"Zoos Save the World"
The beginning
The history of zoos counts more than one thousand years. The first zoos appeared in Ancient Rome, where a lot of elephants, rhinoceros, lions and many other animals were killed in gladiatorial fights. Many “lords of the world” had zoo collections, mostly for fun. And they exhausted nature as well as devastating hunting. With the passing of the years the situation began to change. And now, zoos, which mostly play the entertaining role, more and more often undertake scientific researches and environment-oriented tasks, becoming the centers of preservation of rare and endangered animals.Zoos and Environment Conservation
«One of the main tasks of all the zoos of the world must be the creation of nursery areas for rare and endangered species. Then, if a wild animal is in danger of extirpation we will be able to preserve them in bonds». G. Darrell.
The population of our planet continuously grows, and people digest new territories all the time, and the number of savage areas is constantly decreasing. Animals suffer from it most of all as their natural habitat is being destroyed, and zoos become their last haven. In special laboratories of the zoos they create the groups for the breeding of rare and endangered species of animals for returning them into their natural habitats.
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| In Tula exotarium we set up the largest laboratory for the breeding of green pythons, which are protected as an endangered species. | |
The Educational Role of the Zoo
The international open contest of children graphic creativity devoted to the action “Zoos Save the World”.
Besides the studying and protection of rare animals, as well as the organization of leisure time activities for the visitors, zoos have to teach people to love nature. Moreover, recently the problem of ecological education has become an indispensable part of their existence. Many of visitors of any zoo are children and their parents, school students and teachers, university students, and, first of all, for them on the basis of zoos different clubs of nature lovers are organized, conferences for children, nature conservation contests and field trips for students of the natural science faculty are held.
The international open contest of children graphic creativity devoted to the action “Zoos Save the World”.
In January 2006 in our city the international contest of children drawings “Zoos Save the World”, devoted to the environment conservation, started. The students of 21 schools of Tula and one fine arts studio took part in the contest. 20 best woks were chosen out of more than 200 pictures and they were sent to the USA and Finland.
Detroit Zoo
It was set up in 1930 as a zoo for children. Now 47 expositions are located at 51 hectares. In Detroit zoo they gathered more than 260 species of animals, among them there are rare and endangered species: Indian elephant, Amur tiger, beaded lizard heloderma horridum, white hand gibbon, red panda. The number of members of Detroit Zoological Society exceeds 50000 people.The drawings were displayed in Detroit zoo in the building with reptiles from June until September 2006. The coordinator of the contest was the head of the reptiles department Andy Schnider.
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Helsinki Zoo
It was set up in 1889 at Corkesaari island. At present about 160 species of animals from arctic and mountainous regions live in its territory. They gathered there rare and endangered species: snow leopard, Amur tiger, Asian lion, Przevalsky's horse. Annually this zoo is visited by about half a million visitors.In Helsinki zoo the drawings were displayed from September until December in the building with bears where the majority of visitors could see them. The coordinator of the contest was the head of the department of reptiles and amphibia Timo Paasikunas.
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Tula Exotarium
It was set up in 1987. Although our zoo is rather young and occupies a small territory, we collected more than 500 species of animals (mostly reptiles). Exotarium specializes in the animals of south-eastern Asia. The unique collection of the zoo has no equals in the world and numbers more than 4500 of exhibits of rare creepers. About 70000 people visit us annually.
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"Dear contestants, teachers and visitors of Tula!Today our exotarium opens the exhibition of children drawings, which sums up the results of the international contest of children creative work named “Zoos Save the World”, which is held together with the zoos of the USA and Finland. Our exhibition is presented by 20 best pictures of Russian children and 5 pictures of American children. And today we award the winners with the certificates and gifts."
Makarova I.L.
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