animal facts

captivity

• The leech has 32 brains - 31 more than a human.

• Elephants are the only mammals that can't jump.

• For every person there are rougly 200 million insects.

• The cells that make up the antlers of a moose are the fastest growing animal cells in nature.

• Dophins sleep with one half of the brain at a time, and one eye closed.

• A cat sees about six times better than a human at night because of the tapetum lucidum , a layer of extra reflecting cells which absorb light.

• More than 20,000,000 seahorses are harvested each year for folk medicinal purposes. The world seahorse population has dropped 70% in the past 10 years

• The Galpagos Tortoise has a potential life span of 200 years.

Why Zoo's?

Zoos are acting as an emergency response compelled by an international crisis- the rampant extinction of species. Some scientists suggest that we may be losing 30,000 plants and animals to extinction every year!

Skeptical? The "hard" data is just as foreboding. The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species suggests a total of 15,589 species face extinction. These are only those that we have studied. Millions more have yet to be discovered.

This serious loss of biodiversity, caused by human activities, is the source of our own wellbeing, supplying us with our food, water, shelter and environment to live.

Zoos are not a solution to this problem, just one of many tools in the effort to save our planet. Aside from their conservation and research efforts, Zoos allow us the opportunity to develop an understanding and relationship with the other life forms we share this planet with. It's an experience that is hoped will inspire concern and environmentally responsible behaviour.

For more details, read THE NEW ZOO