Social, cultural, educational and economic impact
The number of species known to be threatened with extinction has topped 16,928, according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Their ranks include familiar species like the Polar Bear, Hippopotamus, sharks and freshwater fish. Zoos and aquariums provide homes for many of these threatened and endangered species, and are actively involved in conservation and recovery programs.
More than 600 million visitors pass through the gates of the these same zoos and aquariums around the world each year (WAZA, www.waza.org
). They learn about the animals held in these institutions –
those that are threatened and those that aren't –
and become stewards of the environment.
In North America alone, zoos and aquaria dedicate $52 million annually to education programs that teach more than 12 million people. This number includes, almost 85,000 teachers who profit from training workshops, special membership opportunities and free or discounted teaching materials. Virtually every group imaginable is reached through zoo and aquarium education efforts (www.bgci.org
Perhaps most pointedly, the public trusts the conservation message of zoos and aquaria.