Introducing myself :)

[filovirus]

Hello all! Call me Filovirus or Filo. I just joined a few days ago but have felt too shy to post an introduction... but I figure I ought to, so here it is!

My pronouns are she/her. I'm a lesbian woman in my early 20's from the USA.
I'm a graduate student. My current program focuses on infectious disease epidemiology and my next program focuses on psychology. My undergraduate degree is in animal science. Professionally, I enjoy zoonotic diseases (diseases that can be spread between animals and people), working in laboratories, and helping people learn.

I've suspected I was autistic for ~6 years and had a prior therapist affirm that she thought I could be somewhere on the spectrum, but I was only officially diagnosed within the last few weeks. I've found this diagnosis a lot more emotionally complex than I expected- after all I've been living under the assumption that I'm autistic for years- so I joined this forum in the hopes of feeling a little less isolated about it.

My special interests are zoos and zoo animals, My Little Pony, and Sesame Street. I enjoy playing Dungeons & Dragons, painting miniatures for D&D, and playing video games like Fallout 4, Stardew Valley, and Burger Shop.

Looking forward to chatting with you all!

 

[tree]

 

[Tired]

My special interests are zoos and zoo animals

Poor, poor creatures...

Welcome to the forum. I played F4 and SW a lot when they came out, they are both relaxing in their own way, yet both are also sad-ish.

 

[Azeth]

Welcome, @filovirus

 

[filovirus]

Poor, poor creatures...

I won't get into it too much on here as I don't want my first post to turn into a debate. My opinion as someone who spends the majority of her free time researching, documenting, and visiting zoos is that AZA-acreddited and EAZA-acreddited facilities are humane, ethical, and serve an incredibly vital role in conservation, education, and rehabilitation.

My home zoo, the Minnesota Zoo, has been absolutely pivotal in the conservation of species both around the world and in the American midwest. MN Zoo has been the most successful zoo in the AZA's Bali myna species survival plan. In 2006 there were only six of these birds in the wild. There are now roughly 1000 birds involved in the species survival plan, and the wild population now sits at a much greater number, with estimates between 50 and 300 birds- a broad range to be sure, but significantly greater than six. Zoos participating in the Bali myna species survival plan regularly release wild birds to protected lands on islands in Indonesia, where they can live in the wild. I photographed one of these wonderful birds on a trip to the zoo just this week:

The Minnesota Zoo has also done incredible work with pollinator conservation, the restoration of freshwater mussels in Minnesota, and manages the Minnesota bison conservation herd. This is a bit of a misnomer; the American bison managed by the zoo actually exist across two captive collections, two state parks, and a reserve. Globally they've played an important role in the conservation of Amur tigers, black rhinos, dholes, Przewalski's horses, blue-throated macaws, and other global conservation projects.

And this is just my local zoo! There are certainly facilities that are subpar, or that do not treat their animals appropriately. But I'm a strong advocate of zoos as places for education and conservation. They're a unique and vital opportunity for people to appreciate the marvelous biodiversity of the world, and for species and individual animals in need to receive help.

I understand they aren't for everyone, but they are for me. They are my greatest passion by a mile. I have a lot of pride for my local zoo.

 

[Tired]

I won't get into it too much on here as I don't want my first post to turn into a debate. My opinion as someone who spends the majority of her free time researching, documenting, and visiting zoos is that AZA-acreddited and EAZA-acreddited facilities are humane, ethical, and serve an incredibly vital role in conservation, education, and rehabilitation.

My home zoo, the Minnesota Zoo, has been absolutely pivotal in the conservation of species both around the world and in the American midwest. MN Zoo has been the most successful zoo in the AZA's Bali myna species survival plan. In 2006 there were only six of these birds in the wild. There are now roughly 1000 birds involved in the species survival plan, and the wild population now sits at a much greater number, with estimates between 50 and 300 birds- a broad range to be sure, but significantly greater than six. Zoos participating in the Bali myna species survival plan regularly release wild birds to protected lands on islands in Indonesia, where they can live in the wild. I photographed one of these wonderful birds on a trip to the zoo just this week:

View attachment 149957

The Minnesota Zoo has also done incredible work with pollinator conservation, the restoration of freshwater mussels in Minnesota, and manages the Minnesota bison conservation herd. This is a bit of a misnomer; the American bison managed by the zoo actually exist across two captive collections, two state parks, and a reserve. Globally they've played an important role in the conservation of Amur tigers, black rhinos, dholes, Przewalski's horses, blue-throated macaws, and other global conservation projects.

And this is just my local zoo! There are certainly facilities that are subpar, or that do not treat their animals appropriately. But I'm a strong advocate of zoos as places for education and conservation. They're a unique and vital opportunity for people to appreciate the marvelous biodiversity of the world, and for species and individual animals in need to receive help.

I understand they aren't for everyone, but they are for me. They are my greatest passion by a mile. I have a lot of pride for my local zoo.

Yes, zoos primarily house animals for public entertainment, education, and breeding programs. Animal sanctuaries, on the other hand, prioritize animal welfare, providing lifelong care to animals in naturalistic habitats with minimal human interference.
If more zoos in the world were for animals, and not humans, then I would not feel pity every time i hear the word "zoo." But yes, I will not talk more about this topic, because we clearly judge the world from our own experiences. I wish you well!

 

[BrianWV39]

Welcome

 

[monkeyclogs]

hello welcome to the forum

My nearest zoo is Chester zoo. which seems to have a similar ethos to the one you describe.

 

[filovirus]

hello welcome to the forum

My nearest zoo is Chester zoo. which seems to have a similar ethos to the one you describe.

Chester Zoo sounds so wonderful! I'm a bit jealous. I'm hoping to go on a European trip after I finish my next graduate program, and Chester Zoo is on the list.

 

[Crossbreed]

Hello & welcome @filovirus!

(Scary name...!

)

 

[WhitewaterWoman]

Hello and Welcome. I've always been impressed with the San Diego Zoo, where my grandparents lived.