Vivarium vs. Zoo — What's the Difference?

A vivarium (Latin, literally for "place of life"; plural: vivaria or vivariums) is an area, usually enclosed, for keeping and raising animals or plants for observation or research. Often, a portion of the ecosystem for a particular species is simulated on a smaller scale, with controls for environmental conditions.

A zoo (short for zoological garden; also called an animal park or menagerie) is a facility in which animals are housed within enclosures, cared for, displayed to the public, and in some cases bred for conservation purposes. The term zoological garden refers to zoology, the study of animals.

A place, such as an enclosure or facility, used for keeping living animals for observation or research.

An establishment which maintains a collection of wild animals, typically in a park or gardens, for study, conservation, or display to the public.

A place artificially arranged for keeping or raising living animals.

A park or an institution in which living animals are kept and usually exhibited to the public. Also called zoological garden.

A place artificially arranged for keeping or raising living animals, as a park, a pond, an aquarium, a warren, etc.

(Slang) A place or situation marked by confusion or disorder

An indoor enclosure for keeping and raising living animals and plants and observing them under natural conditions

A park where live animals are exhibited.

Any place that is wild, crowded, or chaotic.

A large and varied collection of something.

The jungle.

(slang) A zoophile.

The facility where wild animals are housed for exhibition