Zoo Lovers' Day

Zoo Lovers Day is a great excuse to get your family together and go for a trip to see the exotic animals of the world! Zoos have a long history, bringing strange new animals from the far flung and mysterious regions of the world straight into the heart of civilization. Where else can you see prowling lions, playful monkeys, and majestic elephants outside of the depths of the Savannah? Well, or main street London when Harrod's still had a zoo section.

There are so many great ways to celebrate this wonderful holiday. You could sign up to volunteer at your local zoo, taking in the exotic animals they keep there in a first-hand experience. You could simply take a tour there and have a picnic on the green in sight of the gorillas and the giraffes.

Zoo is actually short for Zoological Garden, and is mostly used to refer to the modern concept of a zoo. Prior to this the term menagerie was used, coming from a long history reaching back all the way to the ancient world. The oldest collection of this sort was found during an archaeological dig in Hierakonpolis Egypt in 2009. The animals they had there included an impressive array of hippos, elephants, baboons, wildcats, and hartebeests.

So on this Zoo day, patronize your local menagerie with your own menagerie, and take the time to appreciate the glorious variety to be found in this wide and well explored world.

Even with all the exploration and discoveries we've made throughout the years, there are still places left to be discovered in the ocean deeps and the darkest jungles. So see what the world has held that we have found so far, and prepare yourself for the wonders we will discover as the years go on.