State University. Lomonosov Mikhail Kalyakin believes that the main function of zoos is educational: demonstrating animals to people.

“A zoo, in my opinion, is a public place where people get to know animals. Breeding animals for release into the wild and showing them to the public are two different tasks that require slightly different conditions. It is necessary to separate zoos from nurseries, where animals are not stressed by visitors,” the scientist believes.

A more radical position is taken by the head of programs at the Russian representative office of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), Anna Filippova, who believes that zoos still perform only an educational function.

“Zoos are made specifically for educational and educational purposes. In my opinion, it is still appropriate to talk only about this function. It seems to me that it is incorrect to talk about preserving the species. They were created so that city residents who do not have access to wildlife can see animals,” Filippova said.

"Safe haven" or prison?

Although experts disagree on the main function of zoos, they are unanimous in their assessment of the conditions in which animals are kept - they should be as close as possible to the natural environment.

“If a zoo keeps animals in comfortable conditions, like, for example, the San Diego Zoo, where animals live almost in the wild, and people walk along the paths allocated to them, then that’s one thing. But if animals sit in cages one and a half by one and a half meters with poor feeding, it’s different. If the zoo is normal, then the animals do not experience any special suffering, and the plus is gigantic, because people living in cities, after visiting zoos, will feel involved in the conservation of wildlife,” says Kalyakin.

Chestina notes that in well-equipped zoos, animals receive a balanced diet, which is often deprived in the wild, and are under veterinary control. In addition, the vast majority of animals living in zoos are usually not the first generation of animals, birds, and reptiles born in captivity.

Preserving the health of animal populations in zoos is carried out by international curators who not only check the genetic connections of individual individuals, but also plan the further development of populations as a whole.

“If everyone is still worried about Marius, then this is grotesque, but special case, and not the usual practice for zoos. In the metro, one or two people a year fall on the tracks, but no one is proposing to close the metro. You should talk about the case of Marius with psychologists, specialists in child psychology, and it’s also worth considering that the traditions of treating animals in Denmark do not seem to fully correspond to ours,” says the director of the Zoological Museum.

From the cage to freedom

It is almost impossible to return animals from zoos to their natural habitat, experts say. However, rehabilitation and reintroduction centers into the wild can help solve the problem of species conservation.

“There is not a single species that has been preserved only by being kept in a zoo. Animals should be able to reproduce calmly without the public, and this is the job of reintroduction and breeding centers,” says Kalyakin.

Such centers operate in Russia, but there are few of them, and most of them face a serious lack of funding, Filippova notes. For example, in the Tver region there is a bear nursery, whose workers nurse orphaned bear cubs, after which they release the grown and strengthened animals into the wild. There is a seal rescue center near Vladivostok, created by artist Laura Beloivan, which is supported by volunteer help and private donations. The only rehabilitation center that received state support, reports an IFAW expert, is the center of Amur tigers in the Far East.

At the same time, Chestina is confident that animals from zoos can help restore the population, but such work will require at least ten years and in-depth research.

“Currently there is a program for the reintroduction of the Central Asian leopard, using individuals from different zoos. The problem of reintroduction takes a very long time to solve—it takes decades. It is necessary that the natural habitat of this species be preserved so that it is undisturbed. It is necessary to work with the local population,” notes a specialist from the Moscow Zoo.

On the screensaver there is a photo from the site www.moscowzoo.ru

June 20 is World Zoo Elephant Day. Today is the holiday’s anniversary: ​​it began to be celebrated in 2009 at the initiative of the American organization “In Defense of Animals.” On this occasion, we propose to talk about why zoos should be declared illegal.

Animals' bodies are not adapted to zoo conditions

In nature, one large cat accounts for 18 thousand times more square meters than the norm for enclosures in zoos. Polar bears have an even sadder life: they need an area a million times larger! Of course, the lack of space affects how much the animals move. 75% of captive elephants are overweight, and only 16% of them do not have musculoskeletal diseases. Nervous breakdowns also happen due to constant attention from people.

Zoo pets are harmed, both intentionally and accidentally.

Animal behavior is controlled using various torture instruments: sharpened rods, electric shockers. Sometimes unqualified employees kill animals out of fear.

In 2011, it was discovered that in a British safari park, moose, monkeys and gazelles were killed, and the bodies were then thrown into ordinary garbage containers.

