Primates, You, and the Zoo: How Zoos Contribute to the Conservation of Our Closest Living Relatives

Primates, You, and the Zoo: How Zoos Contribute to the Conservation of Our Closest Living Relatives

Zoos

Historical institutions such as museums and zoos have recently come under scrutiny for promoting ideologies of imperialism and exoticism. While museums are repatriating artifacts, zoos must find another restorative approach, as many captive animals cannot be released. Zoos have pivoted from being displays of wealth and power to promoting animal welfare, wildlife conservation, and environmental education. Despite this shift, organizations like PeTA and Born Free still claim that zoos are inhumane and that the contributions of zoos to wildlife conservation are unimpressive. Yet, for some species such as non-human primates, creative conservation efforts are desperately needed. Non-human primates are important to both humans, as they are our closest living relatives, and the ecosystems they inhabit, as they promote forest growth. Despite their importance, they are becoming increasingly in danger of extinction. Threatened by anthropogenic activities such as poaching, deforestation, and the pet trade, as well as the impacts of climate change, non-human primates could benefit from population monitoring, habitat restoration, and advocacy. However, efforts like these require funding, support, and partnering organizations with developed platforms. Zoos, despite claims from critical animal welfare organizations, may be well positioned to meet these needs. After investigating primate welfare, conservation, and education efforts across zoos, it was found that there are still ways in which zoos can improve their approaches, such as facilitating an increase in the natural animal behaviors exhibited by captive populations, relying less on ex-situ breeding programs, fundraising more for in-situ conservation efforts, and regulating the ways in which zoos evaluate educational programs. However, zoos have consistently utilized the claims of their critics to improve their welfare, education, and conservation programming, which has greatly improved over the last 50 years, and has shown no sign of growing complacent. Ultimately, the data suggest that zoos have supported non-human primate conservation efforts.

Thompson, Zoe

04/2026

Research Paper

en

Touchon, Justin

Cofran, Zachary

Environmental Studies

completed

06/2026