Zoos as Media
Throughout human history, human beings have always had a relationship with animals as part of their identity. Diverse cultures have differentiated beliefs and attachments to animals. While in the past, animals existed in their natural environments and freely interacted with humans on different occasions, in recent years, animals have increasingly been provided artificial shelters in zoos. This is especially the case concerning animals that are endangered or those that need help in any significant way. In this case, zoos and animal orphanages have become increasingly crucial avenues where vital animal information can be gathered regarding animal life and their relation to man.
Human beings have a long history that closely relates to animals. The early man entirely relied on hunting and gathering activities, which was their way of life. The relationship that existed between humans and non-human animals was a natural predator-prey relationship. In the different historical periods, the human and non-human animal relationships were symbolic, and this has existed to date. With the technological developments and the change in the way of life has led to a significant gap in human and non-human animal relationships. It is at this point that the zoos come in handy as a media through which crucial and important information concerning human and non-human animal relationships is disseminated to the current generation.
The enclosed nature of zoos and their ability to house a wide range of animals for exposure to the public is an important approach to communicate of the past, current, and future information. In this case, the zoo is an interactive media platform where the public gets to interact on a one on one basis with the animals. As such, a wide range of information concerning the animals is gathered and perceived future developments identified. Zoos also act as a media because it is globally networked because there are many similarities across zoos at a global scale in terms of the range of animals hosed. Across the globe, the animals have a more or less similar history and relationship with man, which creates a strong network of connectivity across human societies and their cultures. In this way, the zoos become an important avenue where humans trace their connection.
Zoos are also virtual platforms that act as an avenue where people across the globe can experience different non-human animals and share their connectivity. With this, people are not limited in any way to understand their differentiated perspectives and connections to animals. It provides a broadened approach in which people can experience their different cultural heritage and beliefs through a virtual platform of experiencing the diversity that animals bring in human society. The connectivity that is created amongst human societies through the zoos and the specific animals that they have a divine connection with. For this reason, it becomes crucial that zoos are protected and continually furnished as a media platform.
The zoos are also hypertextual platforms that help connect the past, the present, and the future. It provides for an interconnected chain of occurrences that have shaped human life. While human history appears to have a defined commencement period, animal history seems to be a starting point for humans. In this way, being the origin and continuity of human history, animals in zoos are also a reflection of the human future. Numerous developments and inventions have been facilitated through animal research processes. In this way, there has been a constant connection between human and non-human animals. It helps the modern man understand and appreciate the developments experienced so far.
Zoos are becoming an iconic and historical landmark that enables for displaying not only animals but a reflection of humans and their broader society. Just as the modern media, zoos facilitate the communication process through disseminating the past, present, and future information regarding both human and non-human animals.