The Four Objectives of
the Japanese Association of
Zoos and Aquariums
Four objective
1.Preservation of species
In zoos and aquariums, you can see rare creatures. But their rarity also means that the number of animals is decreasing.
Creatures do not belong to individual zoos and aquariums, but to all of us.
I believe that zoos and aquariums have a responsibility to conserve the wildlife on our planet and pass them on to the next generation (rare animal conservation).
Zoos and aquariums also play the role of a modern-day ark, providing a place for creatures that are dwindling in numbers and on the verge of extinction to live outside their habitats.
2.Conservatuin education and environmental education
One of the features of zoos is that you can actually experience the smells and sounds of living creatures, which you cannot get from books or videos. Also, as you look at the creatures, you may wonder what kind of place they live in, or what they eat. Zoos and aquariums are the best places to answer these questions. When you visit a zoo or aquarium, you will find guides explaining about the creatures and holding animal classes. Some zoos and aquariums also hold field trips to study the actual habitats and ecology of the creatures. This is because we want people to understand the ecology of animals, and we also want to link this to environmental education. I also hope that learning about the dwindling number of places where wild animals can live will help people think about what they can do to help.
3.Surveys and research
As humans gradually expand their habitats and wage wars, the places where wild creatures can live are becoming fewer and fewer. Therefore, we have to try to avoid catching wild creatures as much as possible. Zoos and aquariums are no exception. Nowadays, most zoos and aquariums are trying to increase the number of creatures they have in captivity, rather than bringing in new ones. In order to do so, we need to know the ecology of these creatures well so that they can live comfortably in zoos and aquariums. We are also conducting research on such creatures. As a result, many of the creatures in captivity live longer than those in the wild and have more offspring.
4.Recreation
On a sunny day, it is fun to go out with family and friends to see the creatures. Zoos and aquariums provide a fun time for everyone. There is no better place for recreation than zoos and aquariums, where you can have fun while learning about the importance of life and the beauty of living. However, the creatures also get nervous and tired from being watched, so we take care to make their lives comfortable.
