"Nature" at the Zoo

When visiting the zoo a couple weeks ago, I could not help but think about how much the writers we have studied probably disliked zoo's, and since being in this class I have a new view on them, as well. It is interesting how zoo's attempt to mimic the nature and habitat of the animals they hold, but will never be able to replicate what the animals truly need as they are meant to be roaming in their true habitats. With that in mind, this blog will focus on the replicated nature that is present at the Fort Worth Zoo. 

When looking at the various exhibits at the zoo, it is evident that they do try their best to recreate the habitat the animal originated from, but have to do so in tight quarters. While most animals are born and bred into these environments, meaning they do not know what they are missing out on, the zoo replicates what they would live in if they were a wild animal. 

As one can see, these exotic animals are placed in safari like exhibits that have some of the natural elements that would typically be present in the wild where the animals originated from. That being said, it is no where near their true environment. The zoo includes similar grasses, trees, rocks, and even dirt to what would be present in their homeland in order to make them feel "at home". For smaller animals, these enclosures and creations of nature may be enough, but for the animals in the photos above, the small habitats do not benefit the animals how nature should. 

It is sad to see these animals in such small habitats, but it is important that if these zoos exist, they do the best they can to create a lifelike environment for them, and I do believe the Fort Worth Zoo does a pretty good job with that. When walking into the zoo, you feel transported to a different world. It is as if you are instantly stepping into every different habitat all at once, which is better than just walking around and seeing animals in literal cages. The Fort Worth Zoo creates realistic enclosures for the animals, but continues that nature outside of just the exhibits and keeps it up throughout the entire zoo. 

One thing I noticed in particular was that many animals find their way into other exhibits. For example, these little ducklings and their mother were found in the Mandrill exhibit, showing that even a zoo cannot keep the creatures of nature from finding one another and creating their own habitats. While this exhibit is catered to the Mandrill with the bamboo and rainforest like setting, the ducks found their way here by water, which reminded me of how all creatures live together in the real world, outside of the walls of a zoo. 

               

This is an example of humans using nature and its creations for our benefit. While it is important to create lifelike environments for these animals, it is more important that they live in their actual home out in the wild. While that may never be a possibility for many of these animals due to our human needs and desires with nature, I do hope zoo's continue to involve nature the best they can into their exhibits.