With warmer weather and longer days becoming the norm, spring is an ideal time for a nature walk. Getting outside, breathing in the fresh air and feeling the touch of grass can help each individual take stock of just how precious and beautiful life is on our blue planet.
Earth Day, an annual event that drives support for environmental causes, is an ideal time to take stock of how individual decisions can contribute to a greener, more sustainable world.
Some of the planet’s most beautiful and unique species are undergoing what scientists call the Sixth Mass Extinction. In fact, some one million plant and animal species are at risk of vanishing, according to the United Nations.
American Humane, the country’s first national humane organization, is encouraging families to celebrate Earth Day by supporting outstanding zoos and aquariums that are on the front lines of the conservation movement, preserving our world’s valuable species for future generations.
More than 60 zoological institutions are certified by American Humane for their outstanding care of animals. Families can rest assured that by visiting Humane CertifiedTM zoos and aquariums they are doing right by the magnificent animals they see.
The lauded Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, for example, has been essential in the effort to save Mexican wolves. Just a decade ago, barely more than 100 animals remained in the wild. Today, their population has more than quadrupled. Thanks to cross-fostering efforts, 20 wolf pups were introduced into wild dens in the last year alone.
Or consider Vancouver Aquarium, the only dedicated marine mammal rescue in Canada. Each year their teams rescue, rehabilitate and release more than 150 marine mammals. One Pacific white-sided dolphin named Helen was rescued after she had been caught and injured in fixed fishing nets. Now, she lives comfortably with researchers who are working to understanding how dolphins use echolocation to locate objects in the water. Their research will hopefully keep more marine mammals safe in the future from threats like fishing nets.
Whether it’s preserving at-risk species or saving individual animals and conducting research, the best zoos and aquariums are doing their part to preserve the wild world. To find a Humane CertifiedTM zoo or aquarium near you, please visit www.HumaneConservation.org.
