A zoo (short for zoological garden ; also called an animal park or menagerie ) is a facility in which animals are kept within enclosures for public exhibition and often bred for conservation purposes.
131-559: The Zoological Garden, Alipore (also informally called the Alipore Zoo or Kolkata Zoo) is India's oldest formally stated zoological park (as opposed to royal and British menageries) and a big tourist attraction in Kolkata , West Bengal . It has been open as a zoo since 1876, and covers 18.811 ha (46.48 acres). It is probably best known as the home of the Aldabra giant tortoise Adwaita , who
262-532: A bear and a bull , chained together, rolled in fierce combat across the sand ... Four hundred bears were killed in a single day under Caligula ... Under Nero , four hundred tigers fought with bulls and elephants. In a single day, at the dedication of the Colosseum by Titus , five thousand animals perished. Under Trajan ... lions , tigers, elephants, rhinoceroses , hippopotami, giraffes, bulls, stags, even crocodiles and serpents were employed to give novelty to
393-509: A "house of animals" with a large collection of birds, mammals and reptiles in a garden tended by more than 600 employees. The garden was described by several Spanish conquerors, including Hernán Cortés in 1520. After the Aztec revolt against the Spanish rule, and during the subsequent battle for the city, Cortés reluctantly ordered the zoo to be destroyed. The oldest zoo in the world still in existence
524-400: A Congolese pygmy , displayed in a cage with the chimpanzees, then with an orangutan named Dohong, and a parrot. The exhibit was intended as an example of the "missing link" between the orangutan and white man. It triggered protests from the city's clergymen, but the public reportedly flocked to see Benga. Humans were also displayed at various events, especially colonial expositions such as
655-457: A beige tone than the males. Females also feature a more pronounced horizontal white side-stripe, starting around the shoulder and ending at the rump. The blackbuck is the sole living member of the genus Antilope and was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. Two subspecies are recognized. The blackbuck is active mainly during the day . It forms three types of small groups: female, male, and young bachelor herds. Males often adopt lekking as
786-482: A consequence, various management tools are used to preserve the space for the genetically most important individuals and to reduce the risk of inbreeding . Management of animal populations is typically through international organizations such as AZA and EAZA . Zoos have several different ways of managing the animal populations, such as moves between zoos, contraception , sale of excess animals and euthanization (culling). Contraception can be an effective way to limit
917-587: A difference in wildlife conservation and education. Humans were occasionally displayed in cages at zoos along with non-human animals, to illustrate the differences between people of European and non-European origin. In September 1906, William Hornaday , director of the Bronx Zoo in New York—;with the agreement of Madison Grant , head of the New York Zoological Society —had Ota Benga ,
1048-599: A few species, all of which belonged to Rodentia. However, in 1968, a study found that two artiodactyls , the blackbuck and the sitatunga , too, showed this abnormality. Generally, the X chromosome constitutes 5% of the haploid chromosomal complement, but the X chromosome of the blackbuck this percentage is 14.96. Portions of both peculiarly large chromosomes show delayed replication . A 1997 study found lower variation in blood protein polymorphism in Antilope in comparison with Antidorcas , Eudorcas , and Gazella . This
1179-649: A gas station. The animals may be trained to perform tricks, and visitors are able to get closer to them than in larger zoos. Since they are sometimes less regulated, roadside zoos are often subject to accusations of neglect and cruelty . In June 2014 the Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit against the Iowa-based roadside Cricket Hollow Zoo for violating the Endangered Species Act by failing to provide proper care for its animals. Since filing
1310-453: A greenhouse with an aviary, aquarium, and museum of stuffed animals and birds), a pond, a bridge over a waterfall, an artificial lake with a fountain, a wood-ornamented greenhouse, a forest area, and enclosures and buildings. The first zoological garden in Australia was Melbourne Zoo in 1860. In German states leading roles came Berlin (1841), Frankfurt (1856), and Hamburg (1863). In 1907,
1441-503: A lack of natural wild habitat in which to reintroduce animals. This highlights the importance of in situ conservation, or preservation of natural spaces, in addition to the utility of zoo captive breeding and reintroduction programs. In situ conservation and reintroduction programs are key elements to obtaining certification by reputable organisations such as the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Efforts to clone endangered species in
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#17328590342701572-455: A matter of public interest in the 1970s, a few zoos began to consider making conservation their central role, with Gerald Durrell of the Jersey Zoo , George Rabb of Brookfield Zoo , and William Conway of the Bronx Zoo ( Wildlife Conservation Society ) leading the discussion. From then on, zoo professionals became increasingly aware of the need to engage themselves in conservation programs, and
1703-448: A model of cooperation for conservation. Loaned animals usually remain the property of the original park, and any offspring yielded by loaned animals are usually divided between the lending and holding institutions. For decades the capture of wild animals or purchasing of animals has been broadly considered unethical and has not been practiced by reputable zoos. Especially in large animals, a limited number of spaces are available in zoos. As
1834-418: A new strategy that sets out the aims and mission of zoological gardens of the 21st century. When studying behaviour of captive animals, several things should however be taken into account before drawing conclusions about wild populations. Including that captive populations are often smaller than wild ones and that the space available to each animal is often less than in the wild. Conservation programs all over
1965-482: A one-horned rhino. Ambuja Group chairman Harsh Neotia and Narayana Murthy of Infosys have requested to adopt animals. The zoo is presently downsizing to meet animal comfort requirements laid down by the Central Zoo Authority of India (CZAI). It has also increased the number of open air enclosures. A move to a suburban location was also contemplated, but was not undertaken based on the recommendations of
2096-434: A place of refuge . Today, many zoos are improving enclosures by including tactile and sensory features in the habitat that allow animals to encourage natural behaviors. These additions can prove to be effective in improving the lives of animals in captivity. The tactile and sensory features will vary depending on the species of animal. There are animals that are injured in the wild and are unable to survive on their own, but in
