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While walking from exhibit to exhibit and seeing tigers, elephants or giraffes stuck in the places like the Midwest, instead of their traditional settings, it is easy to feel sympathetic towards the animals’ place in captivity. Some of the creatures seem sickly and lonely behind their fences, far away from the lands where they belong. The benefits zoos offer to plants and animals aren’t always as apparent to guests, and holding animals in captivity can seem unnatural and cruel.

Outside of offering the public a chance to see and experience a vast array of animals, zoos also protect, conserve and research animal species. Some zoos partner with programs, like the World Conservation Union, in an effort to understand how changes in the environment affect various species of animals. Many zoos also take part in the Species Survival Plan, which is almost a type of dating service for animals. Coordinators and committees within the program track the genetic background of species in an effort to eliminate inbreeding and create a genetically diverse captive animal population. Zoos aim to help animals both in captivity and in the wilderness.

While it can be sad to see animals locked in cages or behind fences, zoos don’t just take animals and keep them in captivity simply to attract guests. Zoos make important efforts in understanding and contributing to wildlife all over the world.