(National Center for Health Statistics, 2015) Same sex Polar bears don’t have even remotely enough space in zoos. Edinburgh Zoo is owned by The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS). Dublin Zoo … There is a 96% chance that an elephant is treated poorly in entertainment. The 10 Most Prominent Animal Captivity Statistics and Facts. Zoos cannot provide the amount of space animals have in the wild. 240 accredited zoos and aquariums in 13 countries 1. China retains ownership of all the giant pandas around the world, which are selectively loaned to other countries. All those facts mean two things: one, there are even more zoos in the United States that are not even licensed by the Department of Agriculture or the AZA; two, there are improvements needed to be made by over two thousand zoos in American alone! A former employee of the safari park alleged: “culling was being used as a means of training instead of being carried out in the kindest and most humane way.”. We ask whether this is a relic of the not so distant past, highlight some incidents and look at the legacy of deaths. The event triggered a worldwide debate on culling in zoos and it was admitted by zoo spokespeople that thousands of healthy animals are deliberately killed in European zoos alone each year. Around 75% of zoos and … Canada: 6 3. University of Bristol, 2008, [2] Wide roaming animals fare worst in zoo enclosures. The Captive Animals' Protection Society is a registered charity, no. In 2011, an exposé of Knowsley Safari Park led by Freedom for Animals following information provided by a whistleblower showed the safari park to be in contravention of legislation on disposal of carcasses as well as raising queries over handling of firearms. The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium also Limitations of Captive Breeding in Endangered Species Recovery. Argentina: 1 8. The Fort Worth Zoo is home to 68 endangered and threatened species on the state and federal levels. The same zoo was found to doing business with another circus animal trainer in 2013. The animals are also housed in what is known as a mini-habitat, this means the enclosure where that particular animal lives is as close to its natural habitat as possible. BBC News, 4 May 2007 ), [17] L Morino et al. There was no visible environmental enrichment. Dominican Republic: 1 7. A zoo is a place where captive animals are put on display for humans to see. A government zoo inspection report in 2010 said: “The animals were very crowded and there was no provision for individual feeding or sleeping areas. Over 600 million people a year visit zoos. Zoos cannot provide the amount of space animals have in the wild. Polar bears have one million times less space[2]. A zoo, also known as a zoological park or zoological garden, is a place where animals are confined within enclosures for the public to view. It’s a fact that animals in zoos suffer immensely only because a zoo can’t provide as much space as they’d have in their natural habitat. When a zoo wishes to acquire a new animal, there is a strict procedure to follow. Hong Kong: 1 11. A Freedom for Animals study found that at least 7,500 animals – and possibly as many as 200,000 – in European zoos are ‘surplus’ at any one time. This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. Woburn Safari Park was keeping its lions locked into small enclosures for  18 hours a day. This was the same trainer who had been sold lion cubs by West Midland Safari Park and sent them to a traveling circus in Japan. 7 Shocking animal cruelty facts and how you can help 1. 240 accredited zoos and aquariums in 13 countries, 15 certified related facilities The docent at Columbus Zoo and Aquarium revealed to us some of the most fascinating facts about animals, and they blew our minds. A government-funded study of elephants in UK zoos found “there was a welfare concern for every elephant in the UK.” 75% of elephants were overweight and only 16% could walk normally, the remainder having various degrees of lameness. In 2010 it was revealed that an elephant at Woburn Safari Park had previously been trained using an electric goad [9]. Science, Vol 322, 12.12.08, [6] G Mason & R Clubb. When London Zoo spent £5.3 million on a new gorilla enclosure, the chief consultant to the UN Great Ape Survival Project said he was uneasy at the mismatch between lavish spending at zoos and the scarcity of resources available for conserving threatened species in the wild. This is... 3. In fact, lions spend 48% of their time pacing in their enclosure, which signifies a behavioral problem. [1] M Harris et al. Bermuda: 1 6. Zoos are miserable places for animals. The total number of species in the Zoo’s animal collection includes 160 fish and invertebrates; Zoo collection numbers vary. Even Asian elephants working in timber camps live longer than those born in zoos[5]. Lions in zoos spend 48% of their time pacing, a recognised sign of behavioural problems[4]. In 2013, Freedom for Animals revealed that the UK’s largest aquarium operator, Sea Life, could trace less than 3 pence per visitor to in situ conservation projects. There are currently over 1,000 large animal collections open to the public – 80% of them in major cities. Measures to protect giant pandas’ habitat also supports hundreds of species of mammals, at least 200 birds, dozens of reptiles and over half of the plants known to exist in China [16]. 