“Animals in zoos are confined in unnatural conditions. A cheetah, the fastest land animal, cannot reach her top speed of 60 mph when confined in a cage. An elephant, which may walk 17 miles a day in the wild, cannot do so in her tiny barren enclosure,” writes a spokesperson for the Captive Animals’ Protection Society. “The zoo industry may argue that such animals do not need to hunt or forage for food, or migrate with the seasons, but this simply reveals how unnatural a captive life is for wild animals. These animals are designed for a life in the wild, not for a life in a zoo for the amusement of humans. It is now down to the public to express their concern by avoiding zoos.” They are not alone in their opinion, either. Many animal rights activists also protest against holding animals in captivity.

Organizations like Animal Liberation Victoria rigorously debate zoos as positive forces of change. They argue that only 120 out of 5,926 endangered species are in breeding programs in zoos, not to mention animals like elephants and pandas are difficult to breed in captivity. Small populations may resort to inbreeding, which produces weaker offspring. The lack of survival instincts, poaching and habitat destruction threatens the survival of re-introduced wild animals anyway. Therefore, the argument that these animal exhibits promote conservation of exotic animals is a myth, ALV of Australia argues.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), is another wild animals protection organization opposed to zoological facilities, enclosed pens and wildlife spectacles. “Animals are often prevented from doing most of the things that are natural and important to them, like running, roaming, flying, climbing, foraging, choosing a partner, and being with others of their own kind,” their website says. “Zoos teach people that it is acceptable to interfere with animals and keep them locked up in captivity, where they are bored, cramped, lonely, deprived of all control over their lives, and far from their natural homes.”

“Freedom is the last, best hope of the Earth,” said Abraham Lincoln. The concept of freedom is a universal and enduring one. The idea that this freedom shouldn’t apply to wild animals because they are “subservient” to man is wrong. This devaluing of exotic animals’ lives has undeniably contributed to countless animal deaths and habitat destruction. Each year, so much public money is poured into zoos, many of which can’t possibly sustain themselves, given rising costs and debts. Organizations like ALV and PETA argue that this money is much better spent on preserves, anti-poaching efforts, habitat conservation and lobbying efforts.

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The Association of Zoos and Aquariums is credited with “building North America’s largest wildlife conservation movement.” This nonprofit organization started in 1924 to accredit exemplary zoos and aquariums that go over and beyond in their standards for animal care, education and wildlife conservation. They work toward educating the public, soliciting donations, rewarding outstanding team players and preserving exotic animals that would otherwise be pushed to the brink of extinction and beyond. Zoo conservation is an important movement to protect the earth’s biodiversity for our children to see.

In 2007, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums released an article discussing zoo conservation success stories that happened that year alone. More than 6,000 Wyoming toad tadpoles were released into the wild, bringing these neat-patterned amphibians back from the brink of extinction. Fifty-two Perdido beach mice were housed in a Florida breeding facility to protect their species following a devastating hurricane. With just 400 North Atlantic right whales left, there are now 3,693 conservation projects underway to improve their situation. The 215 black-and-white ruffed lemurs held in captivity are now being reintroduced to the wild in Madagascar.

Anne Warner, zoo conservation manager at the Oregon Zoo, said their .8 million “Predators of the Serengeti animal exhibit hopes to draw more attention to the plight of the cheetah, African lion and painted dog. She explains, “Visitors have to understand why it’s important to help — why support conservation?” At the artistic, innovative exhibit, guests will come nose-to-nose with lions, a caracal, African wild dogs and rock pythons that appear as though they’re lounging at a wildlife sanctuary, rather than a zoo. Careful landscaping, heated dens and waterfalls all make the animals’ realm more comfortable, as visitors are invited to imagine a world without these magnificent animals.

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Just about every local zoo offers some sort of zoo education program for students, parents, teachers and individuals who are interested in animals, conservation efforts or the zoo keeper’s daily tasks. Sometimes you can get a glimpse of animals moving about at night, while other times you can try your hand at creating your own zoo animal exhibit. There are activities, tours and special lectures for visitors of all ages. Read on about some of the best animal education programs.

A London Zoo has recently received two awards for its zoo education programs. In 2004, the United Kingdom’s Chester Zoo won the Sandford Award (run by The Council for Environmental Education). Judges called the Chester zoological park “an excellent resource” and said that “nothing could compare to seeing live, wild animals at close quarters.” In 2009, the zoo won this same award again. Zoo head of Discovery and Learning, Stephen McKeown, explained: “The awards take into account our whole approach to conservation education, including taught educational discovery programs for schools, interactive materials, award-winning signage at animal enclosures around the zoo and extensive library facilities. What makes us different from a normal classroom is the environment we occupy and the 7,000 animals within it. Seeing and handling things from live snakes to snake skins and exploring the x-rays of animals opens up a whole new world that more and more students are now taking advantage of.” The Chester Zoo is just one of many parks offering unprecedented access to exotic animals.

