“Zoos have evolved from unsophisticated menageries exhibiting exotic creatures from distant and strange lands

to zoological parks established as living museums to conservation centres in which the message is not one of

separateness and separation but one of interconnection and unity within biological diversity”

Mullan, B. & Marvin, G. Zoo Culture (1999).

The Captive Wild Animal Industry

A Potted History

I shall cause a flood to rise over the land, and you must build an ark…. In it you must make room for yourself and your family, and two – one male, one female – of every kind of

creature, every kind of beast, reptile and bird. And you must fill it with enough food for them and for yourselves. For it will

rain for forty days and forty nights, and life on earth will be extinct. Anon, sometime BC

Ancient Menageries

Future Zoos??

ZOO EVOLUTIO

N

Middle Ages

Renaissance

French Revolution & 19th Century

20th Century and the Modern Zoo

Ancient Menageriesc. 4000 – 1700 years ago

WEALTH

POWER

RELIGION

GESTURESTRANSPORT

Philosophies

Aristotelian

Christian Religion

Romans supremecy over Nature

Capacity to reason

Those with less capacity to reason exist for those with more

Aversion to showing moral consideration to weak beings

Conferred onto people dominion over nature

Egyptians

Resources to obtain and keep animalsAids to hunting and warSacred – tended and fed by priestsVisitors allowed but collection not set up for this purposeEnthusiasm for wild things – by the culturedRecognised as preciousPower – making contacts, diplomacy –Tuthmosis III: brought animals from SyriaExpeditions – Hapshepsut: precious jewels, spices, animals and plantsHuge parks – domestic and wild

Ancient Chinese

Political power

Hunting menageries

Possible places for learning

Wen Wang – Garden of Intelligence 1200BC (600 hectares)

Ancient Greeks

Majority of Greek menageries linked to religion i.e. templesNot as much wealth to collect and sustainNot enough power over other lands to ensure supplyNot interested in animal showsPossible links with research and study via Aristotle and Alexandra the Great

Romans

Nobility not interested in hunting – for lower classesPower to keep – more powerful to killEarliest records of gladitorial games c.150 BC - Marcus NobilitorOne celebration – 10K gladiators and 11K animalsNot just Rome – games all across the EmpireAlso used in processionsMassive trade and transport of animals to supply gamesGrowth of menageries to keep animals for games and also huge private menageriesGames ended 325 AD – Constantine (although resumed in 600 AD in what is now Turkey until 12th Century)

Middle Agesc. 1700 y.a. – 16th century

Prized possessions Hunting

Study

Symbolic

Philosophies

Anthroprocentrism

Christian influence – highly ambivalent

toward nature; animals treated with

pity or contempt

Utilitarian Developed as a result of other beings

considered ‘beastly’ or ‘uncivilised’

Philosophical study

As evidence of God’s

existence and His plans for a

designed world

Middle Ages

Charlemagne – requirement for luxury – received and gave as giftsFrederick II – renowned naturalist – studied and wrote about animalsHenry I – first great menagerie in W EuropeHenry III – Tower of London and taxes for menagerie upkeepChina – Kublai Khan – reported by Marco Polo – large hunting menageries and animals used for hunting

Renaissancec. 14th century – 17th century

Hunting Parks in Europe

Italy as channel for movement and storage of

animals

Scientific study of natural history

French supply and trade

Colonisation of New World -

Conquest

Chinese Expeditions

Philosophies

Humanist

Contrasted human superiority, dignity and potential with the more limited

capacity of ‘lower’ beings

Preservation of species and animal welfare

Beginnings of association between scientific study of natural history and zoos.

Middle class interest Rise of middle classes with greater resources,

status and leisure time cultivated an interest in animals and nature

Human rationality and purpose should dominate non-

human nature.

