For most people, childhood memories include a visit or two to the local zoo. And for many, it is their first introduction to animals besides house pets, especially wild animals such as lions, tigers, zebras, hippopotamuses and many more.

As you all know, a zoo — short for the zoological park — is a place where a wide variety of animals that are native to all parts of the world, are kept within enclosures for public exhibition and often bred for conservation purposes.

Though it is not possible to say exactly when the first zoo was created, the oldest known zoological collection was revealed during excavations at Hierakonpolis, Egypt, in 2009, dating 3500 BCE. The exotic animals kept there included hippopotami, hartebeest, elephants, baboons and wildcats. Wall carving in Egypt and Mesopotamia show that rulers and aristocrats maintained menageries (private animal collections by the wealthy to show their power, an old form of zoo) as early as 2500BCE.

It is believed that expeditions to distant places were made to bring back exotic animals such as giraffes, elephants, bears, dolphins and birds, and animal handlers were hired to make sure that these animals thrived and reproduced.

During the eighteenth century, or the Age of Enlightenment (a period in European history when science, reason and logic were promoted), scientists began to research animal behaviour and anatomy. For this purpose, animals had to be kept in places that were close to or resembled their natural habitats, and modern zoos became popular.

The first modern zoo was built in 1793, inside the Jardin des Paris in Paris, France, with animals from the royal menagerie primarily for scientific research and education. The facility is still a busy and popular zoo in downtown Paris.

Today, while zoos are meant to entertain and educate the public, great emphasis is also laid on scientific research and species conservation. Most zoos have specialised enclosures that are close to the natural habitat of specific animals. For instance, nocturnal animals are kept in buildings where the light-dark cycle is reversed through the use of dim white or red lights during the day to create the effect of night, so the animals are active during visitor hours, and brighter lights at night to create the effect of day when the animals sleep. Zoos in cold climates recreate warm ecosystems for animals from warm climates, while special climatic conditions are needed in warmer regions for animals living in extreme environments, such as penguins.

Published in Dawn, Young World, February 18th, 2023