Self-Sustainability in Zoos

Some zoos use unused or undeveloped acreage of land on the zoo grounds to grow hay or grass to be fed to the animals at the zoo
 
Jurek7 said:
Just to add something - zoos often use food which is full quality but not approved for human consumption. For example carcasses of farm animals which died from accidents but were otherwise healthy, or food one day past the sale date.
Click to expand...
Or vegetables and fruits which are perfectly safe for consumption but have some external cosmetic defects, making them look ugly, like bumps, scratches, etc.
 
Tapirus Lar said:
Or vegetables and fruits which are perfectly safe for consumption but have some external cosmetic defects, making them look ugly, like bumps, scratches, etc.
Click to expand...
I remember in Menagerie Manor by Gerald Durrell, he mentions how truckloads of peaches would be delivered to Jersey zoo because they had black spots or something similar meaning people won't buy them. The peaches however, were enjoyed both by the animals and staff at the zoo.
 
Not perfectly fitting within the theme, I'll admit. But Blijdorp has an interesting way of re-using the water in their Oceanium.
They get Ballast water from from cargo ships coming into port from the Caribbean, they use that tropical water in their coral reef tank, after that it gets recycled to their North Sea tanks, then the Sea Lion habitat, and finally the Polar bear pool.
 
Jurek7 said:
In terms of sustainability, zoos are a bit on a cross. They naturally require energy to heat tropical buildings and run filters
Click to expand...
Is it not possible for a zoo to install solar panels or something of the sort on the rooves of buildings to at least generate some amount of energy that fulfills the buildings energy needs? I understand it can be a bit expensive, but it would be better in the long run.
 
Tapirus Lar said:
Is it not possible for a zoo to install solar panels or something of the sort on the rooves of buildings to at least generate some amount of energy that fulfills the buildings energy needs? I understand it can be a bit expensive, but it would be better in the long run.
Click to expand...
Installation of solar panels can be expensive, especially on large areas. The important thing to remember is to also include appropriate battery packs, these can store incredible amounts of electricity, for example in sunny days the batteries could supply all of the electricity needed, if not a surplus which can then be sold back to the the appropriate electricity supplier. Obviously, the solar panels supplier would give all of the necessary information. Hope this helps.
 
Tapirus Lar said:
Is it not possible for a zoo to install solar panels or something of the sort on the rooves of buildings to at least generate some amount of energy that fulfills the buildings energy needs? I understand it can be a bit expensive, but it would be better in the long run.
Click to expand...
I think that is happening in a number of zoos, especially here in Australia. We have done so at Moonlit Sanctuary. I know that Zoos Victoria purchased a share in a wind farm to provide them with energy.
 
Could 'self-sustainability in zoos' apply for populations of captive animals held at the zoo? Like a zoo has an animal species, found only at that particular zoo[either in the world, or in the continent], and has enough animals that it can maintain a sustainable population of them in the long run? This could be possible mostly with smaller species; like I know ZSL has many partula sp. snails that are extinct in the wild, and found at no other institution, and the Bronx zoo has a herd of 30?-ish gaur, which I presume are the only breeding ones in north America.
 
Tapirus Lar said:
Could 'self-sustainability in zoos' apply for populations of captive animals held at the zoo? Like a zoo has an animal species, found only at that particular zoo[either in the world, or in the continent], and has enough animals that it can maintain a sustainable population of them in the long run? This could be possible mostly with smaller species; like I know ZSL has many partula sp. snails that are extinct in the wild, and found at no other institution, and the Bronx zoo has a herd of 30?-ish gaur, which I presume are the only breeding ones in north America.
Click to expand...
That is what the AZA SSP, EAZA EEP and similar programs run by other regional zoo organizations are about. Through studbooks and breeding recommendations etc. they aim to maintain sustainable populations in zoos.
 
MRJ said:
I think that is happening in a number of zoos, especially here in Australia. We have done so at Moonlit Sanctuary. I know that Zoos Victoria purchased a share in a wind farm to provide them with energy.
Click to expand...
Sydney Zoo too.
 
Tapirus Lar said:
Is it not possible for a zoo to install solar panels or something of the sort on the rooves of buildings to at least generate some amount of energy that fulfills the buildings energy needs? I understand it can be a bit expensive, but it would be better in the long run.
Click to expand...

Pairi Daiza here in Belgium has built structures with solar panels above much of their parking lot, generating most of the energy needed for the park and at times even leaving some to be put into the public net.

Solar panels on roofs are not that uncommon in European zoos.
 
Tapirus Lar said:
Could 'self-sustainability in zoos' apply for populations of captive animals held at the zoo? Like a zoo has an animal species, found only at that particular zoo[either in the world, or in the continent], and has enough animals that it can maintain a sustainable population of them in the long run? This could be possible mostly with smaller species; like I know ZSL has many partula sp. snails that are extinct in the wild, and found at no other institution, and the Bronx zoo has a herd of 30?-ish gaur, which I presume are the only breeding ones in north America.
Click to expand...
. Edinburgh has partula as well am sure
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top