@KevinB Huh weird, I kinda knew they were around but didnt think they were that common. Seems the space could be better used with a threatened species but oh well..
@DelacoursLangur Maybe and there definitely bear or other carnivore (sub)species that are more threatened than the American black bear, but they are still a pretty interesting species with opportunities for education.
That said, you could make the same argument about saving space in zoos for threatened species about a lot of species that are more or less commonly kept in zoos, including some charismatic and popular species.
Personally I think even more popular and common species can still be used for educational purposes. Also some species that are common in captivity are actually pretty rare in the wild. And one never knows what might happen to our environment in the future.
This is perhaps a bit of a can of worms thing, but personally I don't mind the more common/popular/non-threatened species or even domestics as long as there is a decent mix with rarer and threated species.
@KevinB I dont have a real problem with it, I just find it somewhat strange that European zoos would choose to display north american wildlife when it is not local and is not endangered. Im not arguing that all common species should be removed from zoos (although I think they should certainly have alot less of them). However I find it unusual that they would choose to educate about north american wildlife when European wildlife is so similar, generally more threatened, and more relevant to the public.
The question of the efficacy of common wildlife being displayed is certainly a can of worms. Zoos really serve three main purposes in the 21st century, entertainment (unfortunately this means the tigers and pandas which sell tickets), education, and as a conservation resource. A healthy mix has to be formulated. Personally I think the conservation aspect is underrepresented, but I also see the value in educational exhibits focusing on non threatened species. I have a hard time with justifying domesticated animals, the only way I could see it being relevant is if it was an educational exhibit demonstrating the process of domestication
@DelacoursLangur American black bear is one of 2-3 bear species that is actually stimulated for a phase-out. Parks just don't really listen, and a couple of large safari/wildlife parks keep breeding alongside parks like Pairi Daiza bringing in animals from US/Canada. For those large safari/wildlife parks where they are combined with bison on a few occasions, there isn't really another bear species that could replace them. However American black bears in single-species enclosures in Safari/wildlife parks could be replaced by rescued brown bears, whilst in parks with separation enclosures and indoor accommodation polar, Andean, Malayan sun and Ussuri black bears are the way to go.
