If you have visited a zoo or aquarium in recent years, there's a good chance that you've noticed something new. In addition to providing up-close encounters with some of the planet's most magnificent species, today's zoological parks are placing a growing emphasis on conservation awareness and action.

Indeed, if you were to ask the staff of almost any zoo or aquarium what is their main mission, they would underscore the education of guests regarding the conservation status of the animals they are observing and the threats those species face in the wild.

Zoos and aquariums are living museums where children and adults alike are witness to the wonders of the natural world. Encounters with species both exotic and familiar fill guests with awe and excite them to learn more about park animals' wild habitats, many of which are in serious decline. That process helps instill a conservation ethic within the general public that can pay dividends when drawing attention to a particular conservation crisis or policy.

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