THERE IS A WIDESPREAD MISIMPRESSION that there still exists expansive areas of wilderness where wildlife can run and be free. While there are territories in North America which could still accommodate wildlife, many of the endangered species we think of (tigers, rhinos, and great apes) live only in third world countries like Africa and Asia, where the human population has taken over almost all viable habitats. Sadly, what we think of as “the wild” no longer exists. Clear-cutting of forests and the explosive human population growth over the past century has diminished the size of wildlife habitats. At this point in our history, many species are unlikely to survive without human assistance. Zoos play an important role in preserving the genetic diversity of threatened and endangered species. Due to habitat loss and poaching, some animals have become completely extinct in the wild and exist only in zoos. Some animals that were extinct in the wild a decade ago, like the scimitar-horned antelope, have been successfully returned to their native ecosystems because of captive breeding of animals in private preserves. While there have been a number of conservation victories, much of the world’s most recognized and beloved animals are rapidly approaching extinction. The need for carefully run private preserves has never been greater. Wild tigers and most other big cats could become extinct by 2050 without our help. Click here to learn more about the need for housing wildlife.