Composting zoo animal waste: A lemons-to-lemonade story

Composting zoo animal waste: A lemons-to-lemonade story


As part of caring for robust collections of large animals, zoos face loads of challenges. On a day-to-day basis, one of the biggest is dealing with waste — manure, that is — at least millions of pounds of it every year.

Some zoos have come up with an ingenious solution to this dilemma. They’re contracting with nearby facilities to compost hay, animal bedding and herbivore manure, which is then sold to the public. This 100% organic product is great for vegetable gardens and flower beds alike.

When manure from elephants, zebras, hippos and other herbivores is composted, environmental carbon emissions fall. The compost is also a natural fertilizer, which reduces chemical contamination of local environments.

Please excuse the mixed metaphor, but converting waste to compost is an ideal way of transforming lemons into lemonade.

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