Essay on Animal Conservation and Enrichment in Zoos

As the animal rights movement has developed and grown substantially in recent years, there has been an increased focused on the welfare of captive animals. A popular institution that has received much attention for keeping animals captive is the zoo. Because of this focus, zoos have responded by publicizing their positive benefits for existence in order to justify keeping these animals on display. Since the term “zoo” can have a wide variety of meaning and characteristics, it is important to define what constitutes a zoo in this essay. Zoos are defined as a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and

The most compelling evidence is that scientist gather information about wild animals. According to the article, ”Zoos: The Historical Debate”, “In 2002, zoos participated in 2,230 research and conservation projects in more than 80 countries. The information they gather helps them to develop new medicines and techniques to improve animal health.” Therefore, without zoos, scientist wouldn't be able to develop medicine for wild animals. It is also important to realize that zoos teach people about the needs of animals. According to the Saint Louis Zoo website, “People learn at zoos. They learn in our formal classes, lectures, camps, teacher workshops, distance learning, zoo tours, overnight and outreach programs. Informally they learn from keeper chats, docent volunteers, interpreters, signage and special exhibits. Most important, they learn from observing zoo animals. ……..On a scale of 1 to 10, our visitors rate their educational experience at the Saint Louis Zoo as a 9.1.” This is evidence that zoos educate us about the needs of

Zoos are internment camps for animals, and it should be shut down because of all the mistreatment and bad effects it has caused on animals. These bad effects and mistreatment can be summarized to three major points, which are:

Zoos present a certain blend of nature and culture. They have always provided a way to bring natural wildlife and urban Americans together as a means of entertainment. Yet, throughout the years the role of zoos have changed. Though once used for amusement, zoos are now being used for education on preservation and the welfare of endangered species. One may wonder where and how the idea of zoos started and just how they, and the environment around them, have changed throughout history.

Initially, zoos have improved a great deal over the last four thousand years. They do not have any more cages or steel bars. They have continuously tried to provide exceptional and friendlier environments for these wild animals.

Have you ever been to a zoo or a wildlife refuge? You have seen the way the animals act for our entertainment. I feel that animals should be left in the wild where they were naturally meant to live. In zoos, they have limited space; some zoos even show cruelty to their animals. Animals are being taken out of their natural habitat only for the owners to make money off of them. I feel strongly that having animals in captivity for human enjoyment is not what God intended to happen.

The first modern zoo to be founded was in Vienna, Madrid and Paris in the eighteenth century and later on in London and Berlin in the nineteenth century. The first zoo to be established in America was in Philadelphia and Cincinnati in the 1870s. In today’s America there are thousands of zoos. Humans like to be entertained regardless of how they are being entertained, whether that is walking through the park, watching a show, listening to music or simply going to the zoo. There are truth behind zoos that many don’t see, for example, many zoos don’t show the death rates that many zoo animals have after being transported from their natural habitants or the experiences that the zoo keepers provide to the animals being kept in captivity. To what extent are we okay with animals being tortured or being aware that animals are being killed just so humans can be entertained? While there are benefits to keeping animals in captivity, scholars agree that there are more negative effects that are damaging to the animals. The purpose of zoos can be more than just keeping animals in captivity and creating significant health or mental problems, zoos also can have a positive outcome, zoos can help keep endangered animals safe from others who are trying to kill them for what they are worth. Jamieson explains and gives one example of when people started putting animals in captivity. The Romans is the example that Jamieson uses, the Romans “kept animals in order to have living fodder for games.” Jamieson continued to explain how over the years the use of animals historically grew in popularity and how the idea continued to “thrive until at least the eight century.” Jamieson also mentioned that keeping a large amount of animals showed who had power.