2227-481: A population's breeding. However it may also have health repercussions and can be difficult or even impossible to reverse in some animals. Additionally, some species may lose their reproductive capability entirely if prevented from breeding for a period (whether through contraceptives or isolation), but further study is needed on the subject. Sale of surplus animals from zoos was once common and in some cases animals have ended up in substandard facilities. In recent decades
2358-480: A posh Kolkata suburb, and inaugurated on 1 January 1876 by Edward VII , then Prince of Wales . (Some reports place the inauguration on an alternate date of 27 December 1875). The initial stock consisted of the private menagerie of Carl Louis Schwendler (1838 – 1882), a German electrician who was posted in India for a feasibility study of electrically lighting Indian Railways stations. Gifts were also accepted from
2489-426: A single calf is born. Newborns are a light yellow; infant males may have a black patch on the head and the neck. Young are precocial , they can stand on their own soon after birth. Females can mate again after a month of parturition. Juveniles remain active and playful throughout the day. Juvenile males turn black gradually, darkening notably after the third year. The lifespan is typically 10 to 15 years. During
2620-629: A small number of zoos. To solve this organizations like EAZA and AZA have begun to develop husbandry manuals. Many modern zoos attempt to improve animal welfare by providing more space and behavioural enrichments . This often involves housing the animals in naturalistic enclosures that allow the animals to express more of their natural behaviours, such as roaming and foraging. Whilst many zoos have been working hard on this change, in some zoos, some enclosures still remain barren concrete enclosures or other minimally enriched cages. Blackbuck The blackbuck ( Antilope cervicapra ), also known as
2751-443: A strategy to garner females for mating. While other males are not allowed into these territories, females often visit these places to forage. The male can thus attempt mating with her. The blackbuck is an herbivore and grazes on low grasses, occasionally browsing as well. Females become sexually mature at the age of eight months, but mate no earlier than two years of age. Males mature later, at 1.5 years. Mating takes place throughout
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#17328590342702882-547: A suitable alternative. Off-site conservation relies on zoos, national parks, or other care facilities to support the rehabilitation of the animals and their populations. Zoos benefit conservation by providing suitable habitats and care to endangered animals. When properly regulated, they present a safe, clean environment for the animals to increase populations sizes. A study on amphibian conservation and zoos addressed these problems by writing, Whilst addressing in situ threats, particularly habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation,
3013-541: A suitable environment for wild native animals such as herons to live in or visit. A colony of black-crowned night herons has regularly summered at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. for more than a century. Some zoos may provide information to visitors on wild animals visiting or living in the zoo, or encourage them by directing them to specific feeding or breeding platforms. In modern, well-regulated zoos, breeding
3144-583: A tiger tested positive for COVID-19 at a zoological gargen in New York, an authority said on Monday. Since mid-February a few prudent steps, for example, spraying of antiviral medication inside the enormous felines' fenced in area and in the nursery have been taken. The zoo sports a large collection of attractive birds, including some threatened species - large parrots including a number of parrots, lories and lorikeets; other birds like hornbills ; colourful game birds like pheasants and some large flightless birds like
3275-547: A vigorous campaign by the World Wide Fund for Nature (then World Wildlife Fund). The zoo remains one of the most popular winter tourist attractions in Kolkata. The footfall figures in 2016 showed an annual visitation of almost 3 million — more than any other tourist attraction in Kolkata, and a peak of over 81,000 on Christmas Day and New Year's Day . The zoo displays a large number of crowd-pulling megafauna , including
3406-580: A year and have special programs for schools. They are organized by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums . Japan's first modern zoo, Tokyo's Ueno Imperial Zoological Gardens , opened in 1882 based on European models. In World War II it was used to teach the Japanese people about the lands recently conquered by the Army. In 1943, fearing American bombing attacks, the government ordered the zoo to euthanize dangerous animals that might escape. When ecology emerged as
3537-938: Is "the advancement of Zoology and Animal Physiology and the introduction of new and curious subjects of the Animal Kingdom." It maintains two research institutes, the Nuffield Institute of Comparative Medicine and the Wellcome Institute of Comparative Physiology. In the United States, the Penrose Research Laboratory of the Philadelphia Zoo focuses on the study of comparative pathology . The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums produced its first conservation strategy in 1993, and in November 2004, it adopted
3668-687: Is a daily requirement of the blackbuck. Females become sexually mature at the age of eight months, but mate no earlier than two years. Males mature at the age of one-and-a-half years. Mating takes place throughout the year; peaks occur during spring and fall in Texas. Two peaks have been observed in India: from August to October and from March to April. Rutting males aggressively establish and defend their territories from other males, giving out loud grunts and engaging in serious head-to-head fights, pushing each other using horns. Aggressive display consists of thrusting
3799-447: Is a demanding strategy, as the males often have to bear injuries – thus it is a tactic typically adopted by strong, dominant males. Males may either defend their mates or try to forcibly copulate with them. Weaker males, who may not be dominant, might choose the second method. The blackbuck is severely affected by natural calamities such as floods and droughts , from which it can take as long as five years to recover. The wolf
3930-538: Is a major predator . Old rutting bulls might be especially vulnerable prey. The golden jackal hunts juveniles. Village dogs are reported to kill fawns, but are unlikely to successfully hunt and kill adults. Blackbucks in Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary show flexible habitat use as the resources and risks change seasonally in the landscape. They use small patches in the area of about 3 km (1.2 sq mi). Human activities strongly influenced
4061-475: Is black antelope, in that Dharma must be known ", which is interpreted to mean that certain religious practices including sacrifices were not to be performed where blackbuck did not roam. The hide of the blackbuck is deemed to be sacred in Hinduism. According to the scriptures, it is to be sat upon only by brahmin priests, sadhu s and yogi s, forest-dwellers and bhikshu mendicants. Blackbuck meat
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4192-522: Is composed of the Latin words cervus ("deer") and capra ("she-goat"). The vernacular name "blackbuck" is a reference to the dark brown to black colour of the dorsal part of the coat of the males. The earliest recorded use of this name dates back to 1850. The blackbuck is the sole living member of the genus Antilope and is classified in the family Bovidae . The species was described and given its binomial name by Swedish zoologist Carl Linnaeus in
