Essay on Animals in Captivity

Lions, tigers, bears-Oh my! Many mighty creatures crowded around to be shown to the world! Cubs crawling and snakes slithering, all the exotic animals happy and at peace in their home away from home, a loving zoo. For some, Animals in captivity is a touchy subject. Many say it is inhumane,

The issue on whether or not to keep animals in captivity has been debated heavily for a long time. With species such as the panda on the verge of extinction to mistreatment of marine mammals in theme parks such as Sea World, keeping wild animals under the care of humans has been a struggle and a highly controversial topic. Even though many people believe that animals should not be kept in captivity because humans are incapable of fully understanding and providing specific needs for wild animals, certain animals can be kept happy and healthy in captivity, and these animals are an important educational tool for teaching people of all ages about biology, biodiversity, and the ecosystems of the world.

Should animals in Captivity be allowed? Animals in Captivity should be allowed because they get the medicine they need, animals can live longer, and the animals can get smarter. The first reason animals in captivity should be allowed is that animals can get healthy. There are rehabilitation programs that nurse animals back to health.Veterinarians can prevent and control a disease. Second, animals can live longer in captivity. In the article, by Hannah J. O’regan and Andrew C. Kitchener states, “Gorillas live for more than 50 years in captivity compared to 35 years in the wild” (223). The animals diets also help them live longer. Lastly animals can get smarter. Animals in captivity do more activities making them smarter. For example, “Rats raised in enriched environments had larger brains”(O’regan and Kitchener 224). Animals in captivity should be allowed because they are able to get healthier, their lifespan increases, and they get more intelligent.

Zoos may seem fun to visit and exciting to see the animals; but what you don’t see is the suffering and depression that lies in these helpless creatures. There are many arguments whether or not zoos are good or bad, and if they should be removed or kept. Several think that zoos should be abolished or at least very much improved, due to animal cruelty. While, others want zoos to stay because it is beneficial for the animals and people. I strongly believe that zoos aren’t good for both the public and animals for numerous reasons.

Zoos built for profit not for animals. Zoos make animals suffering from brain dysfunction because they forcing them to stay in the same small place forever. Animals in zoos are kept in cramped spaces with virtually no privacy and have very few opportunities to exercise or keep their minds active. Moreover, when animals live without their habits, they will have zoochosis. Moreover, they might harm themselves and visitors. Last Chance for Animals said that “Many animals held in captivity begin to form abnormal symptoms referred to as “zoochosis.” These neurotic and atypical behaviors occur as a result of boredom, depression, frustration, a lack of mental and physical enrichment, and removal from their natural habitat and social structures” (n.d., para.9). If animals kept in captivity, this will make them crazies. In brief, we destroy animal’s life when we kept them in

An animals life in a zoo is dreadful.”A 40 year long study showed that polar bears - along with lions, tigers and cheetahs- exhibit great evidence of stress in captivity.” Zoos have replaced crowded cages and poor diets with spaced out cages and well-researched

Even though some argue that zoos are actually beneficial for animals, zoos in reality produce a toxic and cruel impact on species. When animals are confined in spaces for entertainment purposes, they are more likely to develop mental illnesses and strange behaviors. For instance, the term “zoochosis” was coined by Bill Travers in 1992 after witnessing abnormal behaviors such as pacing, head banging, self mutilation, regurgitating, and many more actions that animals displayed in zoos that were not found in the wild (“Travers”). These findings are able to prove that the behavior shown in zoos is not normal for these species. With evidence such as recordings that show animals displaying these shocking behaviors, it is impossible to claim that

The public have always been a lover of zoos and safari parks, as they allow people to get closer to beautiful and exotic animals that they typically wouldn’t see in my day to day life. Though, as children become older, they often become more aware of the darker truth of animals in captivity. Now, going to the zoo has always made people happy, but that happiness is only temporary. You gain maybe three to five hours of happiness from going to the zoo. Yet, the sadness that animals in captivity have to deal with is not temporary. It could potentially last their entire lives. Is it worth it to have these wonderful animals suffer so that we can get brief enjoyment out of them?

When animals in the wild are endangered or appealing to humans we will capture them and put them in captivity, but humans are really oblivious to what they are actually doing to these animals. When kept in captivity animals are treated poorly, stripped of all their rights, and eventually suffer major behavioral changes. The public is completely unaware of all the harm they are doing to these animals rather than helping them. Animals are being treated wrong in captivity and being stripped of any rights because of this they endure severe behavioral changes when kept in captivity.

Animals in captivity are incapacitated, therefore they should stay in the wild and out of zoos. The writers at the largest animal rights organization in the world, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, P.E.T.A., explain that animals in captivity “are often prevented from doing most of the things that are natural and important to them, like running, roaming, flying, climbing, foraging, choosing a partner, and being with others of their own kind”(“Zoos”). It is a constant challenge for animals in zoos to execute activities that come naturally. Imagine a cheetah that cannot run, a bird that can only fly 20 feet in the air, or a lion that cannot hunt. A four year study of animals in captivity at Oxford University shows that “observing animals in captivity and in the wild found that animals such as polar bears,

Imagine if you were thrown into a cage, or beat for no specific reason, or being forced to do something you didn’t want to do, all for the entertain of humans. Animals have been used for entertainment purposes in both the past and present. The total number of animals in captivity for the sake of entertainment of humans is 751,931. There are many different types of Animal abuse. Some examples of different types of animal abuse are poor living conditions, inhumane rearing practices or purposeful execution of violent and harmful acts against the animals, such as, dog fighting. Some major contributors to animal cruelty around the world are, animal testing, fishing and slaughterhouses. Animals in captivity are forced to perform silly tricks under

Studying animals in captivity allows scientists to achieve up-close research that cannot be obtained from animals in the wild. Seaworld helps “provide researchers the unique advantage of animals that are trained and able to cooperate”.This type of research is crucial to protect the species in the ocean, especially those that are endangered. Observing captive animals can be done on a daily basis for longer periods of time. It also gives researchers a “controlled setting for science that is impossible to replicate in the wild”. By working with universities and government agencies, Seaworld is enhancing their knowledge and understanding of killer whales in order to help protect the species in the wild. Seaworld’s vice president of veterinary services

Almost every person has visited a zoo during their lifetime. We have been fed lies about zoos breeding programs, conservation of endangered animals, and the environmental conditions the animals are living in. The true purpose of zoos is money shrouded by the thought of educational purposes. The owners have no remorse or pity for the animals they have stolen and the baby animals they’ve bred in captivity. Although zoos promote that animals will live longer in captivity, it’s the value of their life, not the quantity that matters.

Going to the zoo is a common part of a child’s life. Seeing the animals, riding the carousel, going to the petting zoo; they all seem like fun and harmless activities. In fact, mosts of the time, zoos and animal sanctuaries help the animals living in them. Keeping endangered or injured animals in man-made habitats has proven to have many benefits; the animals have a constant food source, receive medical care, and are protected from predators. However, there are many downsides to keeping animals in zoos or sanctuaries.

The animals are not accustomed to the closed off environment that they are put in and tend to lose their natural instincts. Despite all the planning that goes into these enclosures living in a zoo can never compare to being able to roam free. Wild animals are being held captive and being transported across the globe commonly ending up in an environment