40% of lion cubs die before one month of age. Virtually 96% of a circus animal’s life is spent in chains or cages. white lion cubs to a notorious circus animal trainer. Zoos claim to breed animals for eventual release to the wild but breeding programmes are primarily to ensure a captive population, not for reintroduction. United Arab Emirates: 1 15 certified related facilities Accreditation occurs every 5 years Approximately 25 facilities undergo the … 75% of WAZA’s zoos and aquariums offer irresponsible animal-visitor interactions The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ guidelines state that members should not involve animals “in animal shows, displays or interactive experiences where animals perform demeaning and unnatural behaviors”. Spain: 1 10. This included rhinos, lions, cheetahs, zebras and giraffes as well as two 18-month-old elephants. The 20th Century saw huge changes for British zoos. Content Statistics for Joomla works perfectly integrated with ZOO, offering you the possibility to display all kind of data and make all sort of reports of your ZOO content statistics. Animals were kept in small display areas, with as many species as space would allow. Bahamas: 1 5. However, more than 10 million or animals are used for experimentation every year, all over the world. Freedom for Animals is the working name of the Captive Animals' Protection Society. The name comes from zoology, the study of animals. The Wild Animals in Circuses Act has finally come into effect, after over 60 years of campaigning, We take an alternative look at Europe’s “Top Ten” zoos suggest why you should give them, and any other business which holds animals captive for money, a wide berth. Here are up-to-date numbers for some of the most widely used AZA statistics. In 2010, Zimbabwe planned to capture two of every mammal species found in Hwange National Park and send them to North Korean zoos. USA: 217 in 46 states and the District of Columbia 2. Mexico: 5 4. Zoo facts. Monkeys, skunks, crocodiles, hedgehogs and porcupines. Guardian, 2.10.03, [3] M Harris et al. Tigers and lions have around 18,000 times less space in zoos than they would in the wild. Accreditation occurs every 5 years In 2010, a Freedom for Animals undercover investigator filmed sick animals left untreated and dead animals to rot on floors at Tweddle Farm Zoo. Zoo Statistics. Guest Editorial. Less than 20% were totally free of foot problems[1]. Enter your search query in the field below. Animals including horses and dogs continue to be exploited in circuses in the UK. So I would urge you to support the good ones, improve the bad ones, don’t tar them all with the same brush and remember: The focus should be on protecting natural habitats and that zoos can help achieve that. In 2010, zoo trade bodies rallied to the defence of a German zoo which was prosecuted for breaching animal welfare laws after it killed three tiger cubs because they were not pure-blooded (hybrid)[8]. The welfare, housing and husbandry of elephants in UK zoos. “Five million pounds for three gorillas when national parks are seeing that number killed every day for want of some Land Rovers and trained men and anti-poaching patrols. Let us check other interesting facts about Dublin Zoo below: Facts about Dublin Zoo 1: the area of Dublin Zoo. The Indianapolis Zoo is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization (charity number 35-1074747) that does not receive tax support and is governed by a board of trustees. In 2020 , mobile will account for 48% of the global gaming market share , console gaming will take up 28%, with PC gaming claiming the least market share . Top ten reasons NOT to visit Europe’s “Top Ten Zoos”, End a lifetime of lockdown for animals in captivity. Most zoos aren’t engaged in the conservation of rare or endangered animals. In 2003 the UK government gave permission for the capture of 146 penguins from a British territory in the South Atlantic (Tristan da Cunha). Lockdown hasn't ended for animals languishing in zoos and aquariums. I… The Indianapolis Zoo is accredited as a zoo, aquarium and botanical garden. Since 1990, there have been more than 123 documented attacks on humans by captive large cats … The 11 facts you want are below, and the sources for the facts are at the very bottom of the page. This is in spite of the fact that the UK Government has agreed to ban similar shows in circuses on the basis that: “we should feel duty-bound to recognise that wild animals have intrinsic value, and respect their inherent wildness and its implications for their treatment”. Zoos spend millions on keeping animals confined, while natural habitats are destroyed and animals killed as there is insufficient funding for protection. Lions are popular in zoos, but the vast majority “are ‘generic’ animals of hybrid or unknown subspecific status, and therefore of little or no value in conservation terms [13]. Compromised survivorship in zoo elephants. 