There are also cases where people made mistakes unintentionally. In 2010, in Kazakhstan, the press was constantly moving lion cubs from place to place to get the best shot. As a result, the lioness smelled someone else's scent from her offspring and ate it.

Zoos do not serve an educational function

There is no big difference whether a child sees a giraffe in a picture or in real life. Zoo signs and tour guides don't tell you anything that couldn't be learned from encyclopedias or documentaries. For example, 41% of UK aquarium signs lack basic information about fish.

And do visitors read the signs and listen to the guides?

Zoos have always been entertainment venues, not educational ones, and even scientific activity does not justify them.

Zoos do not help conserve animal numbers and diversity

Animals do not return to the wild when they are no longer needed by zoos. But 70 percent of elephants came to European menageries from their natural habitat. Only one percent of individuals in zoos are the result of species conservation programs. A small success, because the other 99% are brought in for the pleasure of the crowd. If people didn't cage wild animals, the work of rescue and recovery environment would be much more effective.

The presence of a wild animal nearby is dangerous for humans

In Georgia in 2015, a tiger that escaped during a flood killed a man. In Uzbekistan, right before the New Year 2019, a lion killed a caretaker when he brought food; in the USA, the next day, a lion also got out of its cage and attacked a zoo intern. The girl died on the spot. It is impossible to list all the tragedies.

A big cat, bear or elephant looks cute when they sit in a cage and are controlled with sticks, but in the wild they become enemies of man, and much more powerful.

Costa Rican authorities began closing zoos in 2013 and sending animals either to freedom or to rehabilitation centers. Why government programs efforts to combat animal prisons have not yet been launched here in Europe or the USA? The only encouraging thing is that certain groups of people still think about the dangers of zoos and circuses. Recently, the German circus of animals used holograms, and they are planning to do the same in Ingushetia.

Natalya Zvorykina
Lesson-research OOD “Why are zoos needed”

Target classes: find out why need zoos? (preservation of rare species of animals, acquaintance with the diversity of the animal world)

Tasks:

Give an introduction to the role zoos in the modern world;

Give the concept « zoo» , "Red Book", "endangered animal", "aviary";

Summarize children's knowledge of animals about their homes;

Formulate the reasons why animals end up in zoo;

Develop children's coherent speech;

To develop in children curiosity, imagination, logical thinking, and the desire to create;

Continue to instill in children a love of nature, a desire to care for, protect and preserve everything that surrounds us;

Materials for classes:

1. Illustrations on the topic classes,

2. "Red Book",

3. Didactic game "Who lives where?",

4. 20 landscape sheets 15*15,

5. Brushes, watercolor and gouache paints,

6. Crayons, markers,

7. Whatman paper for creating group work "Children's zoo» ,

8. Flannelograph,

9. Cards - diagrams.

Progress of the lesson:

Children go into the group and sit on chairs. Illustrations of animals and their "houses".

IN: Please tell me, guys, where do you live?

IN: Let's play a game "Find a house for the animal"?

IN: Go to the table and try to find a house for everyone animal:

A fox, a badger, a chipmunk live in a hole;

A bear, a wolf, a snow leopard, a tiger live in a cave, lair, den;

A squirrel and an owl live in a hollow;

An eagle, a crane and a stork live in a nest;

The cow lives in a barn, cowshed;

The dog lives in a kennel;

Orangutan, monkeys, koalas live in trees.

IN: Well done, you correctly found their houses for all the animals, and what other houses do you know?

D: beaver - in a hut, a dam,

A person is in a house, in an apartment,

An ant is in an anthill,

Snail in the shell

Fishes - in an aquarium,

Starling - in a birdhouse,

Swallows and swifts live in burrows near rivers.

IN: Where do animals live if some kind of disaster happens to their home?

IN:Have you ever been to zoo?

IN: What or who did you like there?

IN: What animals did you observe in zoo?

IN: Do you know what it is zoo?

IN: Right, zoo is a home for animals where people take care of them. Zoos available in many cities around the world. Both adults and children love visiting them. After all, only in zoos You can see animals from all over the world up close. Foresters, scientists and very careful people see animals in the wild. Very rarely we can meet a fox, hedgehog, or hare in the forest, since wild animals avoid meeting people, try to hide, hide or run away.

IN: Guys, do you know how animals get into zoo?

