Page 52 - The Disneyization of Society

THEMING

more freely is much more consistent with modern sensibilities and attitudes to
animals in captivity. However, theming was not a necessary accompaniment to
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this shift. Theming, for example in terms of an African motif, is largely extrane-
ous to the removal of cages, since the backdrops can be, and indeed often still are,
neutral in their connotations, although it could be argued that re-creating for wild
animals their ‘natural’ habitats provides a more comfortable environment for
them. The evidence that the animals somehow benefit from such environments
is unclear, and some commentators suggest that they are designed to enhance the
sense of well-being of the zoo visitor more than that of the animal. 104
Theming of zoos

The second sense in which zoos are becoming themed is that they are seeking to
reinvent themselves in an institutional and cultural sense, in the light of chang-
ing public sensibilities concerning the capture and caging of animals, and chang-
ing conceptions of the relationships between humans and nature. 105 This trend
suggests a growing theming of the zoo as a corporate form. Increasingly, zoos pub-
licize and justify themselves not as repositories of animals to be gawked at, but as
agencies dedicated to education and to the preservation of rare and nearly extinct
species. As Dibb notes from her examination of UK zoos and wildlife parks, as a
result of changes in public opinion regarding captivity in zoos ‘the role of wildlife
facilities in protecting endangered species and encouraging breeding programmes
is increasingly pushed to the fore’. 106 The President and General Director of the
Wildlife Conservation Bureau has written that a

developing new synthesis of zoo programming and expertise suggests that the future of zoos is to
become ‘conservation parks’ actively contributing to nature’s survival – not quiescent museums. 107

Some zoos have adopted this conception of zoos as their mission more or
less from the outset. Others have essentially themed along these lines and in
the process reinvented themselves. In 1993, the New York Zoological Society
rebranded the zoos under its jurisdiction as ‘wildlife conservation parks’, 108 while
the National Zoo in Washington DC now calls itself a BioPark. Likewise, the Sea
World parks place great emphasis on their role in rescuing and breeding rare
marine mammals like the manatee. As Davis observes, in the 1980s science
became an overarching theme for the San Diego Sea World. 109 This gave it a more
acceptable face that allowed it to link with concerns about animals and their
conservation.
What is more, a 1997 Busch Gardens publicity leaflet tells us that

while entertainment is [its] most visible facet, education, conservation and research are fundamental
commitments … Our award-winning programs provide opportunities for students of all ages to
better appreciate the importance of diversity and the need for conservation. Our captive breeding
programs have been tremendously successful in preserving rare and endangered species for gener-
ations to come.