In reply to this criticism, zookeepers say that they carry out a vital role in conservation and education. “Our goal is to engender respect for the animals,” explains Jaime Rull, of Faunia, Madrid, Spain. “We want to create in our visitors a desire to help conserve the animals’ habitats, without which they will not survive.” Some surveys indicate that effective zoo exhibits do indeed increase public awareness of the need to protect endangered species.

Some rare species​—such as the giant panda—​seem to have developed a special place in the public’s affection. “All the visitors want to see our two pandas,” says Noelia Benito, of Madrid’s Zoo Aquarium. “This flagship species has become a symbol of our fight to save endangered species. We are hoping that the pandas will breed, although these animals are very choosy about their mates.”

Unlike the pandas, many animals do breed freely in zoos, thanks to improved conditions and good veterinary attention. Successful breeding programs have helped answer critics who argue that zoos should not be involved in the trade of endangered species. Apart from maintaining a pool of animals for exhibition, many zoos also try to breed endangered animals in the hope that they can eventually be reintroduced into the wild.

A principal cause of extinctions in the wild is the loss of habitat. Thus, zoos have become actively involved in funding conservation programs, working directly with wildlife sanctuaries in tropical countries.a