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About ZSL
The ZSL (the Zoological Society of London) is not
just the management of London and Whipsnade
(Bedfordshire) Zoos, it is the foremost conservation
and research society protecting and studying animal
and marine life on our planet. The Zoological
Society of London (ZSL) is a charity devoted to the
worldwide conservation of animals and their
habitats.
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The London Zoo, established in 1828, is one
of the oldest zoos in the world. Many zoos
have served simply to display animals, with
the more advanced among them, including
London, also utilising their collections for
the study of zoology. However, over time
good zoos have changed their mission and
focus due to a growing realisation and
documentation of the decline in wildlife,
driven mostly by loss of habitat.
From the mid-20th century these zoos have
been finding ways to help conserve wild
animals and their habitats, and the animals
in our zoos now fulfil a number of roles,
from education to ambassadors for their
species. Some of the species we keep are now
extinct in the wild and would have
disappeared completely without zoos.
The modern zoo has changed to reflect this
new role and developed dramatically over the
years. It is now a complex operation, with
specialists in many different disciplines
including animal husbandry, health,
nutrition, behaviour and records keeping.
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