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A zoological garden, zoological park, or zoo is an institution where mainly wild and exotic animals are restricted within enclosures, bred and displayed to the public. The term zoological garden refers to the biological discipline zoology, which derives from Greek Æùï ("animal"), and ëïãïò ("study"). The term was first used in 1828 for the London Zoological Gardens, soon shortened to the abbreviation “zoo”.
Most large cities in the world have zoos. Major zoos are important tourist attractions. More than 135 million people visit zoos in the United States and Canada every year, but most zoos operate at a loss; many non-profit zoos, particularly institutions operating in conservation biology, education, and biological research, depend on public funding.
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