LSP Environmental Studies Community Event Reports

Dan Bravato
Environmental Studies

A Trip To The Zoo

I attended the Bronx Zoo about four weeks ago, on October 15, on a Donation Wednesday in which there is no cost of admission, only a suggested donation which goes to enhancing the zoo and to endangered species. The Bronx Zoo puts a great deal of emphasis on endangered species and how humans are not helping their cause but how we potentially can. In front of every animal exhibit is a small sign that gives information on each animal but also goes into detail with the problems they are having in the wild. Therefore, this event was mostly nature appreciation and based on educating the public on how they can help endangered species.
Our tour, given by ourselves with our handy zoo map, began by looking at gazelles and lions. The exhibit had one of the stands in front of it which gives you insight into the respective animal. The sign tells you what each animal’s typical diet is, what their habit is, and what their niche is. At the end of each chart it shows why each animal is struggling to survive in the wild, if they are. Each animal did not happen to be endangered but it still gave information on how humans are altering their lives. After touring the zoo for some time we moved on to the special Congo exhibit. The Bronx Zoo Congo Gorilla Forest is a special exhibit, separate from zoo admission, in which all profits go to save gorillas in the Congo. The exhibit is devoted to the Congo and to the wildlife that exists there. You enter the special exhibit and see a very humid, almost rain forest type area with special birds and small monkeys. Once you climb through a small rock tunnel, you move into the main event. You are in a class tunnel with gorilla habitats on both sides. The gorillas come up to the glass and entertain the guests. After the most exciting and crowd pleasing part of the exhibit, the groups are brought into a room where it is explained via images and informational videos as to why Gorillas are an endangered species. After seeing the happy and playful animals all of the guests are extremely saddened by the information on their demise. This prompts people to donate more money and potentially purchase gifts with some of the profits going to the Congo and their gorillas. After this exhibit we decided to leave the zoo after learning a great deal about the devastation of the gorillas in the Congo.
Clearly going to the zoo was not a new event for me because I grew up going to the Bronx and Philadelphia zoos. However, after being in this class I have a new appreciation for the environment and those that are a part of it. I had always interpreted the zoo as a fun place to see odd animals, however it is much more. Zoos help to raise awareness on endangered species and how humans directly affect the lives of these creatures. At almost every exhibit at the zoo, there was one of those signs that gives information on why the animal is endangered and how. This gives people knowledge that they would not have had prior to going to the zoo; it also gives you the information while you are directly looking at the cute and fury friends. This causes a direct effect to the viewer and allows them to make a connection between the animal and its troubles. Therefore, I was able to learn a great deal from the zoo and it made me less ignorant towards the woes that different animals face everyday in their previously human-less habitats. With this new knowledge I can apply it to my interest in animals, but more specifically gorillas. I have always had an interest in gorillas and monkeys and now I am even more knowledgeable in that field. Also, I feel as if I have contributed to their cause by paying extra money to see the Bronx Zoo Congo Gorilla Forest. If I was able to learn so much from this event, I think tons of people can learn from it too. Anyone whose able to attend the Bronx Zoo, which is anyone because it is free at least one day a week, will be able to see the troubles that different species face and how humans are affecting their lives. Zoos are attended extremely often and do not have to be just for entertainment, they can help to fight ignorance within the average human. People need to understand how the human race is affecting these animals and what we can do to fix it. I think the event can be approved by having these special exhibits, like the Congo Gorilla Forest, at every zoo across the globe. Zoos are attended by families, adults, teenagers, and students daily. Why not act on all of this exposure and educate the general public? Everyone goes to a zoo at least once with their respective school so why not take this time to educate the future generations of the world. Zoos could raise awareness while raising money to help these endangered species. These animals are in danger mostly because of negative human interaction, so why shouldn’t we work as a race to redeem ourselves and save these animals?
I loved this overall experience and I look forward to going to more zoos and more exhibits on endangered species. Zoos are an excellent way to show the public why kind of unique animals exist in other parts of the world. So let’s take this idea and run with it, let’s use more zoos to educate more and more people. I found this event extremely worthwhile and I learned a ton from the zoo and the Congo Gorilla exhibit I attended. I think everyone should check out this exhibit and take the time to read the signs in front of each exhibit to educate themselves on why each species struggles to survive.