10 Bizarre Facts About Zoos. Some Interesting Zoo Facts It has been estimated by WAZA that over 600 million people visit zoos each year. A Freedom for Animals study of UK aquariums found that 41% of the animals on display had no signs identifying their species – the most basic of information. In 2010, a Government-commissioned study found that “Concerns remain, however, with regard to the lack of available evidence about the effectiveness” of conservation and education projects in zoos. 32. In late 2012, another safari park was shamed as West Midland Safari Park was exposed for providing white lion cubs to a notorious circus animal trainer, who sent them to a traveling circus in Japan. The mother also died. Some training of elephants has been done using electric goads. It is estimated (by us) that there are more than 2,800 zoos & aquariums in the world. Animals are regularly ‘culled’ in UK zoos. For a fee, Londoners would be tre… 11-15 Interesting Facts About Animal Zoos 11. [14] Quoted in ‘Who Cares for Planet Earth?’ B Jordan, 2001, [15] Snyder et al. London Zoo’s age means that there are plenty of listed buildings inside of it, but perhaps one of the most interesting is an old phone box. The plan was only stopped after international pressure by a coalition of organisations including Freedom for Animals. (National Center for Health Statistics, 2015) Percentage of men and women aged 15-44 years of age who have had 15 or more opposite-sex sexual partners in their lifetime is 21.8% for men, and 10.6% for women. Sunday Times, 22.7.07l, [8] Code of Ethics & Animal Welfare. A government-funded study of elephants in UK zoos found that 54% of the elephants showed stereotypies (behavioural  problems) during the daytime. Undoubtedly the statistics exclude animals from the innumerable small roadside tourist stops and … Animals in zoos are denied a life of freedom. The Lions remain in the circus today. A cage can never be their home. Freedom for Animals infiltrated a training session held at Blackpool Zoo in 1998 and filmed elephants being trained to lift their feet and head, hold sticks in their mouths and jabbed with elephant hooks in the shoulder and head. Wildlife is in a fight for survival. A Freedom for Animals study found that 79% of all animals in UK aquariums were caught in the wild. Approximately 25 facilities undergo the accreditation process every 6 months, $231 million spent in support of conservation projects every year, 115 reintroduction programs, including more than 40 reintroduction programs for species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act, AZA’s Conservation Grants Fund: $7.7 million supporting over 400 conservation projects since 1991, AZA Reproductive Management Center: Supports SSP® programs by monitoring the safety and efficacy of contraceptives used for all mammalian species and helping bring new contraceptive methods to the zoo, aquarium and wildlife community, AZA Population Management Center: Population planning for 500 species for the next 100 years. Conservation Biology, Pages 338-348. Animals should not spend their entire lives in captivity simply to fulfil our desire to see them. Do Zoos and Aquariums Promote Attitude Change in Visitors? The vet reported: “Selective cull due to overcrowding and fighting in the pack” and “Further cull of cubs needed”. FACTS AND FIGURES OVERVIEW The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is home to more than 11,000 animals representing nearly 600 species from around the globe. 10 facts about zoos 1. Board-Approved Policies and Position Statements, Guidelines & Sample Documents, Programs, and Policies, Animal Program Sustainability Designations, Black-footed Ferret Recovery and Reintroduction Program Analysis, Annual Report on Conservation and Science, Resources for Greening Business Practices, Angela Peterson Excellence in Diversity Award, William G. Conway International Conservation Award, R. Marlin Perkins Award for Professional Excellence, Animal Welfare Lifetime Achievement Award, Tim O'Sullivan Award for Professional Development, The Devra Kleiman Scientific Advancement Award, Wendy Fisher Award for Professional Excellence, Zoo and Aquarium Safety: Example Practices, Free and Discounted Admissions for AZA Members, USA: 217 in 46 states and the District of Columbia, Approximately 800,000 animals in the care of AZA-accredited zoo and aquarium professionals, Accredited zoos and aquariums contributed more than $22.5 billion to U.S. economy in 2018, Serve more than 200 million annual visitors worldwide (183 million in the U.S.), 50 million children visitors with families (annually), 12 million student learners on field trips (annually), 400,000 teachers trained in informal science education methods over the last decade, Approximately 1,700 zoo and aquarium professionals educated in last five years, 18 in-person courses designed to develop a variety of animal management and leadership skills, A certificate program to guide and recognize significant professional development achievement by AZA members, An Executive Leadership Development Program to prepare the next generation of executive leaders to successfully advance the zoo and aquarium movement in the future. Sunday Times, 27.6.10, [10] http://www.lep.co.uk/news/local/blackpool-zoo-s-baby-sealion-follows-in-her-mother-s-footsteps-1-5750458, [11] Taken by force. Freedom for Animals had to take rabbits to a vet to have infections treated