4323-414: Is controlled to maintain a self-sustaining, global captive population. This is not the case in some less well-regulated zoos, often based in poorer regions. Overall "stock turnover" of animals during a year in a select group of poor zoos was reported as 20%-25% with 75% of wild caught apes dying in captivity within the first 20 months. The authors of the report stated that before successful breeding programs,
4454-556: Is due to Sir Richard Temple, who was Lieutenant Governor of Bengal from 1874 to 1877, but long before the scheme assumed any proper shape, Dr. Fayrer, C.S.I., in 1867 and again in 1873 Mr. L. Schwendler (known as the 'Father of the Zoo') had brought forward and strongly urged the necessity of a Zoological Garden…The visit to Calcutta of His Majesty King Edward the Seventh, then Prince of Wales, was seized upon as an auspicious occasion. On 1 January 1876,
4585-420: Is highly regarded in Texas. In an analysis, blackbuck milk was found to have 6.9% protein, 9.3% fat, and 4.3% lactose . In some agricultural areas in northern India , the blackbuck are found in large numbers and raid crop fields. However, the damage caused by blackbuck is far lower than that caused by the nilgai. In 2018, Bollywood actor Salman Khan was sentenced to five years imprisonment for poaching
4716-765: Is listed under Appendix III of CITES . In India, hunting of blackbuck is prohibited under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 . It inhabits several protected areas of India , including A captive population is maintained in Pakistan's Lal Suhanra National Park . The blackbuck has associations with the Indian culture . The antelope might have been a source of food in the Indus Valley civilisation (3300–1700 BCE); bone remains have been discovered in sites such as Dholavira and Mehrgarh . The blackbuck
4847-412: Is lower in the former. Large herds spend more time feeding than small herds. A disadvantage for large herds, however, is that traveling requires more resources. Herd size reduces in summer. Males often adopt lekking as a strategy on the part of males to garner females for mating. Territories are established by males on the basis of the local distribution of female groups, which in turn is determined by
4978-462: Is of primary importance; for many amphibian species in situ conservation alone will not be enough, especially in light of current un-mitigatable threats that can impact populations very rapidly such as chytridiomycosis [an infectious fungal disease]. Ex situ programmes can complement in situ activities in a number of ways including maintaining genetically and demographically viable populations while threats are either better understood or mitigated in
5109-436: Is prominent, as males are heavier and darker than the females. The long, ringed horns , that resemble corkscrews, are generally present only on males, though females may also develop horns. They measure 35–75 cm (14–30 in), though the maximum horn length recorded in Texas has not exceeded 58 cm (23 in). The horns diverge forming a "V"-like shape. In India, horns are longer and more divergent in specimens from
5240-604: Is routinely depicted in miniature paintings of the Mughal era of 16th to 19th centuries depicting royal hunts often using cheetahs. Villagers in India and Nepal generally do not harm the blackbuck. Tribes such as the Bishnois revere and care for most animals including the blackbuck. The blackbuck is mentioned in Sanskrit texts as the Kṛṣṇamṛga . According to Hindu mythology , it draws
5371-567: Is the Tiergarten Schönbrunn in Vienna , Austria. It was constructed by Adrian van Stekhoven in 1752 at the order of Emperor Francis I , to serve as an imperial menagerie as part of Schönbrunn Palace . The menagerie was initially reserved for the viewing pleasure of the imperial family and the court, but was made accessible to the public in 1765. In 1775, a zoo was founded in Madrid, and in 1795,
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5502-564: Is the closest sister taxon to Gazella , although an earlier phylogeny, proposed in 1976, placed Antilope as sister to Nanger . In a more recent revision of the phylogeny of the Antilopini on the basis of sequences from multiple nuclear and mitochondrial loci in 2013, Eva Verena Bärmann (of the University of Cambridge ) and colleagues re-examined the phylogenetic relationships and found Antilope and Gazella to be sister genera distinct from
5633-500: The 10th edition of Systema Naturae in 1758. Antilope also includes fossil species, such as Antilope subtorta and Antilope intermedia . Antilope , Eudorcas , Gazella , and Nanger form a clade within their tribe Antilopini . A 1995 study of the detailed karyotype of Antilope suggested that within this clade, Antilope is closest to the Gazella group. A 1999 phylogenetic analysis confirmed that Antilope
5764-671: The Africarium , the only themed oceanarium devoted solely to exhibiting the fauna of Africa , comprehensively presenting selected ecosystems from the continent of Africa . Housing over 10 thousand animals, the facility's breadth extends from housing insects such cockroaches to large mammals like elephants on an area of over 33 hectares . In the United States, the Philadelphia Zoo , opened on July 1, 1874, earning its motto "America's First Zoo." The Lincoln Park Zoological Gardens in Chicago and
5895-531: The American Zoo Association soon said that conservation was its highest priority. In order to stress conservation issues, many large zoos stopped the practice of having animals perform tricks for visitors. The Detroit Zoo , for example, stopped its elephant show in 1969, and its chimpanzee show in 1983, acknowledging that the trainers had probably abused the animals to get them to perform. Mass destruction of wildlife habitat has yet to cease all over
6026-557: The Indian antelope , is a medium-sized antelope native to India and Nepal . It inhabits grassy plains and lightly forested areas with perennial water sources. It stands up to 74 to 84 cm (29 to 33 in) high at the shoulder. Males weigh 20–57 kg (44–126 lb), with an average of 38 kg (84 lb). Females are lighter, weighing 20–33 kg (44–73 lb) or 27 kg (60 lb) on average. Males have 35–75 cm (14–30 in) long corkscrew horns , and females occasionally develop horns, as well. The white fur on
6157-532: The Indira Gandhi Zoological Park . The blackbuck is a moderately sized antelope. It stands up to 74 to 84 cm (29 to 33 in) high at the shoulder; the head-to-body length is nearly 120 cm (47 in). In the population introduced to Texas, males weigh 20–57 kg (44–126 lb), an average of 38 kg (84 lb). Females are lighter, weighing 20–33 kg (44–73 lb) or 27 kg (60 lb) on average. Sexual dimorphism
6288-478: The Maharaja of Mysore Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV . The park was initially run by an honorary managing committee which included Schwendler and the famous botanist George King . The first Indian superintendent of the zoo was Ram Brahma Sanyal , who did much to improve the standing of the Alipore Zoo and achieved good captive breeding success in an era when such initiatives were rarely heard of. One such success story of
