Zoo
Zoos are institutions for exhibiting and studying wild animals. Many contemporary zoos have also made environmental education and the conservation of biodiversity part of their mission. "Zoo" is a term derived from the Greek zoion, meaning "living being." As a prefix it indicates the topic of animals, such as in zoology (knowledge of animals) or zoogeography (the distribution and evolutionary ecology of animals). As a noun it is a popular shorthand for all zoological gardens and parks.
Design and Operation
Zoological gardens and parks are complex institutions involving important factors of design, staffing, economics, and politics. Design of a zoo is a compromise between the needs of the animals (e.g., light, temperature, humidity, cover, feeding areas, opportunities for natural behavior), the requirements of the staff (e.g., offices, libraries, research and veterinary laboratories, garages, storage sheds), and amenities for visitors (e.g., information, exhibitions, restaurants, rest areas, theaters, transportation).
Zoos range in size from as little as 2 acres (0.8 ha) to as much as 3,000 acres (1,231 ha), and animal enclosures may range from small cages to fenced-in fields. The proper size for each enclosure is determined by many factors, including the kind and number of species being exhibited and the extent of the enclosure's natural or naturalistic landscaping.
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