IN: There are people who are specifically engaged in catching animals for zoos. They know well not only the places where animals live, but also their habits: where they feed, where they go to water, where they hide, lie in wait for prey, or simply rest or sleep. Hunters catch small animals in snares and bait; At large animals, hunters shoot from special guns, but not with bullets, but with special syringes with medicine, sleeping pills, and after a short period of time the animal falls asleep for several hours. They drive a truck to him, load him into a cage and send him by train, plane, train or ship to zoo who needs it. It often happens that employees zoos exchange animals, since if all conditions are met and good care is taken, the animals give birth to babies. IN zoos works a lot of people: these are zoologists and veterinarians who feed and care for animals, watchmen and cooks, and many others; They try to make sure that wild animals in captivity have a good life, that they have plenty of food, clean and spacious enclosures for walking, corners for sleeping and resting, where they can hide from visitors and be alone. Warm cages are built for animals from hot countries. Workers they know zoos, what kind of food and how much of it each animal needs. IN zoos signs are posted on which written: “Visitors are prohibited from feeding the animals.”.

IN: Why do you think animals should not be fed?

IN: That’s right, we cannot know which food is good for an animal and which food should not be given to it, as it can make it sick. Besides, in zoo animals are given as much food as they need need to to be healthy and feel good. Unfortunately, among visitors zoos There are unreasonable, ill-mannered people. They tease the animals and throw dangerous objects into their cages that can injure or poison them. Despite warning signs, they come very close to the cages and even climb over the barriers, and can become prey and even get hurt.

IN: Guys, do you know how you need to behave at the zoo?

IN: Let's formulate rules of conduct in zoo: (the rules are posted gradually on the board)

Do not shout,

Keep quiet,

Do not throw foreign objects into the cages,

Do not feed animals anything

Do not put any body parts into the cages,

Do not touch the constipation on the cells,

Bottom line: be a polite and well-mannered person!

IN: Well done, you said everything correctly. Have you learned how animals live in zoo, do you know what it is "Red Book"?

IN: That's right, "Red Book" is a book where plants and animals are listed that are on the verge of extinction, of which there are very few left, of which needs to be protected. It contains animals from our region (give examples).

IN: Guys, why do you think there are fewer and fewer animals on our planet?

IN: That's right, there are several reasons why animals are dying out: (reasons are also gradually posted on the board)

Poaching (illegal shooting, trapping)

Pollution of water, air, soil;

Deforestation, jungle;

Construction of facilities in coastal areas, in natural areas;

IN: All employees zoos consider their most important task to be the preservation of rare and endangered animals, their revival in zoos.

Guys, let's let you down result: why do we need zoos??

IN: You said everything correctly. Let's make our own little one zoo, in our group?

IN: I have already prepared enclosures for the animals, you need to just draw the animals that will live in it. Do you agree?

IN: Get to work

Children begin work, upon completion the animals are placed in cages and the results are summed up classes.

After graduation classes in the group is issued "Children's zoo» .

In Kirov, the fate of an abandoned ravine in the area of ​​Sutyrina Street is being decided. As part of the “30 squares” project, this area should be landscaped. However, residents, administration and business do not yet have a common understanding of what should be here: a public garden, an extreme park or... a zoo.

The “30 public gardens” project in Kirov started in December 2016. It involves the development of several dozen new green areas in different parts city ​​through the participation of the mayor's office, business and concerned citizens. For two months, Kirov residents voted on the website for those places where, in their opinion, new public gardens should appear. Big Ravine in the area of ​​Sutyrina Street on Fileyka was in the lead, gaining more than a thousand votes.

Not the least role in this activity was played by the desire of local residents to protect this territory from development: in Lately“Kirovsky SSK” aggressively, and at times barbarously, crowded the local garden plots with residential buildings. At the same time, the developer filled in part of the ravine from the south, without strengthening the slope and leaving a deep crevice instead.

There have been talks about improving the ravine for a very long time, but there was no money for it, and because of the difficult terrain it was difficult to come up with something really worthwhile, says a resident of house No. 5 on the street. Sutyrina, activist Alexander Galushko. - The situation with SSK also did its job, they really swayed many here, which added motivation to the residents. In general, it's all interconnected.

On March 16, a meeting of the community council of the microdistrict was held in Fileyka, in which local residents, representatives of business, the Public Chamber of the Kirov Region and the city administration took part. This is the first initiative group in the city to get involved in the project.

