The People's Zoo: William M. Mann, the National Zoo, and the birth of American wildlife conservation, 1889--1960

Zoos are one of the most popular family attractions in the entire world. Nearly every city of any size has a zoo. In the beginning zoos were private collections reserved for only the most wealthy and powerful. Modern zoos are research facilities that strive to stay on the cutting edge of animal science. Many make their mission wildlife conservation. This paradigm shift came in 1925 when a young entomologist named William Mann took over as director of the National Zoological Park in Washington, D. C. During his 31 years there he led expeditions to collect animals never before exhibited in zoos.;Very little research on Mann exists even though the public followed Mann's work at the zoo through the plethora of newspaper articles printed. His travels and articles influenced many other zoo directors to follow his lead. The efforts of William Mann have trickled down to modern day conservationists even though his name may be lost in time. Many people carry out the same work that Mann began at the National Zoo and share his vision, even though they may not know who Mann was or his contributions to understanding and exhibiting exotic animals. Many modern conservation works and organizations can all be traced back to Mann's devotion to his animals, his work at the Zoo, and his ability to share his enthusiasm of it all with the people around him.