and after our expose local police confiscated a monkey who had been kept alone and given cake and other junk food to eat. These are just some of the many different species traded in the UK as ‘exotic pets’. With an estimated 7.77 million species of animals on the planet, the animal kingdom is an undeniably diverse place. African elephants in the wild live more than three times as long as those kept in zoos. Today, zoos are meant to entertain and educate the public but have a strong emphasis on scientific research and species conservation. The Zoo complex is a recreational and education destination that includes the 22-acre Zoombezi Bay water park and the 18-hole Safari Golf Club. Here’s ten amazing species saved from the brink by zoo conservation. In April 2014, their Royal Highnesses’, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge along with their son George visited Taronga Zoo Sydney to open the Bilby enclosure for a bilby called George. Those who survived the seven-day boat journey from Tristan to a wildlife dealer in South Africa were sold to zoos in Asia [11]. Registered address: Holyoake House, Hanover Street, culling was being used as a means of training. Mammals: 72 species Only Texas zoo and one of seven zoos in the nation to house bonobos A US study found no compelling evidence for the claim that zoos and aquariums promote attitude change, education, or interest in conservation in visitors. The European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) said in 2007 that member zoos were being actively encouraged to kill unwanted animals, including tigers, if other zoos did not want them and if they were hybrids. Click the X to close. The primary roles of the zoo are for education, study and conservation. Animals in aquariums are taken from the wild and forced to live in tiny tanks. In this article we look at transport & life on the road, training, the performances themselves, the ethics, the scientific research, escapes, how it is legal for a circus to beat an elephant with an iron bar. 75% of animals are abused in the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The average zoo today is a far cry from the zoos of old when cement cages and steel-bar enclosures were commonplace. Sea Life aquariums admitted to taking animals from the wild as recently as 2013, but refused to provide information on how many of the animals held by them were wild-caught. 70% of elephants in European zoos were taken from the wild [12]. Later, in medieval England, Henry III moved his private royal menagerie to the Tower of London for public viewing. The study authors urged zoos to stop citing a zoo-funded study which claimed an educational benefit from visits “as this conclusion is unwarranted and potentially misleading to consumers.”[17]. It must be very frustrating for the warden of a national park to see”. At Penguin Beach, there is a classic telephone box that is Grade I listed. Volume 10, No. The confusion stems from many sources, all of them zoo-based… In reality, most zoos have had no contact of any kind with any reintroduction program.”[14]. Some of the lions exhibited skin wounds and multiple scars of various age, some fresh, some healed.”. Performing sea lions, birds and elephants can be seen at many UK zoos. Early zoos like the Menagerie du Jardin des Plantes were more like museums of living animals than natural habitats. Removing the bars. Singapore: 2 12. Colombia: 1 9. ‘A Review of the Welfare of Zoo Elephants in Europe’, RSPCA, 2002. 2086775. This is particularly the case for those species who roam larger distances in their natural habitat. Many zoos also breed the animals. Evidence of elephants, wildcats and hippopotamus was discovered at the location. Zoos can’t provide sufficient space. Freedom for Animals exposed a UK zoo in 2009 that was a member of the trade body BIAZA (which supposedly upholds the highest standards) as having a breeding connection with a controversial animal circus. In 2001 a DEFRA zoo inspection of Dartmoor Wildlife Park in October 2001 found that “several significant dead animals” were stored in a food freezer “for taxidermy in the future”. These figures are from the Guide to the World Zoo Conservation Strategy published several years ago. She’d been staying at the Franklin Zoo, New Zealand for 4 years, but it was only a temporary arrangement; zoo owner Helen Schofield had plans to have her transferred to a sanctuary in California. Animal Testing Facts The exact number of animals used for experimentation is not known as according to the rules, the research organizations do not have to record the number of animals used. Set in 82 acres of sloping parkland, the Zoo is situated three miles to the west of Edinburgh city centre. I am doing the Walk for Wildlife to raise funds for animals in captivity, who should be living wild and free! Society and Animals 18 (2010) 126-138. In the wild, only 30% of cubs are thought to die before they are six months old and at least a third of those deaths are due to factors which are absent in zoos, like predation[6]. 