20 The conservation mission in the wild: zoos as conservation NGOs? ALEXANDRA ZIMMERMANN AND ROGER WILKINSON THE CONSERVATION ROLES OF ZOOS The role of zoos and aquariums in conservation is complex, not only because it is multi-faceted, but also because it varies from institution to institution and changes over time in response to the values of the public, its scientific peers, and its critics. Traditionally, the contributions of zoos and aquariums (hereafter referred to collectively as ‘‘zoos”) to conservation have involved their expertise in breeding threatened species, their respon- sibility to educate and influence large numbers of adults and children, and the opportunity to conduct a wide range of scientific studies, including the development of veterinary medicine, on a vast diversity of otherwise inac- cessible animals (Hutchins and Conway 1995). These traditional roles are played out ex situ, away from the original habitats of the animal species in question. No other conservation sector has a comparable capacity and infrastructure to pursue these functions to the same extent. But although they are fundamentally and uniquely the domain of zoos, zoos are criticized for not focusing their efforts sufficiently on work- ing with habitats, species, and people in situ. The recent emphasis by zoos on supporting conservation projects in the wild is in part a response to cri- tiques about the relevance and/or efficacy of their ex situ activities. As a result, the hallmark of a ‘‘good” zoo is generally proclaimed by lay-people and conservation scientists alike to be the participation in or support of, conservation work in the field. Having a portfolio of in situ activities has become a common and esteemed activity for many zoos around the world C  Zoological Society of London 2007