6419-868: The Malabar coast south of the neighbourhood of Surat. The statement that this antelope is not found in Lower Bengal is not quite correct ; none are found in the swampy Gangetic delta, but many exist on the plains near the coast in Midnapore (I have shot them near Contai), as they also do in Orissa. Antelopes are most abundant in the North-west Provinces, Rajputana, and parts of the Deccan , but are locally distributed and keep to particular tracts. Today, small, scattered herds are largely confined to protected areas. In Pakistan ,
6550-712: The Middle Assyrian Empire created zoological and botanical gardens in the 11th century BCE. In the 2nd century BCE, the Chinese Empress Tanki had a "house of deer" built, and King Wen of Zhou kept a 1,500-acre (6.1 km ) zoo called Ling-Yu, or the Garden of Intelligence. Other well-known collectors of animals included King Solomon of the Kingdom of Israel and Judah , Queen Semiramis and King Ashurbanipal of Assyria , and King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia . By
6681-627: The Northern Territory . In 2015, a blackbuck was sighted near Warrnambool , Victoria , which was later captured and sent to Mansfield Zoo . The blackbuck is a declared pest in Queensland and Western Australia. In Victoria, blackbuck and American bison are considered both "regulated pest animals" and livestock . The antelope was introduced in Texas in the Edwards Plateau in 1932. By 1988,
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#17328590342706812-610: The United States , primarily on hunting ranches. In Argentina, the population is surviving well. In India, hunting of blackbuck is prohibited under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 . The blackbuck has significance in Hinduism ; Indian and Nepali villagers do not harm the antelope. The scientific name of the blackbuck Antilope cervicapra stems from the Latin word antalopus ("horned animal"). The specific name cervicapra
6943-586: The Wildlife Conservation Society and re branded the zoos under its jurisdiction as "wildlife conservation parks". The predecessor of the zoological garden is the menagerie , which has a long history from the ancient world to modern times. The oldest known zoological collection was revealed during excavations at Hierakonpolis , Egypt in 2009, of a c. 3500 BCE menagerie. The exotic animals included hippopotami , hartebeest , elephants , baboons and wildcats . King Ashur-bel-kala of
7074-973: The Zoological Society of London in 1931 which today (2014) covers 600 acres (2.4 km ). Since the early 1970s, an 1,800 acre (7 km ) park in the San Pasqual Valley near San Diego has featured the San Diego Zoo Safari Park , run by the Zoological Society of San Diego. One of two state-supported zoo parks in North Carolina is the 2,000-acre (8.1 km ) North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro. The 500-acre (2.0 km ) Werribee Open Range Zoo in Melbourne, Australia, displays animals living in an artificial savannah . The first public aquarium
7205-495: The southern cassowary , wild yak , giant eland , slow loris and echidna . The previously cramped, unsuitable and unhygienic conditions inside the cages, and in the zoo in general had been criticized for long. The death of a great Indian one-horned rhinoceros sparked off speculation about the veterinary efficiency at the zoo. ZooCheck Canada found conditions in the zoo unsatisfactory in 2004. The zoo director Subir Choudhury has gone on record in 2006 saying: We are aware that
7336-507: The 1931 Paris Colonial Exposition , with the practice continuing in Belgium at least to as late as 1958 in a "Congolese village" display at Expo '58 in Brussels. These displays, while sometimes called "human zoos", usually did not take place in zoos or use cages. Zoo animals live in enclosures that often attempt to replicate their natural habitats or behavioral patterns, for the benefit of both
7467-427: The 1970s – Rudrani (b. 1971) and Ranjini (b. 1973) were bred from the cross between a royal Bengal tiger and an African lion . Rudrani went on to produce 7 offspring by mating with an Asiatic lion , producing "litigon"s. One of these litigons , named Cubanacan survived to adulthood, stood over 5.5 feet (1.7 m) tall, measured over 11.5 feet (3.5 m) and weighed over 800 pounds (360 kg). It died in 1991 at
7598-453: The 20th century, blackbuck numbers declined sharply due to excessive hunting, deforestation and habitat degradation. Some blackbucks are killed illegally especially where the species is sympatric with nilgai . Until India's independence in 1947, blackbuck and chinkara were hunted in many princely states with specially trained captive Asiatic cheetahs . By the 1970s, blackbuck was locally extinct in several areas. The blackbuck
7729-559: The 4th century BCE, zoos existed in most of the Greek city states; Alexander the Great is known to have sent animals that he found on his military expeditions back to Greece. The Roman emperors kept private collections of animals for study or for use in the arena, the latter faring notoriously poorly. The 19th-century historian W. E. H. Lecky wrote of the Roman games , first held in 366 BCE: At one time,
7860-515: The CZAI, which claimed the Alipore site was of historical significance. The CZAI also cleared the zoo of malpractices in an evaluation performed in late 2005, even though the zoo has continued to attract bad press. The zoo is also home for wintering migratory birds such as ducks, and sports a sizable wetland inside the zoo grounds. Since the zoo is enveloped by urban settlements for miles, the zoo wetlands are
7991-537: The Cincinnati Zoo opened in 1875. In the 1930s, federal relief programs provided financial aid to most local zoos. The Works Progress Administration and similar New Deal government agencies helped greatly in the construction, renovation, and expansion of zoos when the Great Depression severely reduced local budgets. It was "a new deal for animals." The Atlanta Zoo , founded in 1886, suffered neglect. By 1984 it
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#17328590342708122-464: The Indian Army. Another mauling leading to a death occurred in 2000. The zoo has also been criticized for its animal/ keeper relations. A chimpanzee attacked and severely injured its keeper in Alipore Zoo, and numerous other incidents have been reported including the case of an elephant trampling its mahout to death in 1963 which was subsequently put down. In 2001, it was revealed that zoo staff drugged
8253-949: The U.S. and Canada by Species Survival Plans; in Australasia, by the Australasian Species Management Program; in Europe, by the European Endangered Species Program; and in Japan, South Asia, and South East Asia, by the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the South Asian Zoo Association for Regional Cooperation , and the South East Asian Zoo Association. Besides conservation of captive species, large zoos may form
8384-491: The United States, Europe, and Asia are frequently embedded in zoos and zoological parks. The position of most modern zoos in Australasia , Asia , Europe , and North America , particularly those with scientific societies, is that they display wild animals primarily for the conservation of endangered species , as well as for research purposes and education, and secondarily for the entertainment of visitors. The Zoological Society of London states in its charter that its aim
8515-434: The age of 15. It was marketed by the zoo as the world's largest living big cat. All such hybrid males were sterile. Quite a few of these creatures suffered from genetic abnormalities and many died prematurely. Rangini , the last tigon in the zoo, died in 1999 as the oldest known tigon. The zoo has stopped breeding hybrids after the 1985 legislation passed by the Government of India banning breeding of panthera hybrids after
