The Los Angeles zoo was instituted in 1966. It accommodates more than 1400 animals, including mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds. The zoo contains more than 270 species of animals, of which fifty-eight (58) are endangered. Additionally, the zoo’s botanical gardens comprise of a collection of wild plants, 800 diverse plant species, and approximately 7000 individual plants. An estimated 1.8 million tourists visit the zoo yearly. The interim zoo manager is in charge of the daily management of the facility. Its mission statement is to serve society by creating an environment for discovery and recreation, ensure the welfare of zoo animals, instigate an appreciation of wildlife through learning and exhibitions and endorse programs that conserve biodiversity and natural habitats (“Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens | About”). Its vision statement is to leverage its resources as well as generate experiences that connect individuals with wildlife.
Varieties of Primates at The Los Angeles zoo
Reflection of The Diversity Found in Primates
Primates constitute of apes, monkeys, lemurs and humans. The Los Angeles zoo has a representative in each group since it contains various monkey species, the endangered lemurs and apes such as gorillas and chimpanzees. The facility provides a reflection of the earth’s primates. Many primates residing within the facility are rarely found in other zoos. Further, the zoo ensures that its endangered species are sustained by encouraging breeding. The endangered langur monkeys, for instance, have been encouraged to undergo breeding to prevent their numbers from decreasing.
Compare with Other Zoos Found in the US
The San Diego zoo offers a diversity of primates, including monkeys, lemurs and apes. Further, the zoo accommodates diverse monkey species such as the squirrel monkeys, colobus monkeys, capuchin monkeys, Wolf’s monkeys, northern black-crested manga-beys and spot-nosed monkeys which share a typical exhibit. Allen’s swamp monkeys and Red-tailed monkeys reside along the zoo’s hippo trail. Similar to the Los Angeles zoo, the San Diego zoo accommodates one of the most endangered species of mammals, the lemurs. It also accommodates several gorillas that are mainly found in areas within the facility that contain forests. These animals depend on the facility’s horticulture for their health and satisfaction. The facility’s lush garden within the gorilla tropics, with various browse plants to consume, has ensured the welfare of the gorillas. However, unlike the Los Angeles zoo, the San Diego zoo has Hamadryas baboons that are bound into forests and can regularly be seen playing with each other. The bonobos can also be located in this zoo. The San Diego zoo was among the first zoos to exhibit the highly endangered primates such as the bonobos.
The Brookfield zoo hosts the orangutan and colobus monkeys that are also found in the Los Angeles zoo. Unlike the Los Angeles zoo, however, Brookfield has the calimico that are mainly located in the swampy areas and the forest areas of the zoo. The zoo also contains the Cotton-top Tamarin monkeys that reside within the forest areas. Both zoos contain the gorillas and chimpanzees as well as the White-Cheeked Gibbon monkeys (“Chicago Zoological Society, Brookfield Zoo”). The zoo has engaged in several initiatives targeting the preservation of endangered animals. For instance, it launched the Callimico goeldii International studbook and Species Survival Plan, aiming to increase the population of the endangered Callimico monkeys. Other initiatives comprise of target captive breeding in order to increase the endangered species further. Programs focusing on nutrition management and medical management have also been integrated. The zoo has ensured that its workers are trained on how to improve husbandry.
Woodland Park Zoo is yet another facility within the US that contains a high population of primates. The zoo’s primates are obtained from various locations in the world. The Patas monkey, also referred to as the Old-World monkey, came from the Africa savanna. The zoo’s primates that originated from Asia comprise of Siamang, Orangutan, and the Lion-tailed macaque. In addition, its Tropical Rain Forest—African primate exhibits constitute the lemurs, Western lowland gorilla, and Black and white colobus monkeys. It is apparent that several of the primates, including the colobus monkeys and Orangutan, are also found in the Los Angeles zoo; however, some of them including the Patas monkey and the Lion-tailed macaque are not found in the zoo. This further affirms that the Los Angeles zoo does contain diverse species of primates; however, there are several that it lacks.
Comparison with Other Global Zoos
Globally, several zoos contain higher numbers of primates, including the Twycross zoo Leicestershire that specializes in primates. It has an extensive range of primates, including apes and monkeys, and is recognized as the only zoo in the UK where you can come across all kinds of apes, including orangutan, chimpanzees, gorillas, and bonobos. When visiting the facility, one can also identify several lemurs. In comparison to the Los Angeles zoo, the Twycross zoo has a broad diversity of primates in addition to higher numbers. In as much as the zoo contains similar species of primates as those found in the Los Angeles zoo, several species, most notably the endangered bonobos, are not found in the Los Angeles zoo.
Paignton zoo in England is also known to host a variety of primates comprising of gorillas, monkeys, lemurs and the orangutan. In support of the primates, the zoo hosts regular events that target to raise funds that can be utilized in the conservation of wildlife, particularly for the continued sustenance of apes and their habits (“Primates And Pasties | Paignton Zoo”) The Allen’s swamp monkeys reside within the swamp near the gorilla section. The forest section occupies a large portion of the zoo and is known to accommodate the different primates.
Apenheul zoo in the Netherlands is yet another zoo with numerous primates that freely roam around. Most of the primates in this facility are harmless and friendly. However, the movement of the orangutan and the gorillas is restricted as they could cause harm. These two species do not live in cages, though, and can be found in the natural islands within the area. Visitors are regularly educated about the primates and their interactions through presentations.
Zoos mainly target to provide habitats for endangered animals and plant species. The Los Angeles zoo hosts a diversity of primates. The diversity of species, however, differs from one zoo to the next, since some species of the animals can be located in one zoo and not be found in another. Globally, numerous zoos have primates, most notably, Twycross zoo, where many different species of primates can be found. Significantly, zoos across the globe continue to prioritize the preservation of endangered animals in order to sustain them.