The first modern zoo founded was in Vienna, Madrid and Paris in the eighteenth century and later in London and Berlin in the nineteenth century. The first zoo to be established in America was in Philadelphia and Cincinnati in the 1870s. In today’s America there are thousands of zoos. Humans like to be entertained regardless of how they are being entertained, whether that is walking through the park, watching a show, listening to music or simply going to the zoo. There is truth behind zoos that many don’t see, for example, many zoos don’t show the death rates that many zoo animals have after being transported from their natural habitants or the experiences that the zoo keepers provide to the animals being kept in captivity. To what extent are we okay with animals being tortured or being aware that animals are being killed just so humans can be entertained? While there are benefits to keeping animals in captivity, scholars agree that there are more negative effects that are damaging to the animals. The purpose of zoos can be more than just keeping animals in captivity and creating significant health or mental problems, zoos also can have a positive outcome, zoos can help keep endangered animals safe from others who are trying to kill them for what they are worth. Jamieson explains and gives one example of when people started putting animals in captivity. The Romans is the example that Jamieson uses, the Romans “kept animals in order to have living fodder for

For as long as most people can remember, zoos have always been around. Zoos are where an adult’s childhood springs back to life as they experience the joys of seeing a lion roar, monkeys swing through trees, otters swishing up to the glass, and dolphins dancing out of the water with a splash. It would be difficult to look around a zoo and not see at least a glimmer of a smile on each of the faces in the area. Families and friends come together to support the many different types of animals in zoos, learning what they are and how their species came to be. It is an education and invigorating trip for each and every person who walks by.

The earliest known zoo was found recently in Egypt and dates to 3500 B.C and contained a wide variety of animals.

When people hear the word Zoo many different thoughts and opinions come to mind, but the levels of positivity and negativity vary from person to person. A common grievance is that zoos are jails to animals and their conditions are similar to circuses. Due to traveling and poor living conditions. Animals of the entertainment business are treated with much less respect than in a zoo. Others tend to think of the cute, fuzzy, and even funny animals living in well-designed habitats. No matter the opinion one approaches this article with, the knowledge of how a zoo actually works is often lacking. Few actually know that these animals are in the best place for them, and often feel just as at home. A great example is The Denver Zoo’s own Red Panda

Some people agree that animals should be kept in the zoo. They said it would be safer for the animals and they won’t be extinct. The amount of possibilities of them dying, shot by hunters or any other reason, still higher than the chances of their survival. Food and shelter are provided, medicine, and their breeding is being controlled. And many of the wild animals in zoos are ones that are on the endangered list as their amounts are rapidly diminishing. Letting them loose and returning them to the wild is not necessarily a safe option. (Mylot, 2007) In fact, zoo can be one of the educational studies for children and people who are interested with animals. Zoo is the only place that we can have an opportunity to see animal’s life really close and sometimes we can touch them. Zoos also provide lots of information about certain animals, children can have chance to get out of the classroom and learn so they can see natural beauty from different species of animals. Even children can see them from discovery channel but that’s really different if you see animal in real world, for an example, if you see crocodile, snake or shark in the movie, maybe you won’t afraid than you see the real one. According to Tudge, (1992, p.56) Zoos are the place where people can study animals and their habitat, even scientist don’t need to go

Since approximately 1250 B.C., ancient Egyptians had created and practiced the capture and display of animals in what are now known as zoos (Fravel). Records describe such exotic animals as birds, lions, giraffes, and tigers in captivity (Fravel). Since then, zoos have continued to entertain millions with the exciting chance to view exotic animals up close and personal. Even in ancient Greece, exotic animals were on display in fighting arenas, and in enclosed viewing areas. Originally in America, zoos were just created so that royalty and the wealthy could flaunt their exotic animals to the public (Leolupus). Today, with species threatened and habitats disappearing worldwide, zoos are serving a new purpose other than the mere exhibition of

The sun was shining, the sky was spotted with clouds, and the wind was whistling as it passed through the trees. Overall, it was the perfect day to visit the zoo. Smiling, happy children bounded beside me as I walked underneath the large, blue and yellow sign announcing “The Colorado Zoo.” As I walked onto the sidewalk, I looked out over the “habitats.” The big, colorful signs advertising the exotic animals “brought from all over the world!” Animals that were taken from their home, taken from their habitats, and taken to a world where they are put on display. Animals who are forced to live out their lives in zoos in unhealthy, degrading, and devastating ways.

Research is the careful search or inquiry for new facts by scientific study of a subject, through a course of critical investigation. By studying animals we can learn new things about their behaviour and lifestyle. The Secretary of State’s Standards of Modern Zoo Practice (SSSMZP) encourage zoos to carry out research. Research can be carried out ex situ or in situ.