Want to take a trip to a zoo, an aquarium or a museum, but live too far away or can't drive yet? How about exploring outer space or the microscopic world, but just can't get a seat on the shuttle or access to a microscope? No problem! Scientists the world over have created websites that can take you there with the click of a mouse.
However, if you do live near one of these great resources, see if you can get a parent, grandparent or "ecological equivalent" to give you a membership... then get on your bike or the bus and go often! Zoos and museums are dynamic places -- the animals and exhibits change with the seasons, affecting what you can see and learn at each visit. As a member you don't have to pay for each visit -- you can return as many times as you'd like in the year. That way, you don't have to try to "see it all" in one visit. Try visiting your zoo once a week in the summer, but go late in the day, maybe just for the last couple of hours before sunset -- most animals become more active as the day cools down and the human crowd will have diminished considerably. You should also try some winter visits -- icky weather almost guarantees few human visitors (not to mention ants & yellowjackets), but many of the animals could care less, so you can get in lots of undisturbed observation time.
The AZA is the accrediting organization for North American zoos. It is through the AZA that Species Survival Plans (SSPs) are developed for certain populations of zoo animals. For general and specific information about SSPs, go to: http://www.aza.org/programs/ssp/
Not associated with any particular educational or zoological institution, this site features photo images and brief summaries about many animals found in zoos -- mostly carnivores at the moment.
This is a huge listing of zoo-related info maintained by Ken Boschert, DVM, in the Division of Comparative Medicine at Washington University in St. Louis, MO.
Interested in lifeforms that aren't clothed in fur, feathers or scales? Try these sites:
This is an interesting and wildly ambitious site. If you haven't studied phylogeny yet in school, you'll probably find this site overwhelming. On the other hand, if you're comfortable with scientific terminology, and if insects, spiders, amphibians, fungi & other "lesser" forms of life beguile you, then sally forth! We recommend starting at the sampler page: http://phylogeny.arizona.edu/tree/home.pages/sample.html
Visits to museums and galleries can provide lots of info about life sciences, too...
Step back to the 1800s and participate in the "Interactive Antique Illness" -- will you survive the experience or join the majority of participants who've "died" trying? A project of the International College of Surgeons, this little site also offers a short bibliography on the history of surgery and a couple of references to check if you or a family member are facing surgery.
