For over one hundred years, the Denver Zoo has served as one of the nation's most popular hubs for viewing wildlife. In the face of a changing world, however, it's also stepping up to become one of the premiere organizations making sure Earth's creatures will still have a home in the wild itself.

 

When the zoo first opened its gates in 1896, combating climate change and habitat destruction on a global scale was hardly a part of the master plan. The zoo's first exhibit, Bear Mountain, was home to a single orphaned black bear, a native Colorado species that at the time was considered more of a pest than a poster critter for conservation. Like the nation's other young zoos, the Denver Zoo was designed as an attraction, built to showcase its species for an audience that was more interested in seeing the animals at home than in learning how to protect them in their native lands.

 

As the decades progressed, however, increased scientific and public understanding of humankind's global impact encouraged zoos and similar organizations to use their resources towards improving environmental education and conservation. Today, the Denver Zoo is working to renovate many of its 50+­ year-old exhibits, transforming them into spaces conducive for animal well-being and creating centers for interactive environmental education. One of the highlights of this work to date is Predator Ridge, an exhibit housing 14 African species in a habitat modeled on a section of the Samburu National Game Reserve in Kenya. Situated a few dozen yards from the front gate, the exhibit -- which celebrated its fifth anniversary in June -- is one of the zoo's most popular attractions. Also in the works are plans to construct a forest habitat for several large Asian cats and a new home for tropical Asiatic species that began undergoing construction this year.

 

Behind the scenes, conservation work is equally intense. The zoo established a Department of Conservation Biology in 1996 as part of its eco-conscious master plan, and has since completed hundreds of animal research and habitat conservation studies on every continent but Antarctica. 74 projects are being funded this year alone, ranging from amphibian conservation in South America to the study of conflicts between endangered Grevy's zebras and lions in Africa. There's plenty of work being done on the Rocky Mountain front, as well:

 

The black-tailed prairie dog may not have its own exhibit at the Denver Zoo, but it's far from a forgotten member of Colorado's native wildlife. Prairie dog habitat has declined by over 98 percent over the past 200 years, and two of the 2009 zoo projects will focus on prairie dog habits and their interactions with other prairie species as well as habitat restoration.

 

Many of Colorado's carnivores are facing difficult challenges after years of oppressive control and an ever-increasing human population. One of the zoo's chief North American studies for 2009 will focus on learning more about the little-understood carnivore complex of the Rocky Mountain region to help wildlife biologists establish better management stratagems. Three other studies are dedicated to the conservation of carnivores and large prey species and their habitat corridors in the region.

 

Whether or not you call Colorado home, there's plenty you can do to support these conservation efforts. Visit the Denver Zoo's "How to Help" page for information on making local or long-distance contributions, or check out a zoo in your area to find out ways in which you can support wilderness around the world.

 

For more information on Denver Zoo conservation efforts, visit their web site at http://www.denverzoo.org/.