8646-413: The animals and birds are not well in the cages and moats. Efforts are on minimizing their agony. The zoo had also been criticized for the quality of its animal/visitor interaction. Teasing of animals was a common occurrence at the zoo, though corrective measures are now in place. On 1 January 1996 the tiger Shiva mauled two visitors as they tried to garland it, killing one, Shiva was later shot and killed by
8777-737: The animals and visitors. Nocturnal animals are often housed in buildings with a reversed light-dark cycle, i.e. only dim white or red lights are on during the day so the animals are active during visitor hours, and brighter lights on at night when the animals sleep. Special climate conditions may be created for animals living in extreme environments, such as penguins. Special enclosures for birds , mammals , insects , reptiles , fish , and other aquatic life forms have also been developed. Some zoos have walk-through exhibits where visitors enter enclosures of non-aggressive species, such as lemurs , marmosets , birds, lizards , and turtles . Visitors are asked to keep to paths and avoid showing or eating foods that
8908-432: The animals might snatch. Some zoos keep animals in larger, outdoor enclosures, confining them with moats and fences, rather than in cages. Safari parks , also known as zoo parks and lion farms, allow visitors to drive through them and come in close proximity to the animals. Sometimes, visitors are able to feed animals through the car windows. The first safari park was Whipsnade Park in Bedfordshire, England, opened by
9039-446: The animals were moved to the Bulwark, renamed the Lion Tower, near the main western entrance of the Tower. It was opened to the public during the reign of Elizabeth I in the 16th century. During the 18th century, the price of admission was three half-pence, or the supply of a cat or dog for feeding to the lions. The animals were moved to the London Zoo when it opened. Aztec emperor Moctezuma had in his capital city of Tenochtitlan
9170-434: The animals' needs, but constraints such as size and expense can complicate this. The type of enclosure and the husbandry are of great importance in determining the welfare of animals. Substandard enclosures can lead to decreased lifespans, caused by factors as human diseases, unsafe materials in the cages and possible escape attempts (Bendow 382). However, when zoos take time to think about the animal's welfare, zoos can become
9301-474: The animals, lack of initiative at breeding rare species, and for cross-breeding experiments between species. The zoo has also, in the past, attracted a lot of criticism for keeping single and unpaired specimens of rare species like the banteng , great Indian one-horned rhinoceros , crowned crane and the lion-tailed macaque . Lack of breeding and exchange programs has led to the elimination of individuals and populations of environmentally vulnerable species like
9432-529: The blackbuck occasionally occurred along the border with India until 2001. In southern Nepal , the last surviving blackbuck population in Blackbuck Conservation Area was estimated to comprise 184 individuals in 2008. A few blackbucks are present in the Indian Institute of Technology Madras campus. The blackbuck is considered locally extinct in Pakistan and Bangladesh . The blackbuck
9563-605: The breeding program at the Alipore Zoo. An "Adopt an Animal" scheme began at the Alipore Zoological Gardens in August 2013 as a way to obtain funding for the zoo. About 40 animals were adopted as of August 2013 The adopters receive tax benefits, are allowed to use photos of the animals in promotional materials, and get their name placed on a plaque at the animal's enclosure. Sanjay Budhia, chairman of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) national committee on exports, adopted
9694-525: The chariot of Lord Krishna . The blackbuck is considered to be the vehicle of the wind god Vayu , the divine drink Soma and the moon god Chandra . In Tamil Nadu, the blackbuck is considered to be the vehicle of the Hindu goddess Korravai . In Rajasthan, the goddess Karni Mata is believed to protect the blackbuck. In the Yājñavalkya Smṛti , Sage Yagyavalkya is quoted stating " in what country there
9825-404: The chin and around the eyes is in sharp contrast with the black stripes on the face. Both sexes' coats feature a two-tone colouration; in males, the majority of the body is dark brown to black, with white circles around the eyes, white ears and tail, and the belly, lower jaw, and inner legs also white. Females and juveniles are yellowish-fawn to tan and display the same white areas, only with more of
9956-633: The classical zoo, such as stage shows, roller coasters, and mythical creatures. Some examples are Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida , both Disney's Animal Kingdom and Gatorland in Orlando, Florida , Flamingo Land in North Yorkshire, England , and Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, California . By 2000 most animals being displayed in zoos were the offspring of other zoo animals. This trend, however
10087-484: The collection over the first few months of 1886, significantly increasing its size. The zoo was thrown open to the public on 6 May 1876. It grew based on gifts from British and Indian nobility - like Raja Suryakanta Acharya of Mymensingh in whose honour the open air tiger enclosure is named the Mymensingh Enclosure . Other contributors who donated part or all of their private menagerie to the Alipore Zoo included
10218-525: The culling proceeded. Although zoos in some countries have been open about culling, the controversy of the subject and pressure from the public has resulted in others being closed. This stands in contrast to most zoos publicly announcing animal births. Furthermore, while many zoos are willing to cull smaller and/or low-profile animals, fewer are willing to do it with larger high-profile species. Many animals breed readily in captivity. Zoos frequently are forced to intentionally limit captive breeding because of
10349-401: The diet. Digestion of nutrients, especially crude proteins , was poor in summer, but more efficient in the rainy and winter seasons. Crude protein intake in summer was very low, even below the recommended value. Blackbuck consumed less food in summer than in winter, and often foraged on the fruits of Prosopis juliflora . Prosopis becomes a significant food item if grasses are scarce. Water
10480-508: The different organizing principle of geography, as opposed to taxonomy. The Wrocław Zoo ( Polish : Ogród Zoologiczny we Wrocławiu ) is the oldest zoo in Poland, opened in 1865 when the city was part of Prussia , and was home to about 10,500 animals representing about 1,132 species (in terms of the number of animal species, it is the third largest in the world ). In 2014 the Wrocław Zoo opened
10611-525: The dirty and rather dismal looking approach to Belvedere, the improved and satisfactory condition of the neighbourhood, at present, must afford a very striking contrast. Both east and west of the roadway leading from the Zeerut bridge were untidy, crowded unsavoury bustees. Today we shall find on the site of the old bustees the Calcutta 'Zoo.' A very large share of the credit for the establishment of this pleasant resort
