Fun Activities

Summer Activities

School is winding down, the weather is warming up, and kids of all ages are gearing up for summer fun. If you haven't been to the zoo or an aquarium in a while, now's the time to go—the summer is a great time to take young people on a trip to see the monkeys, elephants, and tigers, or the sea lions, turtles, and sharks! You'll get to spend some fun, quality time together and learn about all the recent advances in animal knowledge. An ecological and conservation approach to your field trip will help you and young people to understand the world in new ways! Click here to find a zoo or aquarium near you.

ZOOS

The first modern zoological garden—the Imperial Menagerie—was opened to the public in Vienna, Italy, in 1765. The oldest zoos in the United States are Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo (1868), the Philadelphia Zoo (1874), and the Bronx Zoo (1899). In the 20th century, zoos began replacing the steel bars used to restrain dangerous animals with ditches or moats. The San Diego Zoo opened the first "wire free" lion area in 1922, using moats to keep lions away from visitors and other animals.

Modern zoos offer educational exhibits about the rich diversity of life on Earth and conservation issues. Some zoos, such as the Los Angeles Zoo or the National Zoo in Washington, DC have biological research programs and endangered species breeding and reintroduction programs.

AQUARIUMS

Within the last three decades, aquariums have become presentation marvels, using innovative architecture, lighting, and glass displays to awe visitors with a bounty of colorful and exotic underwater life. The trend began in 1969 with the opening of the New England Aquarium, which featured ramps, bridges, dramatically lit tanks, and large open spaces. Prior to its opening, aquariums consisted mostly of stacked square tanks with ordinary lighting.

In 1981, Baltimore's National Aquarium wowed visitors with its external glass pyramids and internal spiral ramp that descends through a coral reef to a shark tank. The Monterey Bay Aquarium in California recently opened a new wing housing the largest display of open-ocean life in the world and featuring a 1-million gallon tank which is home to barracuda, green sea turtles, schools of tuna, and the mola-mola.

Modern aquariums provide a rare (and safe) opportunity for an up-close look at eels, barracudas, and jellyfish.

Tips for an enjoyable visit

Make sure everyone has had plenty of sleep the night before.
Call ahead to get directions, the hours of operation, and the animal feeding schedule.
Find out if the zoo or aquarium has any special features or programs for children.
Pack snacks.
Drink plenty of water and make sure children do the same to stay hydrated and energetic in the warm weather.
Wear comfortable walking shoes.
Make sure everyone in your group wears sunscreen—don't forget to reapply every few hours. Hats are good too!
Bring wet wipes in a Ziploc bag for quick clean-ups.
Tie a helium balloon to the wrist of a younger child to help prevent him or her from getting lost.
Arrange for everyone in the group to wear the same brightly-colored T-shirt so it becomes easier to spot each other in a crowd.
Read about different animals with a child before your trip to the zoo or aquarium and plan which ones you both want to visit.
Ask young people what they think about conservation efforts today. Listen.
Invite others! The young people you are taking might know someone else who would really appreciate a chance to go. Invite other responsible adults too, to help you keep everyone safe.

Protected or Imprisoned?

Today's zoologists and marine biologists are wildlife researchers and advocates for the conservation and protection of animals. Zoos and aquariums are becoming more aware of the need to provide animals and fish with natural habitats that will simulate life in the wild and Tiger

encourage their normal interaction and behavior. Modern habitat designers are challenged to create stimulating environments so animals feel and behave as if they are living in the ocean, on the Arctic Tundra, in the dense South American rain forest, or on an African plain. Their efforts take creativity, education, funding, and public support. Click here to build a cyber-habitat for the largest cat on earth—the Siberian tiger. Learn how zoos and conservation programs struggle to save this endangered predator.

Some people feel that animals should not be in any type of simulated environment. Others think that our natural habitats are disappearing and zoos and aquariums are the only hope to get the public to care about the fate of animals on Earth and for saving endangered species. Ask youngsters what they think. Identify together what efforts have or have not been made to accommodate the animal's needs at your local zoo or aquarium. Inquire together about conservation efforts and where funds are coming from to help improve the exhibits.