A Wilder Kingdom: Rethinking Nature in Zoos, Wildlife Parks, and Beyond

by Ben A. Minteer (Editor), Dr. Harry Greene (Editor)

Zoos have always had a troubled relationship to what is considered the “real” wild. Even the most immersive and naturalistic zoos, critics maintain, are inherently contrived and inauthentic environments. Zoo animals’ diet, care, and reproduction are under pervasive human control, with natural phenomena like disease and death kept mostly hidden from public view. Furthermore, despite their growing commitment to conservation and education, zoos are entertainment providers that respond to visitors’ expectations and preferences. What would a “wilder” zoo―one that shows the public a wider range of ecological processes―look like? Is it achievable or even desirable? What roles can or should zoos play in encouraging humanity to find meaningful connections with wild animals and places?

A Wilder Kingdom is a provocative and reflective examination of the relationship between zoos and the wild. It gathers a premier set of multidisciplinary voices―from animal studies and psychology to evolutionary biology and environmental journalism―to consider the possibilities and challenges of making zoos wilder. In so doing, the contributors offer new insights into the future of the wild beyond zoos and our relationship to wild species and places across the landscape in an increasingly human-dominated era.

280 pages, Paperback

Published September 12, 2023

About the author

Ben A. Minteer writes about conservation, the wild, zoos, and the evolution of American environmental thought. His current work explores the wilderness idea and its expression in landscape photography, from Carleton Watkins and Ansel Adams to the present day.

Ben is a professor of environmental ethics and conservation in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University in Tempe, where he also holds the Arizona Zoological Society Endowed Chair. At ASU, he teaches a set of undergraduate and graduate courses in environmental ethics and the history and philosophy of conservation.

Reviews

[Olivia Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely, insightful read 🧡 The discussions and questions posed here by each of the authors about what “wild” really means and what the future of conservation in human-managed spaces (ie zoos and parks) were really thought provoking. I love how varied the areas of expertise were, as well as the contexts of looking at “wild”: from microbes to megafauna, and from storytelling/art to exhibit design. Full disclosure, I was part of the workshop where the authors all met to discuss the book, and they are lovely, smart humans who really care and want to think critically about these issues. Zoos can be a contentious topic, but I think they all did a great job presenting a well-rounded view of these institutions and how things are a lot more complicated that just “should we have zoos or should we not?”. I think one of the biggest, and important, takeaways from both the workshop and the book is that while zoos are typically designed for human visitors, we need to be thinking about the more relational aspects of how we fit together with wildlife, rather that solely how we view them. Would recommend if you have an interest in conservation and/or zoos!