American Zoo Day – July 1, 2025
July 1
American Zoo Day, celebrated on July 1, is all about bringing the importance of zoos to the forefront. While zoos originally were small confined spaces that were more or less a prison for animals, things changed over time as people became educated regarding animal rights. Today, zoos in America are huge and provide an environment that reflects the natural habitat of the confined animal. This is why modern zoos perform a role of a sanctuary rather than a place where animals are put on display. To honor and celebrate American Zoo Day, we suggest you head out to the nearest zoo and be prepared to see beautiful animal species you may never have seen before.
History of American Zoo Day
American Zoo Day is celebrated every year on July 1 to mark the day the Philadelphia Zoo was opened up to the public in 1874. What’s so special about this zoo, you ask? Well, it was America’s first zoo. The charter of the zoo was signed in 1859, but due to the Civil War, the zoo was not opened to the public until much later. The Philadelphia Zoo is also important since it focuses on the conservation of numerous animal species. Today, the zoo houses over 1,300 animals.
Though zoos existed in numerous regions across the world since ancient Egypt, it wasn’t until the 19th century that the trend of opening zoos took over the world. Unfortunately, initially, these enclosures were formed for the purpose of entertainment and cared less about the comfort and life spans of animals. However, after World War II, zoos also became breeding places where animals close to extinction were brought in. Believe it or not, zoos have played a huge role in saving numerous threatened species from being wiped off the face of this planet. For instance, there were only 50 Hawaiian geese left in Hawaii in 1947. Two of these geese were housed in a sanctuary in England where they began to breed.
Most importantly, zoos and the exotic animals within their walls are often studied by scientists who want to understand their behavior and formulate ways in which better living conditions can be created for mammals. Many of these studies have been published in the ‘Journal of Zoology’ since 1830.
