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When I was a little girl, I remember going to the zoo with my
family. I held onto my father's hand as we walked by all the exhibits.
I remember looking at all the beautiful animals and admiring them, but
I did not know a lot about them. Some of them were scary, and I would
not go near their cages. Others were adorable, and I would press my
face against the glass to get a better look. Even though my family and
I were at the zoo the entire day, I do not remember learning a lot
about the animals. As a little girl, the zoo was not a very educational
trip for me. On the other hand, my trip to the zoo with New Century
College was very educational. I learned a lot about the species and
their habitats. I gained a greater appreciation for zoos and animals.
During my trip to the National Zoo, I learned the value of zoos, and I
was able to build on my communication and critical thinking skills. First of all, I learned the value of keeping animals in captivity. Zoos are created to keep animals from becoming extinct. They capture endangered, wild animals and breed them. They make sure that they do not lose many genes so that the process of evolution will not occur during the animal's captivity. Once a certain number of that species has been produced, the zoo will reintroduce the animals into the wild, and natural selection will continue its course. Zoos are also created for educational purposes. They want to educate the people that enter the zoo about each species including their natural environment, eating habits, and other interesting fact about the species. Finally, zoos are created for research. Many scientists work at the zoo and study the species. They record information about the species such as its genetic history and try to develop new techniques that will help the species survive on their own. Zoos are very important in the preservation of species. |
I also developed my communication skills. For example, Dr. Ballou
had mentioned that one of the scientists at the National Zoo has been
very successful in mating Kori Bustards. I was not sure if the zoo
carried Kori Bustards so I decided to ask my tour guide in the Bird
House. I listened as he explained some of the problems the Kori Bustard
was having in the wild, and he was able to show me where the Kori
Bustard was in the zoo. I learned a lot not only from the tour guide
but also from the signs in front of the Kori Bustard exhibit. I was
able to take what I had learned and communicate it with my tour guide. I also developed my critical thinking skills. For example, one of our assignments throughout the day was to find a symbiotic relationship in the Amazonia section of the zoo. I had to look at each exhibit and read the plaques beside each one. From that information, I had to decipher were relationships were symbiotic and which ones were not. At first, I struggled to find that kind of relationship. Then, I read a plaque that descibed how some fish live off of the fruits that fall or hang from trees. I realized that this was a symbiotic relationship in which both species benefit. The fish gains nutrition while the trees' seeds are dispersed and planted. I was able to look at the facts given to me and conclude from the evidence that the fish and the tree shared a symbiotic relationship. My trip to the zoo allowed me to discover the importance of zoos, and it improved my communication and critical thinking skills. Zoos are important to the preservation of endangered species. There are so many endangered species, and many of them are not being preserved. Many animals have become extinct already. we need to do everything we can to help save these animals. I think it is important to raise awareness of endangered species to let people know what is going on in the world. We need to take care of these species and bring more funding to preservation facilities like the zoo. |
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