10742-428: The emu and ostrich. Laid out on 45 acres (18 ha) of land, the Calcutta zoo has been unable to expand or modify its layout for over 50 years, and thus has a rather backdated plan. It contains a Reptile House (a new one has been built), a Primate House , an Elephant House, and a Panther House which opens out onto the open air enclosures for the lions and tigers. It also boasts of a glass-walled enclosure for tigers,
10873-558: The enclosures and come into close proximity with the animals. The Zoological Society of London was founded in 1826 by Stamford Raffles and established the London Zoo in Regent's Park two years later in 1828. At its founding, it was the world's first scientific zoo. Originally intended to be used as a collection for scientific study , it was opened to the public in 1847. The Zoo was located in Regent's Park —then undergoing development at
11004-523: The entrepreneur Carl Hagenbeck founded the Tierpark Hagenbeck in Stellingen, now a quarter of Hamburg . His zoo was a radical departure from the layout of the zoo that had been established in 1828. It was the first zoo to use open enclosures surrounded by moats, rather than barred cages, to better approximate animals' natural environments. He also set up mixed-species exhibits and based the layout on
11135-477: The first of its kind in India. A separate Children's zoo is present, and the central water bodies inside the zoo grounds attracts migratory birds. The Calcutta Aquarium lies across the street from the zoo, and is affiliated to the zoo. The most famous specimen in the zoo was probably the Aldabra giant tortoise "Adwaita", gift when it died in 2006 – a contender for the longest lived animal. The zoo has around 1,266 individuals and about 108 species. The zoo
11266-458: The food is supplied by the zoo, either from vending machines or a kiosk nearby. An animal theme park is a combination of an amusement park and a zoo, mainly for entertaining and commercial purposes. Marine mammal parks such as Sea World and Marineland are more elaborate dolphinariums keeping whales , and containing additional entertainment attractions. Another kind of animal theme park contains more entertainment and amusement elements than
11397-521: The gardens were inaugurated by His Royal Highness, and in May of the same year they were opened to the public. Cotton, H.E.A (1909) The zoo had its roots in a private menagerie established by Governor General of India, Richard Wellesley , established around 1800 in his summer home at Barrackpore near Kolkata, as part of the Indian Natural History Project . The first superintendent of
11528-408: The general public. The initial collection consisted of the following animals: African buffalo , Zanzibar ram, domestic sheep , four-horned sheep, hybrid Kashmiri goat, Indian antelope , Indian gazelle , sambar deer , spotted deer and hog deer . It is not clear whether the Aldabra giant tortoise Adwaita was among the opening stock of animals. The animals at Barrackpore Park were added to
11659-421: The great Indian one-horned rhinoceros into relieving itself more often than normal, which enabled them to collect the urine and sell it on the black market as an anti-impotence medicine. The zoo attracted flak from the scientific community in general, because of cross breeding experiments between lions and tigers to produce strains like tigons , and litigon s (see Panthera hybrid ). The zoo bred two tigons in
11790-490: The habitat, so as to ensure greater access to females. The males actively defend resources in their territories, nearly 1.2 to 12 hectares (3.0 to 29.7 acres; 0.0046 to 0.0463 sq mi) in size; territories are marked with scent using preorbital gland and interdigital gland secretions, faeces and urine. While other males are not allowed into these territories, females are allowed to visit these places to forage. The male can attempt mating with visiting females. Lekking
11921-459: The hands of the architect John Nash . What set the London zoo apart from its predecessors was its focus on society at large. The zoo was established in the middle of a city for the public, and its layout was designed to cater for the large London population. The London zoo was widely copied as the archetype of the public city zoo. In 1853, the Zoo opened the world's first public aquarium . Dublin Zoo
12052-410: The high mortality rate was the reason for the "massive scale of importations." One 2-year study indicated that of 19,361 mammals that left accredited zoos in the U.S. between 1992 and 1998, 7,420 (38%) went to dealers, auctions, hunting ranches, unaccredited zoos and individuals, and game farms. The welfare of zoo animals varies widely. Many zoos work to improve their animal enclosures and make it fit
12183-424: The importance of animal conservation, often through letting visitors witness the animals firsthand. Some critics, and the majority of animal rights activists, say that zoos, no matter their intentions, or how noble these intentions, are immoral and serve as nothing but to fulfill human leisure at the expense of the animals (an opinion that has spread over the years). However, zoo advocates argue that their efforts make
12314-467: The late 20th century are " conservation park" or "bio park". Adopting a new name is a strategy used by some zoo professionals to distance their institutions from the stereotypical and nowadays criticized zoo concept of the 19th century. The term "bio park" was first coined and developed by the National Zoo in Washington D.C. in the late 1980s. In 1993, the New York Zoological Society changed its name to
12445-508: The lawsuit, ALDF has obtained records from investigations conducted by the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services; these records show that the zoo is also violating the Animal Welfare Act. A petting zoo, also called petting farms or children's zoos, features a combination of domestic animals and wild species that are docile enough to touch and feed. To ensure the animals' health,
12576-515: The legs are dark brown to black, the underparts and the insides of the legs are all white. Darkness typically increases as the male ages; females and juveniles are yellowish fawn to tan. In Texas, blackbuck moult in spring, following which the males look notably lighter, though darkness persists on the face and the legs. On the contrary, males grow darker as the breeding season approaches. Both melanism and albinism have been observed in wild blackbuck. Albino blackbuck are often zoo attractions as in
12707-481: The menagerie in 1810, encountering his first tapir there, and doubtless used some aspects of the menagerie as an inspiration for the London Zoo . The menagerie was photographed by John Edward Saché in 1860s. The foundation of zoos in major cities around the world caused a growing thought among the British community in Kolkata that the menagerie should be upgraded to a formal zoological garden. Credence to such arguments
12838-510: The menagerie was the famous Scottish physician zoologist Francis Buchanan-Hamilton . Buchanan-Hamilton returned to England with Wellesley in 1805 following the Governor-General's recall by the Court of Directors in London. The collection from this era are documented by watercolours by Charles D'Oyly, and a visit by the famous French botanist Victor Jacquemont . Sir Stamford Raffles visited