2, April 1996, [16] Panda mating frenzy hits zoo. Mila was a 39 year old African elephant who’d formerly spent some 3 decades as a circus performer. The welfare, housing and husbandry of elephants in UK zoos. Zoos are awesome places where we get the unique opportunity to observe different animals—from the small and mild to the big and wild. The fee for a pair is usually $1 million a year, with funds going toward conservation efforts in China. It said that such animals take up space and keeper time[7]. A much more natural approach is taken these days, with modern zoos using streams and moats to prevent animals from leaving a specific area. Many zoos train animals to perform tricks as if they were in a circus. VICTORY: Wild Animals are Banned in Circuses in England! [13] Nicholas Gould, Editorial, International Zoo News, Vol 49, No 5 (2002)). University of Bristol, 2008, [4] G Mason & R Clubb. A zoo discovered in Egypt in 2009 and was believed to have existed in 3,500 BC. Zoos are run by people who love animals, but as with any passion project, we might differ in our views on how best to achieve what we want. Bakare Moshood. Zoo director David Hancocks said: “There is a commonly held misconception that zoos are not only saving wild animals from extinction but also reintroducing them to their wild habitats. 1124436, and a company, no. 11 Facts About Animal Cruelty Welcome to DoSomething.org , a global movement of millions of young people making positive change, online and off! In 2005 two wolf cubs and an adult female were shot dead at Dartmoor Wildlife Park. Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm had been breeding camels from the Great British Circus for several years and in 2009 obtained three tigers from the circus. There is a trend toward giving animals more space and recreating … BBC Wildlife, February 2004, [12] R Clubb and G Mason. In 2006 the whole pack of wolves at Highland Wildlife Park were killed after the social structure of the pack had broken down. South Korea: 2 13. Guest Editorial, International Zoo News, Vol 51, No 1 (2004)), [5] R Clubb et al. The Western lowland gorilla arrived at the Zoo on Guy Fawkes Night, hence his name, and became something of a celebrity, attracting thousands of visitors to the Zoo between 1947 and 1978. It is a K3 box designed by Giles Gilbert Scott in … Over 10,000 zoos exist worldwide; They hold about a million vertebrate animals; There are a handful to several thousand animals per zoo. A good zoo can be of tremendous value to the cause of conservation and education, although there are those that believe that animals should not be kept in captivity at all. A zoo docent is a volunteer educator who ensures that … The concept of zoo is nothing new — captive animals have been entertaining ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians. In early 2014, there was global outrage when Copenhagen Zoo killed a healthy young giraffe called Marius. Blackpool Zoo proudly publicised its training of a baby sea lion for shows in mid 2013 [10]. The Society was founded in March 1909, and the Zoo opened in July 1913. A Critical Evaluation of the American Zoo and Aquarium Study. On July 4th 2009 the zoo celebrated the birth of Australia’s first elephant calf. Animals suffer in zoos. The WWF found that there’s been a 58 per cent decline in populations of vertebrates between 1970 and 2012. Paignton was the first combined botanical and zoological garden in the UK; Over 45,000 school children come to the zoo on visits every year; The annual food bill for the animals is in the region of £200,000; The zoo produces 800 tonnes of well-rotted manure every year ; The wild planet Trust. The zoo works with other zoos in the world to maintain the life of the endangered species. (Source: New Zoo) This indicates a 9.3% year-on-year growth from the figures recorded in 2019 ($152.1 billion). AZA members (Individual Professional category members and Primary Contacts of Conservation Partner, Commercial, Related Facility and Institution Members) may log in and download the results of the most recent AZA Annual Survey of Members. Captive breeding is considered by some conservation scientists to be a diversion from the reasons for a species’ decline, giving “a false impression that a species is safe so that destruction of habitat and wild populations can proceed”[15]. In 2010, a Freedom for Animals undercover investigator filmed sick animals... 2. But while the breadth of earthly biodiversity may be well known, the incredible things our animal counterparts can do are often hidden to humans. One elephant observed during day and night stereotyped for 61% of a 24-hour period[3]. World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, June 2010, [9] Woburn admits it gave bull elephant electric shocks. Set up a monthly gift today and be part of the fight to free animals from captivity. A female tiger at the zoo had three stillborn cubs and another who died at three weeks old. The zoo opened the Wild Asia precinct with Asian elephants during 2006. If you continue using our website, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on this website and you agree to our Privacy Policy. Content Statistics provides integration to record and display statistics and rankings for ZOO component, one of the top used article and blog extensions for Joomla! International Zoo News, Vol 51, No 1 (2004)), [7] Zoos kill healthy tigers for the skin trade. Think safari parks are better than ‘traditional’ zoos?