Investigating Market and Conservation Education Influences on Global Zoo and Aquarium Animal Collections

Abstract

There is evidence to suggest that visitors to zoological collections prefer to see large, active mammals. To attract visitors, zoos and aquariums might be tempted to select for mammal species in their collection plans to maintain visitor interest. However, collections also play a role in endangered species breeding, many of which are not mammals. Using International Zoo Yearbook data, we explored the number of species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates housed in collections across the globe. These data were compared against three hypothetical collection plan strategies: a) marketing, as shown by the prevalence of each taxon in toy retail; b) biodiversity, in which taxa in proportions that reflect their wild abundance, and c) in which all six taxa are represented equally. The global zoological collection plan indicated that on average, collections contain more bird species than other taxonomic groups, followed by fish, mammals, invertebrates, reptiles and amphibians.

Captive Lifestyle of Reptiles in the Tashkent Zoo

“…Studies have shown how vital zoos are for recognizing and treating health problems in reptiles, such as the part played by infections like Pseudomonas aeruginosa in crocodile lizard skin ulcer illnesses, and for providing control measures that aid in conservation efforts [23]. Zoos also use their housed frogs to educate the public about conservation issues and to rally support for the preservation of these species [24].…”