The Modern Ark: The History of Zoos: Past, Present, and Future

Vicki Croke does an absolutely fabulous job of completely sucking into the zoo world. She does not take away the mystery and awe that the zoos now provide for us. She gives us a seemingly unbiased factual look at how zoos were formed, how they are becoming better for animals and people alike, and what they are moving towards. Anyone who has ever been interested in visiting zoos really need to read this book because it will completely change your zoo perspective as it has mine. Thank You Vicki for such a great book!!

I really enjoyed this book! If you have an interest in animals in general, especially wild animals we will likely only see in zoos or on TV, then this is a great read. Despite a somewhat weighty topic, the book flows well in an easy to read style, packed full of examples and anecdotes. The chapters on how zoos are progressing from the cages and bars of the past to the "natural habitat" format are extremely well presented. Also of particular interest were the sections on how animals react when confined, and how zoos are experimenting with changes in the environment to stimulate the animal's mental health, with mixed results. Overall, this is a great book, and the author has done an exceptional job at presenting the topic. It will change the way you think about zoos, and the animals that inhabit them. Buy the book if you can find it.

As a frequent zoo goer, I was able to identify with the facts mentioned in this book from my past zoo experiences. The Modern Ark provides many stories from zoos all over the world (some of them might be located near you) and the animals they house. Enjoyable reading for those who care about the well being of animals in zoos, as well as those with a general interest in zoo animals.