Descartes

Renaissance

China - Trade, diplomacy, and fascination. Travel and expedition. Yung Lo – Giraffe from Africa – started trade between China and E AfricaItaly – early renaissance prosperous, important ports- ideally placed between orient and occident – huge storage – Medici’s added people to menageries.France - Rene of Anjou and Provence – most complete menagerie at Angers – placed throughout gardens and separate keepers for each sectionPortugal – few menageries to this time – expanded hugely due to exploration, colonisation and opening of routes to E Indies by Vasco da Gama, and Cabral (Brazil)Holland – Dutch travel and recolonisation – Amsterdam became important port for movement of animals, prosperity, curiosity and ease of communication led to all wealthy citizens owning menageries

Renaissance cont’d

New World – Montezuma (Aztec Leader) large menagerie at Tenochtitlán. Reported by Cortés – well looked after and 300 keepers.

Hunting Parks – Britain, France and Saxony: John George Elector in 24 years killed 42,649 red deer. Maximilian II created deer parks which led to the beginnings of Schönbrunn Zoo, near Vienna

Menagerie at Versailles – Louis XIV

French Revolution and 19th Century

c. 18th and 19th Century

Private to Public Institutions

Establishment of Zoological Society

of London

Disciplines in Zoology and Botany

Instigation of Paris Zoo

French Revolution and 19th Century cont’d

Formation of RSPCA and

RSPB

Public awareness of

conditionsHagenbeck

Philosophies

Changes in class system

The zoo industry became the domain of

the ordinary person

RafflesAnimals would be gathered “….from every part of

the globe to be applied either to some useful purpose, or as objects of scientific research, not of

vulgar admiration”

Scientific Reason

By virtue of Linnaeus’ and Darwin’s work, the gap

between humans and animals narrows

Taxonomic Race

Postage stamp collections

Philosophies cont’d

Civic Pride

Every town should have a zoo Justification

and Accountability

Zoos looked at their raison d’etre

Growth of Animal Welfare

Outcry by public re: detrimental effects

French Revolution

Louis XVI inherited Versailles1789 Louis moves to Paris as revolution imminentRevolutionaries demand animals be set freeSome killed for food, some leftRemnants offered to Jardin de Roi (renamed Jardin des Plantes) where scientific study was underway already1793, animals and plants united at Jardin des Plantes to become Muséum National d’Histoire NaturelleSeizure of all travelling shows’ animalsSite of critical research – Cuvier, Lamarck et alPaid entry for all persons at all times

Zoological Society of London

Stamford Raffles and Joseph Banks provide impetus for inception of Society - 1817

Humphrey Davy – 1825 – prospectus for Zoological Society.

Zoological Gardens opened to Fellows in 1827

1857, opened fully to public

Word ‘Zoo’ becomes common – Vance

Huge number of zoos follow suit

20th Century and the Modern Zoo

Conservation and Resource

Management

World Wars

Crowd Pleasers

Dual Zoo Concept

Four Arm Strategy

Advancement of Firearm

technology

Philosophies

Change in environmental values

From worth attributed to conservation on the basis of human benefit, to worth attributed to conservation for the sake of the animals and

plants

Commitment to reduce stereotypic behaviours and promote natural behaviours

Animal WelfarePrinciples of Good

Zoo, Bad Zoo

Zoos ask the question. What makes a good

zoo?

The Twentieth Century Zoo - The Modern ArkThe Twentieth Century Zoo - The Modern Ark

Post-war Boom Phase

+Awareness of Mass Extinctions

Changes in Philosophy

Growing awareness that zoos need to be more responsive to animals’ physiological and

behavioural needs.

Heini Hediger

Applied Ethology to Zoos

1960 and 1970’s - Ethology used to foster natural behaviours in captivity and eradicate sterotypic behaviours

Foster better understanding of animal behaviour in viewing public

Biological science advance in 1970’s

and 1980’sID of Stress as a threat equal in impact to disease

Growing awareness that zoos need to be more responsive to animals’ physiological and

behavioural needs.

Understanding of flight distances

Understanding of social interactions to improve breeding and welfare

Zoo Exhibit Design

Naturalistic

Hi-Tec and Interactive

Immersion

Zoo Visitor Behaviour and Interpretation Applied to Zoo Context

Development of Informal Learning Experiences

Appreciation of Wildlife in addition to school curricula

Environmental Education

Ecological Interpretation and Nature Conservation

Communication of Messages to Motivate Public to act on behalf of Conservation

Education

Today’s zoo, tomorrow’s zoo

and future zoos…..

That’s up to!