12969-564: The movement of herds, but the presence of small refuges allowed them to persist in the landscape. The blackbuck is a herbivore and grazes on low grasses, occasionally browsing as well. It prefers sedges , fall witchgrass , mesquite , and live oak and was occasionally observed browsing on acacia trees in the Cholistan Desert . Oats and berseem were found to be palatable and nutritious to captive populations. In Velavadar Black Buck Sanctuary , Dichanthium annulatum comprised 35% of
13100-605: The neck forward and raising it, folding the ears and raising the tail. The dominant male pursues the female with his nose pointing upward, smells her urine and shows a flehmen response. The female shows her receptivity by waving her tail and thumping the hindlegs on the ground. This is followed by several mounting attempts, and copulation. The whole process may last as long as six hours. The female will remain still for some time after copulation, following which she may start grazing. The male may then move on to mate with another female. Gestation typically lasts six months, after which
13231-541: The northern and western parts of the country. Blackbuck bear a close resemblance to gazelles, and are distinguished mainly by the fact that while gazelles are brown in the dorsal parts, blackbuck develop a dark brown or black colour in these parts. The blackbuck is native to the Indian subcontinent and inhabits grassy plains and thinly forested areas where perennial water sources are available for its daily need to drink. Herds travel long distances to obtain water. The British naturalist William Thomas Blanford described
13362-412: The only resting spot for some of the birds and are a focus of conservationists in Kolkata. However, the number of migratory bird visiting the zoo dropped from documented highs by over 40% in the winter of 2004–2005. Experts attribute the causes of the decline to increased pollution, new construction of highrises in the area, increasing threats in the summer grounds of the birds and declining quality of
13493-493: The population had increased and the antelope was the most populous exotic animal in Texas after the chital . The blackbuck is a diurnal antelope, though is less active at noon when summer temperatures rise. It can run at a speed of 80 kilometres per hour (50 mph). Group size fluctuates and seems to depend on the availability of forage and the nature of the habitat. Large herds have an edge over smaller ones in that danger can be detected faster, though individual vigilance
13624-496: The practice of selling animals from certified zoos has declined. A large number of animals are culled each year in zoos, but this is controversial. A highly publicized culling as part of population management was that of a healthy giraffe at Copenhagen Zoo in 2014. The zoo argued that his genes already were well-represented in captivity, making the giraffe unsuitable for future breeding. There were offers to adopt him and an online petition to save him had many thousand signatories, but
13755-607: The range of the blackbuck in his 1891 The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma as: India from the base of the Himalayas to the neighbourhood of Cape Comorin (the southernmost locality known to me is Point Calimere ), and from the Punjab to Lower Assam, in open plains, not in Ceylon nor east of the Bay of Bengal . Not found on hills nor in thickly wooded tracts, and wanting throughout
13886-438: The record of the parasite genus Cladotaenia (Cohn, 1901) is based upon cestodes (flatworms) found in an Australian bird that died at the zoo. Kalākaua , the last king of Hawaii, visited the zoo on 28 May 1881 during his world tour . Pressed for space as Kolkata developed, and lacking adequate government funding, the zoo attracted a lot of controversy in the latter half of the 20th century due to cramped living conditions of
14017-519: The royal Bengal tiger, Asiatic lion, jaguar, hippopotamus, greater one-horned rhinoceros, giraffe, zebra, and Indian elephant. Previously, other megafauna like the Panthera hybrids and the giant eland were present. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the zoo live streamed virtual tours on Facebook. The zoo has chosen to upgrade customary checking of large felines and exacting execution of security standards after
14148-508: The sister genera Nanger and Eudorcas . Cuvier's gazelle Rhim gazelle Sand gazelle Chinkara Goitered gazelle Mountain gazelle Speke's gazelle Dorcas gazelle Blackbuck Two subspecies are recognised, although they might be independent species: The blackbuck shows variation in its diploid chromosome number. Males have 31–33, while females have 30–32. Males have an XY1Y2 sex chromosome. Unusually large sex chromosomes had earlier been described only in
14279-640: The spectacle. Charlemagne had an elephant named Abul-Abbas that was given to him by the Abbasid caliph. King Henry I of England kept a collection of animals at his palace in Woodstock which reportedly included lions, leopards, and camels. The most prominent collection in medieval England was in the Tower of London , created as early as 1204 by King John I . Henry III received a wedding gift in 1235 of three leopards from Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor , and in 1264,
14410-457: The tremendous expansion in the urbanization of London, led to a heightened demand for a greater variety of public forms of entertainment to be made available. The need for public entertainment, as well as the requirements of scholarly research, came together in the founding of the first modern zoos. Whipsnade Park Zoo in Bedfordshire , England, opened in 1931. It allowed visitors to drive through
14541-547: The water bodies at the zoo. Zoological park The term zoological garden refers to zoology , the study of animals. The term is derived from the Ancient Greek ζῷον , zōion , 'animal', and the suffix -λογία , -logia , 'study of'. The abbreviation zoo was first used of the London Zoological Gardens , which was opened for scientific study in 1828, and to the public in 1847. The first modern zoo
14672-501: The wild The breeding of endangered species is coordinated by cooperative breeding programmes containing international studbooks and coordinators, who evaluate the roles of individual animals and institutions from a global or regional perspective, and there are regional programmes all over the world for the conservation of endangered species . In Africa, conservation is handled by the African Preservation Program (APP); in
14803-403: The world and many species such as elephants , big cats, penguins , tropical birds, primates, rhinos , exotic reptiles, and many others are in danger of dying out. Many of today's zoos hope to stop or slow the decline of many endangered species and see their primary purpose as breeding endangered species in captivity and reintroducing them into the wild. Modern zoos also aim to help teach visitors
14934-516: The world fight to protect species from going extinct , but many conservation programs are underfunded and under-represented. Conservation programs can struggle to fight bigger issues like habitat loss and illness. It often takes significant funding and long time periods to rebuild degraded habitats, both of which are scarce in conservation efforts. The current state of conservation programs cannot rely solely in situ (on-site conservation) plans alone, ex situ (off-site conservation) may therefore provide
