Hope everyone had a great Labor Day Weekend and got a chance to visit some local museums and historical houses! Today we’re back for another journey in the museum world with toddlers. Today’s theme is all about zoos!
Zoos are awesome. I’ve always loved them. Loads of animals from all over the world in one place. Its great fun to watch the animals walking around, eating, exploring their surroundings and living their lives; it can be a challenge to remember these animals are here for a reason. The tigers that are lounging around in their enclosure? They’re on the endangered list, and more tigers exist in captivity than do in the wild right now. Bats are killed in nets, by planes, and by poisons left out to protect fruit in farms and orchards; yet here they are here, in the zoo, being cared for.
Zoos are a type of museum that preserve living collections for the survival of the species. Endangered species, or in some cases newly discovered species, are bred in captivity in an attempt to keep a species from going extinct due to habitat loss or overhunting. It’s important to remind kids of that when they’re at the zoo and enjoying the animals. Before you go to the zoo, try discussing different animals in your neighborhood (think squirrels, opossums, birds, and mice) and what the neighborhood would be like without them. Now try discussing how the forest would look with no deer, no bears, no birds singing in the trees. Talk about how things you enjoy about animals, for all that they can be a nuisance sometimes (raccoons digging in trash, birds and freshly washed cars). Animals play an important role in the environment and helping to keep the natural world running smoothly. (This isn’t a post saying hunting is bad or that we should all go vegetarian to save the animals; this is about natural conservation and responsible living.)
Talk about your favorite animals together: what do they eat? Where do they live? Are they furry or smooth? Can they fly or do they walk? Point out how some animals look like others (zebras and horses) and talk about how things like that can happen. Create a new level of learning when you’re next at the zoo, and remember that some of these animals are closer to being gone forever than we know.
For more information on zoos and wildlife conservation efforts, please visit http://www.joelsartore.com/ and see what one photographer is trying to do to bring awareness to the state of the natural world around us.
For a fun activity to do together, check out Crafts by Amanda’s idea for a cute paper owl activity using paper plates and paint! Enjoy decorating your owls, and for a change from strictly brown owls, look at different species of owl and have fun learning about the different animals at the zoo together!
fun with museums 
Jess, interestingly enough, this past weekend celebrated the 100th anniversary of the extinction of the passenger pigeon. According to NPR, the passenger pigeon was incredibly abundant in the 1800’s; however reckless hunting drove the bird out of existence. The one positive that came out of this experience was the enactment of laws that would protect wildlife. Thank you for the reminder of how special zoos are and their bigger role in nature conservation.
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