Trip to the National Zoo/National Zoo Assignment
2/3/2009
Competencies: Critical Thinking, Valuing, and Global Understanding
<Link to National Zoo Website>
The trip to the zoo was one of the
most intriguing experiences because there were so many perspectives to
view
when looking at the different animals. One concept that I learned about
at the
zoo was wildlife conservation, and how the scientists and zoologists
take it
very seriously there. The main reason why the animals are in captivity
is
because they are endangered or they were rescued. At the zoo, some of
the
animals that appealed most to me were the elephants, gorillas, bald
eagle,
zebras, orangutans, and the poison dart frog. These animals all had
some aspect
of their behavior that stood out. During my tour, I asked if the
elephants ever
get bored in captivity, but there caged area has many toys for them to
play
with. Many people wonder why certain animals are still kept in
captivity. The
main reason is because the animals have disrupted habitats or their
existence
is what another species is depending on. I learned about evolutionary
concepts
at the zoo such as natural selection, inbreeding, genetic drift, and
reproduction. Some of the scientists taught us about how because of the
low
populations on certain species, the scientists are having no choice but
to
inbreed the animals. Around the world, certain species might not be as
important to our society, but for other cultures, some of these animals
are
vital towards their way of life. Elephants can be used for
transportation and
the toxin of poison dart frogs are sometimes used for hunting. Overall,
the zoo gave me a greater understanding of how any animal has some
importance in our lives, even if it is indirectly.
<Back to Evolutionary Timeline>