A virtual zoo is a new concept that uses the zoo

Zoo

A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....

 model in a web

World Wide Web

The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...

 format http://www.waza.org/virtualzoo/index.php?main=virtualzoo. Virtual zoos are basically websites that are created to simulate a visit to a zoo, and the visitors to these sites can view exhibit

Exhibit

Exhibit may refer to:*Exhibit , evidence in physical form brought before the court.*Demonstrative evidence is a term used to describe exhibits and other physical forms of evidence used in court to demonstrate, show, depict, inform or teach relevant information to the viewer.*Exhibit , a lightweight...

s about animals and their habaits. Many Zoos http://www.alaskazoo.org/tour.htm as well as schools http://pioneerschooldistrict.org/education/staff/staff.php?sectionid=146 have developed virtual zoos. For example, instead of actual animal

Animal

Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...

s a virtual zoo will have articles

Article (publishing)

An article is a written work published in a print or electronic medium. It may be for the purpose of propagating the news, research results, academic analysis or debate.-News articles:...

 and photos as exhibits. There are many virtual zoos that have been created most are small and unremarkable, while some have hundreds of exhibits.

Many of these projects focus on photos of animal

Animal

Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...

s or the sale of animal products. Some virtual zoos are strictly educational. Zoos on the web are good sources of animal information

Information

Information in its most restricted technical sense is a message or collection of messages that consists of an ordered sequence of symbols, or it is the meaning that can be interpreted from such a message or collection of messages. Information can be recorded or transmitted. It can be recorded as...

.

History

The first virtual zoo was created in 1994 by Ken Boschert, DVM. Boschert created his site as a way of informing people about animals and how to care for them. His site has been recognized by Education World and "Web 100".

Purpose

The validity of virtual zoos have met with some resistance. However, many view virtual zoos as the way of the future for conservation

Conservation biology

Conservation biology is the scientific study of the nature and status of Earth's biodiversity with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and ecosystems from excessive rates of extinction...

. Zoos have faced ethical issues surrounding the capture and keeping of wild animals. Virtual zoos can provide information and experience

Experience

Experience as a general concept comprises knowledge of or skill in or observation of some thing or some event gained through involvement in or exposure to that thing or event....

 without any disturbance

Disturbance

In ecology, a disturbance is a temporary change in average environmental conditions that causes a pronounced change in an ecosystem. Outside disturbance forces often act quickly and with great effect, sometimes resulting in the removal of large amounts of biomass...

 to habits

Habit (biology)

Habit, when used in the context of biology, refers to the instinctive actions of animals and the natural tendencies of plants.In zoology, this term most often refers to specific behavioral characteristics, even when directly related to physiology...

 or ecosystems. According to Zoos Victoria, the stated purpose of a zoo is to be centers for wildlife experience, education, conservation and research. Virtual Zoos can contribute to these stated purposes, such as education and research, with little impact to animal life.

External links

Animal Photos:
"Lawrence Goes To The Zoo"http://www.lawrencegoetz.com/zoo/

Educational Virtual Zoos:
"Pioneer Virtual Zoo"http://pioneerschooldistrict.org/education/staff/staff.php?sectionid=146
"The Electronic Zoo"http://netvet.wustl.edu/e-zoo.htm
"Zoobooks

Zoobooks

Zoobooks is a monthly magazine for children. Each issue covers a different animal with pictures, educational diagrams and facts.Charles R. Schroeder, D.V.M., Director Emeritus San Diego Zoo & San Diego Wild Animal Park, was the zoological consultant for all of the Zoobooks along with other more...

Virtual Zoo"http://www.zoobooks.com/newFrontPage/animals/virtualZoo/petme.html
"The Virtual Zoo"http://library.thinkquest.org/11922/index.htm
"The Wild Ones"http://www.thewildones.org/vzoo.html
"Mr. Crean's Virtual Zoo"http://www.mrcrean.com/virtualzoo

Selling Animal Products:
"The Big Zoo"http://www.thebigzoo.com/