Throughout the twentieth century, wildlife conservation has come to the forefront of government policy and social concerns. At the same time, animal welfare has gained press, especially in regards to zoological parks. In addition, the recognition of climate change has concretely demonstrated the interconnectedness of humans and the environment now and throughout history; most importantly this has shifted environmental issues from being a local concern to a global one, requiring global responsibility. The culmination of these trends has led to new understanding of the complexity of wildlife conservation, as well as the realization that no “magic bullet” exists as a solution. Rather, wildlife conservation requires many pieces working simultaneously.
One integral piece, I argue, lies in the nexus of social concerns, public awareness of human-environment reciprocity, zoo evolution, and the necessity to construct a new wilderness – a place further down the continuum of zoos and protected parks, rather a blend of the two. This nexus is The New Zoo: the open-range zoological park (ORZP). To illustrate my argument, I present a case study involving three geographically dispersed ORZPs: the Wilds in the US, Fota Wildlife Park in Ireland, and Orana Wildlife Park in New Zealand. Through web research, personal visits, and personal interviews of key personnel, I present the parks’ similarities, particularities, and abilities to play such an important role in wildlife conservation. Additionally, I discuss what ORZPs can tell us about wildlife conservation in the future. A future research agenda is also offered for the continued advancement of wildlife conservation.