ZOO AND AQUARIUM MONTH

ZOO AND AQUARIUM MONTH | June

National Zoo and Aquarium Month is an excellent time to plan your trip and make a donation to favorite zoo or aquarium. Launch into summer by visiting an aquarium or zoo near you. All around the country, parks are gearing up for visitors. They offer programs all year round regarding the wildlife they support that are education and fun.

#ZooAndAquariumMonth

Each year millions of people visit zoos and learn about the many animals that live there. Also known as zoological parks, many of them serve as breeding centers. These facilities are relied upon when species are endangered or at risk of becoming endangered. They also provide education to the public about a broad variety of animals and their habitats.

Quick Zoo and Aquarium Facts

• The Vienna Zoo is the oldest existing zoo and was opened to the public in 1765.

• The United State's first zoo open to the public, Central Park Zoo, opened in 1864 in New York. Today the zoo houses four zoos and one aquarium.

• Approximately 175 million people visit a zoo or aquarium each year.

• Robert Warrington developed the first modern aquarium during the 19th century. The aquarium was heated on the bottom by an open flame.

Zoos and aquariums provide a wonderful service to endangered species lists. Many zoos and aquariums serve as wildlife conservation areas that promote breeding programs for endangered species. This type of breeding helps preserve and care for animals before reintroducing them into the wild.

HOW TO OBSERVE

There's more than one way to explore your zoo or aquarium.

1. Many zoos offer passes that are good at other wildlife parks and aquariums across the country.

2. Learn about vanishing habitat and conservation while visiting the wildlife parks.

3. Check out their rehabilitation programs and learn how zoologist and veterinarians help injured animals return to the wild.

4. Sponsor one of your favorite creatures! Many programs offer a way to help support the wildlife we enjoy most, especially those that are endangered.

5. Speaking of endangered species, learn about reduced populations and find out which ones are making comebacks.

6. Which zoos have nurseries? Several wildlife programs pair up to create conservative breeding programs to help create a sustainable population. Ask if your zoo participates in Species Survival Plans.

Share your photos on social media on your latest visit to a zoo and/or aquarium using the hashtag #ZooAndAquariumMonth.

HISTORY

National Zoo and Aquarium Month was first proclaimed in 1982 by President Ronald Regan.