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A Brief History of the Zoo, a Decidedly Weird Institution
Why are there rhinos in the Bronx?
OK, so hear me out. Let’s travel the world and capture lots of wild animals — lions, tigers, elephants, penguins, manatees, whatever. We’ll transport them thousands of miles from their homes. We’ll deposit them in cages, or maybe “habitats” that are far smaller than anything they might naturally live in, and the animals will often have to deal with environmental conditions very different from their native lands. These habitats will generally be placed smack in the middle of major urban areas. Oh, and we’ll charge admission; like, $20? I anticipate that most of our customers will be parents with cranky toddlers who need to get out of the house.
If you think about it, zoos are very strange institutions. They’re part amusement park — replete with tiny trains, $5 soft pretzels, and gift shops — but many zoos also present themselves as being dedicated to very serious causes like scientific research and species preservation. Where did this strange hybrid come from, and what purpose do zoos serve now?
It seems humans have been collecting animals for a long time. The earliest “zoos” were menageries of exotic animals kept by wealthy people. The oldest evidence of zoos comes from Hieraconopolis, Egypt, where wealthy people had baboons, antelopes…