15065-637: The year. Gestation is typically six months long, after which a single calf is born. The lifespan is typically 10 to 15 years. The antelope is native to and occurs mainly in India, while it is locally extinct in Pakistan and Bangladesh . Formerly widespread, small and scattered herds are largely confined to protected areas today. During the 20th century, blackbuck numbers declined sharply due to excessive hunting , deforestation , and habitat destruction . The blackbuck has been introduced in Argentina , Australia and
15196-544: The zoo inside the Jardin des Plantes in Paris was founded by Jacques-Henri Bernardin , with animals from the royal menagerie at Versailles, primarily for scientific research and education. The planning about a space for the conservation and observation of animals was expressed in connection with the political construction of republican citizenship. The Kazan Zoo , the first zoo in Russia
15327-521: The zoo was a live birth of the rare Sumatran rhinoceros in 1889. The next pregnancy in captivity occurred at the Cincinnati Zoo in 1997, but ended with a miscarriage. Cincinnati Zoo finally recorded a live birth in 2001. Alipore Zoo was a pioneer among zoos in the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century under Sanyal, who published the first handbook on captive animal keeping. The zoo had an unusually high scientific standard for its time, and
15458-432: The zoos they can live out the rest of their lives healthy and happy (McGaffin). In recent years, some zoos have chosen to move out some larger animals because they do not have the space available to provide an adequate enclosure for them (Lemonic, McDowell, and Bjerklie 50). An issue with animal welfare in zoos is that best animal husbandry practices are often not completely known, especially for species that are only kept in
15589-489: Was also introduced into Argentina, numbering about 8,600 individuals as of the early 2000s. In the early 1900s, blackbuck were introduced to Western Australia . In either the late 1980s or the early 1990s, they were also introduced to Cape York in Far North Queensland , although the population was subsequently eradicated. In 2013, an antelope that appeared to be a blackbuck was sighted at Kakadu National Park in
15720-463: Was among the first zoos in the world to breed white tigers and the common reticulated giraffe . While it has successfully bred some megafauna, its rate of breeding rare species had not been very successful, often due to lack of initiative and funding. One notable exception is the breeding programme of the Manipur brow-antlered deer , or thamin which has been brought back from the brink of extinction by
15851-560: Was and still is somewhat species-specific. When animals are transferred between zoos, they usually spend time in quarantine, and are given time to acclimatize to their new enclosures which are often designed to mimic their natural environment. For example, some species of penguins may require refrigerated enclosures. Guidelines on necessary care for such animals is published in the International Zoo Yearbook . Animal exchanges between facilities are usually made voluntarily, based on
15982-424: Was attributed to a history of rapid evolution of an autapomorphic phenotype of Antilope . This might have been aided by a particularly strong selection of a few dominant males due to their lekking behaviour. The blackbuck has white fur on the chin and around the eyes, which is in sharp contrast with the black stripes on the face. The coats of males show two-tone colouration; while the upper parts and outsides of
16113-525: Was founded in 1806 by the Professor of Kazan State University Karl Fuchs . Until the early 19th century, the function of the zoo was often to symbolize royal power, like King Louis XIV 's menagerie at Versailles . Major cities in Europe set up zoos in the 19th century, usually using London and Paris as models. The transition was made from princely menageries designed to entertain high society with strange novelties into public zoological gardens. The new goal
16244-639: Was lent by an article in the now-defunct Calcutta Journal of Natural History 's July 1841 issue. In 1873, the Lieutenant-Governor Sir Richard Temple formally proposed the formation of a zoo in Kolkata, and the Government finally allotted land for the zoo based on to the joint petition of the Asiatic Society and Agri-Horticultural Society . The zoo was formally opened in Alipore -
16375-654: Was opened at the London Zoo in 1853. This was followed by the opening of public aquaria in continental Europe (e.g. Paris in 1859, Hamburg in 1864, Berlin in 1869, and Brighton in 1872) and the United States (e.g. Boston in 1859, Washington in 1873, San Francisco Woodward's Garden in 1873, and the New York Aquarium at Battery Park in 1896). Roadside zoos are found throughout North America , particularly in remote locations. They are often small, for-profit zoos, often intended to attract visitors to some other facility, such as
16506-577: Was opened in 1831 by members of the medical profession interested in studying animals while they were alive and more particularly getting hold of them when they were dead. Downs' Zoological Gardens created by Andrew Downs and opened to the Nova Scotia public in 1847. It was originally intended to be used as a collection for scientific study. By the early 1860s, the zoo grounds covered 40 hectares with many fine flowers and ornamental trees, picnic areas, statues, walking paths, The Glass House (which contained
16637-439: Was ranked among the ten worst zoos in the United States. Systematic reform by 2000 put it on the list of the ten best. By 2020, the United States featured 230 accredited zoos and aquariums across 45 states, accommodating 800,000 animals, and 6,000 species out of which about 1,000 are endangered. The zoos provide 208,000 jobs, and with an annual budget of $ 230 million for wildlife conservation . They attract over 200 million visits
16768-423: Was reputed to have been over 250 years old when he died in 2006. It is also home to one of the few captive breeding projects involving the Manipur brow-antlered deer . One of the most popular tourist attractions in Kolkata, it draws huge crowds during the winter season, especially during December and January. The highest attendance till date was on January 1, 2018 with 110,000 visitors. To those who can remember
16899-543: Was the Tierpark Hagenbeck by Carl Hagenbeck in Germany . In the United States alone, zoos are visited by over 181 million people annually. The London Zoo , which was opened in 1828, was initially known as the "Gardens and Menagerie of the Zoological Society of London", and it described itself as a menagerie or "zoological forest". The abbreviation "zoo" first appeared in print in the United Kingdom around 1847, when it
17030-478: Was to educate the entire population with information along modern scientific lines. Zoos were supported by local commercial or scientific societies. The modern zoo that emerged in the 19th century in the United Kingdom , was focused on providing scientific study and later educational exhibits to the public for entertainment and inspiration. A growing fascination for natural history and zoology , coupled with
17161-569: Was used for the Clifton Zoo , but it was not until some 20 years later that the shortened form became popular in the rhyming song " Walking in the Zoo " by music-hall artist Alfred Vance . The term "zoological park" was used for more expansive facilities in Halifax, Nova Scotia , Washington, D.C. , and the Bronx in New York, which opened in 1846, 1891 and 1899 respectively. Relatively new terms for zoos in
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