Thanks to the rise of the staycation, attendance at the nation's 218 accredited zoos and aquariums has been holding steady. Ahead of its annual industry meetup, AZA spokesman Steve Feldman is trying to maintain his optimism: "We're multigenerational and affordable," he says. Going to the zoo "is about the price of the movies, but it's a longer experience." But that price is typically subsidized by donations, and that revenue has been falling. One cost-effective solution: low-maintenance temporary exhibitions that may even include fake animals. Chicago's Brookfield Zoo, for instance, has installed animatronic dinosaurs that require no regular feedings, just a steady supply of electricity. While we have nothing against the roaring, spitting Ruyang Yellow River dinosaur, it does lack the one thing you want to see when you go to the zoo: life. -- ACL

Sat, September 12
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2009 ASSOCIATION OF ZOOS & AQUARIUMS CONFERENCE
Portland, Oregon

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