Council Secretary Andrei Bychkov, citing discussions in the Cultural Fileyka group, said that residents of the microdistrict are in favor of general improvement of the ravine - sanitary cleaning, planting new trees, dividing into recreation areas, cleaning the bottom and strengthening the banks of the Fileyka River, which flows along the bottom ravine

A representative of the key developer of Fileyka, deputy director of LLC UKS Avitek, Sergei Khalevin, proposed considering the improvement of the ravine in the context of the entire microdistrict and connecting this area with other recreational areas - the park behind the Northern Hospital and the Northern Embankment.

As of today, the competition has been won and an investment contract has been concluded for the development of the territory adjacent to the Northern embankment. It is planned to build a ski complex in the area of ​​Northern Embankment, 15, improve the territory of the embankment itself and the park behind the Northern Hospital with access to the ravine. There is already an investor who will implement this contract within three years. That is, the area in the area of ​​the ski complex itself will be landscaped with the construction of children's playgrounds, recreation areas, cafe buildings, ski lifts, ski slopes, and volleyball courts. In the ravine we plan to place a zoo or an extreme park for teenagers, gazebos, and walking paths.

Svetlana Zanko, coordinator of the “30 public gardens” project, noted that the territory on which the construction of a ski complex is planned is still the subject of a dispute between two sports federations- snowboarding and alpine skiing ( February 2, 2017The Second Arbitration Court of Appeal invalidated the results of the competition to select an investor for the construction of a ski complex in Kirov - approx. edit.). Khalevin agreed, but noted that the final stages had not yet been passed.

The money has already been invested, so I think the investor will insist that the relationship be resumed and the project be implemented,” he emphasized.

Others present were more concerned about how realistic the idea of ​​opening a zoo in the ravine was. Khalevin was bombarded with questions and indignant remarks.

How serious is this? Just anyone who has been to Zonikha, where the animal farm is located, the smell hurts your eyes. How will people live next to the zoo?

The sanitary zone to houses must be at least 50 meters!

People against the zoo. When the mobile zoo arrived and stood on the platform near the plane, people were unhappy.

In response, a representative of UKS Avitek suggested that they first conduct a public opinion poll and find out what the residents themselves want. However, judging by further discussion, these same residents were interested in much more mundane things.

“SSK made a plot for themselves, brought in soil, but didn’t completely fill up the ravine and didn’t level it,” Mikhail Nazarov, chairman of TOS Sutyrina 3, fumed. - Did you see what a steep wall they left behind? There the depth is more than 12 meters. If someone falls there, you won’t be able to get them back out. To do landscaping there, you first need to fill up the ravine. And these are huge costs that the population cannot bear on their own. This is where we need to start. Why didn't they fill up the ravine? Why didn't the city force SSK to level it?

But these questions remained unanswered. Also during the conversation, it turned out that a collector was brought into the Fileyka River at the bottom of the ravine from the side of the SSK construction site, which ends in the area of ​​house No. 3 on the street. Sutyrina. This also complicates the task of landscaping.

Laying the collector further and filling up the ravine is very expensive,” said Sergei Khalevin. - It is better to frame the river, strengthening the slopes. But we must take into account that in the spring it is full of water, and in the summer it is practically invisible. Plus, in addition to the collector discharges, water comes from the slopes of the ravine. That is, according to the mind, it is necessary to create a drainage and water disposal system there.

The question arose at whose expense all this costly work would be carried out. Vyacheslav Simakov, head of the Department of Improvement and Transport of the Kirov Administration, who was present at the meeting, recalled that the mayor’s office was involved in the “30 public gardens” project in order to increase the area of ​​green spaces, so there are no funds for a serious redevelopment of the ravine territory.

To begin with, it would be possible to use the relief of the ravine and organize a path network, cut down everything unnecessary, and use the same emergency trees for chips to fill paths and for small architectural forms - small benches, gazebos, steps, curbs,” he voiced his idea. - For example, in the mountains there are walking routes, there is nothing expensive there. The only thing that will need to be organized additionally there is lighting, but not to install concrete supports, but to hang the lamps on guy wires, as in Poroshino. Now you can take the territory, see what zones it is divided into and how it can be used.

