[PowderMonkey]

"The great collection of animals you went to see has been destroyed by people who feel that animals have no business in cages and a great larning experince for children of all ages has been decimated."

Perhaps you are too young to have experienced Zoological parks established in the Victorian tradition of "animal collections." If truth be told, the collections were decimated by neglect, and funding shortfalls from declining attendance. The "collections" were in a word depressing. In the extreme. The exhibits afforded visitors so inclined to taunt, jab, and generally abuse the animals. It also endangered visitors. In one famous instance during the early 1960s, a none-too-bright local grandfather hoisted his five year old grandson up for a closer look at the National Zoo's then resident Atlas Lion, only to have the animal reach through the bars and tear the boy's head from his body. The Seals were especially vulnerable to abuse, as they died by the score from stomachs filled with pennies, nickles and dimes thrown at them by abusive Zoo visitors. So yes Zoos now may indeed be merely parks with damned few animals. Perhaps that is for the best.

[Venturer]

Perhaps it is, but a zoo without animals is not a zoo.

Your memories of the National zoo differ from mine. I was a kid who went a couple of times a year. They had animals of every kind ,some of which amazed me as a kid. Herds of Zebra, Wildebeests,they had Prairie dogs, Panthers and white Tigers.

Perhaps you are right , Kids can see these animals on a video tape now, they dont need to see the real thing. I guess the animals they do have left over there will just be allowed to go as they die off. Probably all for the best.I do know I wont be going there again , but if you like to hike and climb a large hill and be ripped off by high price concessions, give it a shot. There are a couple of elephants left, and an old mangy male lion. LOL

There are a few more animals left there, but not enough to make it worthwhile paying the 20 buck parking fee and traipsing that hill with two Grandkids in tow.