Even though zoos were quick to suggest economic stimulus projects to the Obama administration, members of the Association of Zoos Aquariums aren’t looking for a bailout. In fact, the AZA says its members have a history of boosting America’s economy.

“Zoos and aquariums are woven into the fabric of American life,” said Jim Maddy, president and chief executive officer for the AZA, based in Silver Springs, Md. “They are viewed by the public as important to the quality of life in their communities.”

Many zoos have their roots in the Great Depression, when the federal Work Projects Administration helped build many facilities across America. Indiana was the first state to use the program for statewide zoo improvements, and the Washington Park Zoo in Michigan City, Ind., was completely designed and landscaped with Depression era federal aid, according to the city’s official Web site. Construction on the $150,000 Staten Island (N.Y.) Zoo began in 1933, using Civilian Conservation Corps labor—a New Deal work relief program—according to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.

Aquariums have been successful anchors of waterfront renewal and development projects. Accredited zoos generate $7.6 billion in annual economic activity and collectively support more than 100,000 jobs, according to the AZA.

“Zoos and aquariums will deliver incredible value for the federal government,” said Maddy. “Investment in these institutions will pay off twice: first in immediate job creation and second in the environmental education of our children for years to come.”

According to a 2008 national public opinion survey, 79 percent of Americans believe zoos and aquariums are good for their local economy, and 80 percent believe zoos and aquariums are important enough to local communities to be supported by government funding, according to the AZA. In 2007, more than 170 million people visited 206 AZA-accredited zoos in the United States. [March 2009 PET AGE]