Simakov suggested that UKS Avitek help develop a concept for improving the ravine. In response, Sergei Khalevin stated that his company is ready to invest in the project, including financially, but the municipality in the future must treat the park with care and maintain it. As an example, a representative of the developer cited the territory near the famous Philey plane, which UKS Avitek landscaped at its own expense, and then the site began to be overgrown with grass and garbage, although the city was supposed to maintain it.

We are ready to participate, but we need to understand who will then monitor this and who will support it,” he concluded.

Svetlana Zanko noted that the city will never be able to maintain the territory of the ravine with an area of ​​15 hectares, since it barely contains the existing parks and squares. Therefore, in her opinion, a mechanism should be created in which the park in the ravine will support a business, but then it will have to somehow make money from it. Otherwise, the park will wither away within the second year.

We have Zarechny Park. A specially protected natural area that requires minimal costs from us. There is an ecological trail along which people walk, where the grass is mowed and anti-tick treatment is carried out. That’s it, that’s enough,” he is sure.

And about. The head of the territorial department for the Oktyabrsky district, Yuri Kislitsyn, proposed a compromise option:

There is no big money today, so we need to consider other options. For example, one company will make a gazebo, another will make the approaches to this gazebo, and a third will make lighting. We cannot cover this territory in one season, so we need to break it down into stages, gradually add more objects, and then people of interest will appear. The same “Kirovsky SSK” could be attracted. They are currently undergoing such a massive development next to the ravine; it is beneficial for them to have a green area nearby to increase the attractiveness of the apartments.

And Vyacheslav Simakov added that after minimal landscaping is done in the ravine, and it is included in the list of green areas, in the next four years it will be possible to apply for the federal program “Formation of a comfortable urban environment” and implement more global and expensive things.

As a result, the meeting participants decided to create working group with the participation of the public and representatives of the administration, which, after the snow melts, will examine the ravine in detail, after which volunteer designers involved as part of the “30 public gardens” project will create a concept for improving the ravine, which will then be submitted for discussion to the residents of Fileyka. The area itself should be landscaped by the end of the year.

Photo: Svoykirovsky.rf, Alexander Galushko, Vidnoe24.

Many people don't like zoos. It is believed that zoos are for children. Or they say that animals suffering in cages are sad to watch. Is this all true?

For a zoo, first of all, observation is required. Here is an elephant, for example, with its trunk, like a hand, carefully touching a carrot outstretched in its palm. Its trunk is a unique device with which the animal is able to manipulate the smallest objects, such as a match. And the crocodile dived 20 cm into the water, and lies like a glove, barely visible. Now, this log began to move and nimbly slid along the bottom towards the prey, so much so that not a single vibration is reflected on the surface: the water stands as if dead. In the zoo, without special training, we observe the hidden life of animals. Like a bear scratching its back on a log. Like a tiger playing with water in a pool. We look into the eyes of a wolf five meters away from us. Zoo is a storehouse of food wonders. You can go here all the time.

Second. By observing animals, we explore ourselves. We learn to distinguish naturalness. We study behavior through the laws of nature. Isn’t it interesting to see what a person was like thousands of years ago?

The third point is about cells. Need I mention that the zoo is the rehabilitation of species. Here, many cubs deprived of their parents by poachers and trappers receive a new ticket to life. If such a kitten or chick is not supported by people, then, most likely, due to the lack of proper care and school, it will die. Zoo is the last way for him to stay alive. In addition, rare species are preserved and reproduced here. As happened with the almost exterminated population of bison, for example. Therefore, a cage for an animal in a zoo is most often its only home.

About quality zoo. Determined by the following parameters: food, cleanliness and soundproofing. Zoo in Saigon, undeservedly rejected Lonely Planet , a better example than the zoo in Bangkok, promoted by the same planet. For example, otters in Saigon were made into a circular enclosure with running water, it is convenient to watch the animals from above. And the zoo in Bangkok was turned into a cult food place: crowds of noisy people, music blaring, animals really being forced to suffer. One food stall is enough, no, there are a dozen of them.

Go to zoos! If you think that nature will sort it out without your participation, you are deeply mistaken. Humanity is leaving animals less and less choice, brutally driving them into a corner. The zoo transforms a person from a predator-hunter into a photographer-observer.

I don’t think that a person who is not interested in zoos loves nature. With this approach, indeed, soon all animal life on the planet will end up in zoos. When you look at something with a valuation, think first of all about losses.

Mister Panda

After eating, using a toothpick for a bear in the zoo is a mandatory procedure