Some people don’t like zoos. Some people think zoos are exploitative, inhumane, or just boring. I am not one of those people, at least not here at this zoo, one I’ve been coming to since childhood. I’ve attended Zoo Camp, even spent my high school years as an accredited student docent. I’ve seen it change, grow, evolve. I’ve seen the focus move from one of pure entertainment to one focused on education, on preservation, and on putting the animals’ well-being ahead of the visitors’.
Today, I am here with my aunt. (Yes, the same aunt I recently went to Ireland with.) And this is apropos, since she is the one who introduced me to much of my childhood zoo experience. And she is the one member of the family who is still a zoo member, and is also a volunteer.
When I was a child, the entrance to the Los Angeles Zoo was up a huge ramp. Today, it is at ground level, with some beautifully landscaped ramps and stairways leading past exhibits for sea lions and Reggie, the one-eyed alligator, as well as shops and restaurants. As it is a weekday, we fight through seemingly hundreds of school kids here on educational field trips, each group with assigned docents, though the kids are more in awe than paying attention to the dialogue.
And this is exactly what zoos mean to me. There is a balance in the world between keeping nature wild, but also cultivating educational experiences that lead to preservation of that nature. After all, if nobody comes to care about elephants, nobody will care about poaching or habitat loss. And what better way to get people to care about elephants than by actually seeing one? Zoos provide that.
I spoke to Stacia Lock, founder of Stumble Safari, about zoos. Her focus is on responsible animal tourism, so she is a great source for those interested in learning more about these issues. “AZA (American Zoological Association) zoos and roadside zoos are entirely different destinations. Zoos that qualify for an AZA accreditation are required to follow strict, research driven care guidelines and participate in conservation projects worldwide. Thanks to the AZA, multiple species have been saved because of conservation projects and structured breeding programs for endangered species.” (Make sure to click here to check out her full write-up on zoos.)
The conservation aspect of the Los Angeles Zoo is one that can’t be overstated. In the second half of the 20th century, the California Condor was nearly extinct, with only 22 remaining in the world. Up above the zoo proper, not on exhibit to the public, is a condor breeding facility that not only saved the species, but has reintroduced it to the wild. (I’ve seen one in northern Arizona from a bridge over the Colorado River.) Add to that a constant stream of giraffe babies born here (there is one now, even) and the ton of endangered species protected by the zoo, and it’s not just an animal museum.
Our day takes us through much of the zoo, passing many of my favorites. Elephants, the tiger (sleeping as always), great apes, and a ton of monkeys that one can hear from all over. We see some kangaroos, a koala actually moving, and the gentle flick of a snow leopard’s tail, which is about as much movement as one can expect from the big cat during the day.
The Los Angeles Zoo is also fun at night. During the holiday season, Zoo Lights brings an animal-themed world to life with fairly little Christmas flare, a good thing for this Jewish guy. It is a bit different each year, so I try to come back every few years or so to see what has changed.
Zoos are not for everyone. Some people will still disagree with their existence, despite the progress that many zoos, like the Los Angeles Zoo, have made in recent decades with larger and more diverse habitats where animals can get away from people. Gone are the days of basic cages, other than in non-accredited zoos like Stacia referenced. But some will never want to visit regardless. And that’s ok. But for an animal lover like me, this is still a great place to see, to learn, and to remember just how much I value the diverse life on the planet.
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