The role of zoos in
the 21st century and Melbourne Zoo in particular
Melbourne Zoo may be one of
the world's oldest and most progressive zoos. However, a limited amount of literature has
dealt directly with its roles within society today in comparison to its original purpose.
With the advent of the environmental movements of the 1960s and 70s, and subsequent
changes in attitudes to nature from people in western societies, many institutions such as
zoos are battling to integrate these new values into zoo management practices. It may well
be that the deeply felt tradition of the zoo as a place to experience animals one would
not encounter in everyday life, combined with the image of noble endeavour that the zoo
itself creates, contributes to a reluctance to view the Melbourne Zoo with a more critical
eye. What follows is a review of the most relevant literature regarding the history and
evaluation of the role of zoos generally, and Melbourne Zoo specifically.
Gerald Durrell (1976),
founder of the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust, discusses in his book The Stationary
Ark, what the role of zoos should be and was the first to re-define the role and value of
zoos in the latter part of the 20th century. Durrell contended that conservation efforts
of zoos bore about as much resemblance to intelligent conservation work as a pot plant
does to a re-afforestation program. Although this publication has been around since 1976,
many of Durrell's radical ideas concerning the value of zoos amidst growing concerns over
conservation and animal rights continue to filter through to progressive zoos globally.
Durrell was unique in that
he put into practice his idea that a zoo is only valid when it contributes to the
preservation of our remaining natural environment from man's destruction and continually
builds on the knowledge and understanding already attained. The Stationary Ark examines
the practical problems regarding funding and bureaucracy in a zoo where the primary
concerns are conservation, research and education, instead of entertainment. Durrell
proposes solutions by example, relating stories of the successful practices at the Jersey
Zoo. This book provides clear criteria for one to assess the role a zoo is fulfilling, by
looking at the type of animals, how they are displayed and housed, and what kind of
information visitors are taking away with them.
Nicole Mazur in her
recently published book After the Ark (2000) examines the evolution of zoos from private
menageries to corporatised, bureaucratic organizations. Mazur explores a range of issues
for modern day zoos, from conservation to recreation and corporate sponsorship. Although
the author extrapolates this study to zoos in general, data was collected from zoos across
Australia, including Melbourne Zoo. Mazur draws an analogy with the Noah's Ark mission as
modern day zoos legitimize their existence through involvement and alignment with
conservation efforts internationally. An analysis of the challenges with this new approach
to zoo management is undertaken, that is, the balance between legitimate scientific
research and the bureaucratic reality. After the Ark is considered a groundbreaking study
of modern zoos for the social and environmental sciences.
The historical development
of zoos, and Melbourne Zoo specifically, is examined by Catherine de Courcy (1995) in her
book The Zoo Story. De Courcy analyses the ethics of holding live animals in captivity for
people's entertainment at the end of the 20th century, and looks at why the zoo still
remains a popular venue for a day out. This book describes how the zoo has reconciled
today's emphasis on conservation and education with the public's interest in 'exotic'
animals. The study also places the Melbourne Zoo into a broader international context that
examines the structural elements of all zoos. The Zoo Story is an in-depth look at the
sociology of the zoo; however, it must be considered in context of the original research
which was commissioned by the Melbourne Zoo Board in honor of their revolutionary zoo
director, Dr Alfred Dunbavin, upon his retirement.
A number of other important
publications on the topic of zoos make reference to Durrell's Jersey Zoo as the ideal,
confirming the importance and relevance of Gerald Durrell's work well into the future. The
article by Johnson (1998) Learning Jersey Zoo Style refers to the Jersey model as the only
alternative for modern day zoos if they are to survive in the 21st century. Johnson
describes Australian zoo policies on new breeding programs and continuing investigation of
the most beneficial enclosures for the gathering of accurate species information to share
with the rest of the zoo community and other relevant bodies, just as Durrell suggested.
Ripper's (1997) article in
the bi-annual journal Thylacinus describes the transition of Melbourne Zoo from a place of
entertainment to an important factor in the preservation of bio-diversity globally. The
article cites Melbourne's achievements in breeding programs (such as the gorillas) and its
continued commitment to zoos' newly defined scientific role in modern Australian society.
This publication is more about positive zoo promotion, in an attempt to find a secure,
relevant place in a first world western nation with an increasing ecological awareness.
There is no mention or little examination of the problems encountered on the road to this
noble ideal, even though it is reasonable to assume they do exist when one considers the
achievements in this very area by the Jersey Zoo.
In conclusion, more than 20
years ago, Durrell established progressive principles for zoos. The above studies, while
tracing their development, do not address the question of why it has taken zoos like
Melbourne so long to arrive at where they are today.
References
De Courcy, C. (1995) The
Zoo Story, Ringwood, Vic., Penguin.
Durrell, G. (1976) The
Stationary Ark London, Collins.
Johnson, S. (1998) Learning
Jersey Zoo Style Zoo News 18 (2).
Mazur, N. (2000) After the
Ark Melbourne, Melbourne University Press.
Ripper, P. (1997) Old to
New - Melbourne Zoo Thylacinus 21(4).
