Zoos and aquariums around the world need to undergo an evolution from just focusing on entertainment to conservation in order to remain relevant with the public, an international conference has been told.

The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo is hosting more than 2,000 zoo professionals from around the world at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums annual conference. It91裸聊视频檚 the first time the event has been held outside of the United States in decades and the first time it91裸聊视频檚 been held in Calgary in 40 years.

While zoos have long been the purview of families - providing fun for a Sunday outing - they have come under criticism from animal rights activists complaining about animals being held in captivity.

91裸聊视频淢odern zoos and aquariums are conservation advocates,91裸聊视频� association president Daniel Ashe said in an interview.

91裸聊视频淎quariums and zoos are changing with the times. Of course it91裸聊视频檚 important for them to be fun places to go and they are fun places to be 91裸聊视频� but they also visit to experience animals and that91裸聊视频檚 the most important aspect.91裸聊视频�

Ashe said nature is under attack and the world is living through what scientists call the sixth mass extinction event in the Earth91裸聊视频檚 history.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 the first extinction event not caused by a meteor or volcanism but caused by humans and what we91裸聊视频檙e doing to the planet,91裸聊视频� he said.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 more important than ever that we know what we can do, and we91裸聊视频檙e inspired by nature and engaged.91裸聊视频�

Jessica Steiner, a senior adviser in conservation networking at the Calgary zoo, told a session that the world is in a period of 91裸聊视频渦nprecedented species loss.91裸聊视频�

She said more than 43,000 species are currently considered threatened with extinction globally and zoos are taking on a more important role.

91裸聊视频淎cross North America and around the world, zoos, aquariums and botanic gardens are finding that balancing the demands for entertainment, education and conservation is increasingly difficult,91裸聊视频� Steiner said.

91裸聊视频淐onservation is really an imperative for 21st-century zoos. People are less enamoured with zoos as centres for entertainment only. We need to flip that narrative. We need to be seen as conservation centres and walk the talk.91裸聊视频�

Angela Yang, the director of international field conservation at the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance, said her work involves bringing zoos and global conservation groups together.

91裸聊视频淚 think zoos, aquariums and botanic gardens have a lot of resources and because we kind of work in silos, that91裸聊视频檚 not commonly known, especially for groups on the ground,91裸聊视频� she said.

91裸聊视频淭he general public probably doesn91裸聊视频檛 know the extent of how zoos are involved in conservation and that91裸聊视频檚 a story that is still kind of brewing in the zoos but not getting out there for the public.91裸聊视频�

Jamie Dorgan, the interim president and CEO of the zoo in Calgary, said providing entertainment isn91裸聊视频檛 enough anymore.

91裸聊视频淩eally for us the key role we play in our community is getting people to fall in love with wildlife,91裸聊视频� he said.

91裸聊视频淲hen they fall in love with wildlife 91裸聊视频� then they want to join us in helping to save wildlife and wild places. Zoos have evolved massively in the last decade to 30 or 40 years.91裸聊视频