Many opportunities are available for zoo education at the Houston Zoo. As their mission statement plainly says: “By promoting connections with the natural world through diverse learning experiences, we strive to empower others to inquire, act and conserve.” Teachers and students can visit the zoo for free and enjoy a number of special activities, including an Adventure Class (where students touch animals and artifacts in a hands-on lab simulation), Eco-Tracks (where students watch a 30-minute video and take a self-guided tour) or Critter Encounters (where students watch a factual 20-minute presentation). There are also overnight adventures, which include dinner, continental breakfast, interactive activities, petting zoos, guided walks and two park admissions for . Kids ages 10-12 can attend Zoo Keeper Camp to learn about the day-to-day activities of animal caregivers for 5. Other “Zoofari” camp events allow children to build their own large-scale animal zoo, learn how species adapt to new environments and partner up with conservationists.

Zoo education programs are ideal for regular visitors who are looking for a special tour or activity that goes over-and-beyond the typical tour. Whether it’s dining at the zoo or staying the night, these programs are designed to captivate anyone’s attention, no matter if you’re 30 or 3. More often than not, you can register for these special zoo activities online at the zoo’s website, which is a convenient way to secure your position and avoid disappointment. Special discounts are available for zoo members.

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A zoo keeper spends much of his or her life dedicated to caring for rare and endangered species that may otherwise die off in the wild. It can be heart-wrenching for these animal lovers to witness the death of an old or sick friend. Sometimes these animals die as part of their natural life cycle, through no fault of the zoo — and often these animals lived much longer in captivity than they would have in the wild. They never had to run for their lives, compete for food or trek thousands of miles in search of water. You could say they “lived the good life.” However, in some areas, lack of funding, mismanagement or negligence led to the deaths of many animals at zoo parks, thus hurting the reputation of the whole lot.

Zoo parks sometimes fail due to mismanagement, as was the case with the National Zoo in Washington DC. Under zoo director Lucy Spelman’s care, two red pandas died after ingesting aluminum phosphide pellets that were intended to kill rats. An African lion died after being left alone all night following surgery. A bobcat was put down for an ingrown claw and a pack of zebras starved to death from hypothermia and starvation. Animal rights advocates were also clamoring to know what killed 23 other animals during a short time span, including a young pygmy hippo, a bear, two giraffes, a seal, an orangutan, a panda, a lion and a bobcat. No paperwork was filed for the euthanized black-footed ferrets, tree kangaroo or bobcat, nor was an official record filled out for the giraffe that died under anesthesia. “Because of incompetence in management and veterinary medicine, the operations at the National Zoo have been in such a state of disarray that it has led to poor animal care, animal suffering and even animal deaths,” wrote Donald K. Nichols, a senior zoo pathologist.

One of the zoo parks under fire this year is the Goiania Zoo in Brazil, where 69 animals have died of mysterious causes. The deceased animals include giraffes, hippos, jaguars, anteaters, European bison, turtles and caimans, officials say. They fear there may be an animal poisoner on the loose but they are still running toxicology reports and running through all the paperwork. Others argue that cramped enclosures and poor conditions may be a cause for death. One of the dead caimans was found with a fishing hook lodged in his stomach, which may point to recklessness. One Brazilian news site called the zoo “a torture show open to the public.” Zoo director Raphael Cupertino says, “We have seen a sequence of large animals die and we will take all the necessary steps to resolve the situation.”

The safety of zoo parks has also been called into question at times. While far more people leave zoos unscathed, there are still a number of zoo incidents that leave Americans wondering whether we should be so close to wild animals at all. For instance, a zoo keeper had his finger bitten off by an enraged chimp in 2009. A man was ravaged by a 300-pound Siberian tiger who escaped from his cage in 2007. A zoo official at Belgium’s Olmense Zoo was mauled to death by a cheetah in 2007. That same year, a six-year-old girl was killed by a performing tiger at the Kunming Zoo after a camera flash disturbed him. A pregnant zoo keeper was fatally mauled by a 180-pound leopard at the John Ball Zoo in Michigan. These incidents and more warn us that wild animals will always be dangerous; it is indeed nature over nurture.

As a leading expert in the field of anxiety or panic attacks, Beth Kaminski is always on the lookout for ways to treat panic attacks. Visit her site for more information on treating panic disorder and much more.