They also serve as protection. Cruzanne and Lisa, Lincoln Park Zoo Zoos have great breeding programs and nearly all animals in zoos today were born and raised in captivity. For example, our three lions, Adleor, Myra and Helene, came to us from a reserve in Africa. Unrelated to any other lions in North America, these three animals, and their offspring, play an integral role in the Lion Species Survial Plan by introducing a vital lineage that will help to ensure a viable, genetically healthy captive African Lion population. We love all animals for various reasons.
Some animals are fun to watch, some are fun to care for and all are beautiful.
Yes there are. A couple examples are the Piping Plover, a small shore bird, and the cougar. Lincoln Park Zoo is home to two cougars and two pairs of the Plovers. In 1995 Zoo staff went with U.S. Fish and Wildlife to collect Piping Plover eggs from the shores of a river that was flooding. We successfully raised these birds and they have now produced offspring of their own.