The great majority of modern zoos focus heavily on conservation work and education. Perth Zoo has developed an international reputation for its conservation work, in particular its breeding-for-release programs for threatened native species.

Modern zoos like Perth Zoo provide naturalistic exhibits, striving to meet the delicate balance of providing safe, comfortable homes for the animals with adequate opportunities for privacy, while also providing good opportunities for visitors to see these animals in a natural surrounding.

Many modern zoos work hard to contribute to the international pool of species knowledge and to further the progress of threatened species breeding programs in their region. Community education now has as important a focus as leisure and entertainment. Zoos also have an important tourism role and, as is the case with Perth Zoo, can achieve remarkable status as tourism landmarks in their regions.

Some people believe the role of zoos is to preserve species which are dying out in their native habitats, while others feel that zoos have a much more important role to play in breeding for re-introduction. Some feel that there should be no zoos at all and that we should be focusing all attention on the preservation of the habitats of these species so that the surviving few can perhaps build their numbers again.

Perth Zoo actively contributes to regional captive breeding programs which preserve genetically diverse collections of threatened species for reintroduction back into natural environments when it is possible. While working on those future plans, we also breed threatened native species which released back into the wild in Western Australia in areas that have been cleared of feral predators (cats, foxes etc). Perth Zoo also recognises and supports the urgent need to protect the natural environments of so many species.

It falls to modern zoos — in collaboration with scientific agencies, governments and other conservation bodies — to play their part in the much bigger picture of the conservation of our natural world. Perth Zoo also has a strong commitment to its community education program about conservation, environmental management and the need to ensure bio-diversity.