Zoos and aquaria (worldwide)

IMPORTANT NOTE: My enthusiasm for wildlife stems from time spent in zoos as a child, and my first job was with the Education Unit of Edinburgh Zoo (Royal Zoological Society of Scotland).  I believe that the test of a good zoo (or aquarium) is that the animals appear in good condition, and behave in ways that appear natural.  With patience, therefore, it is often possible to obtain photographs of animals in zoos and aquaria that look as if they are in nature, at least superficially, and this is a technique that has always interested me.  I hope most of the photos in this catalogue illustrate this technique, but please never use these photographs as if they are truly wild.  Good practice is always to credit zoo-origin photographs, and to list the zoo or aquarium in which the photograph was taken, not least because zoos deserve credit when their management does allow animals to appear healthy and natural in this way.

However, there are still many zoos where animals are kept in unsatisfactory conditions, and, even in the best zoos, some of the animal displays are inadequate or worse.  Some of the photographs in this catalogue illustrate poor zoo conditions, and you are welcome to use these too, with an appropriate caption to the zoo concerned.  The decision on which of the zoos and aquaria illustrated here are acceptable and which unacceptable is an editorial decision for users of this catalogue to make for themselves, although I have my views which may show up through my camera lens!

Michael Scott

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