Are Zoos Humane

One of the most fun, visually amazing functions to visit are zoo's. Growing up as a kid going to the zoo was so much fun and basically guaranteed a great day out. People have been complaining and questioning the role of zoo's for a long time now. Some claim that it actually kills the animals off faster. Others claim that zoo's actually help protect and preserve the lives of these animals. Only one can make a reasonable argument by studying sources, and finding out statistics. Based off of the articles, "The Stripes Will Survive", "The Zoos Go Wild", and "Our Beautiful Macaws and Why They Need Enrichment", we can truly get in-depth analysis about the role zoo's play.

To answer this complex question, philosophy professor Bryan Norton poses some additional concerns relevant to this issue. He notes that if in fact keeping these animals in captivity is ethical, then we must also discuss what specifically humans want to conserve (Norton 15). Is it limited just to animal species, or can it extend to populations, ecosystems, and natural processes? If we simply identify wild animals, then we must ask ourselves if we are preserving a wild species if the animals themselves are forced to spend their lives in captivity? He mentions a common analogy used among zoo professionals who refer themselves to a modern day Noah’s ark, preserving each species by removing individuals for conservation. If zoos represent a sanctuary from extinction, then we must also address if there will ever be a natural habitat to reintroduce the animals into, or if they be forced to remain on the zoos “Ark” indefinitely (Norton 16). Though the work of various ethical scholars and philosophers may not be able to provide a concrete answer to all of the respective questions, I will discuss the concept of reintroduction when analyzing the third argument of this essay.

Zoos across the world claim to be safe, suitable homes that replicate habitats of animals that are usually found in the wild. However, there is no possible way for wild habitats to be replicated well enough for animals in captivity to thrive, animals are often separated and withheld from living as they would in the wild. Despite their argument of being educational for visitors, the only thing they are teaching the public is that it is ok to take animals out of the wild and lock them up for their own enjoyment. Regardless of these claims, zoos are inhumane.

Animals kept in zoos has always been a controversial decision. Zoos have been around for 4,000 years. Many people argue about the impact a zoo has on an animal and the world. According to the article, ”Zoos: The Historical Debate”, “Some people argue that zoos play an important role in conservation of endangered animals, others say that zoos do more harm than good.” I believe that zoos play an important role in conservation. They also educate us about animals. Finally, zoos entertain us in many ways. In my opinion, zoos impact the world in a good way.

Moreover, zoos help to repopulate endangered animal species such as the California condor, a vulture. As it says in the article “Zoos: The Historical Debate” after ten years of working

“People forget the good that zoos do. If it weren’t for zoos, we would have so many species that would be extinct today.” Betty White, a longtime well-known actress, stated for her fans. With a simple quote such as this one, so many truths come out of it. And yet, this statement can also be a cause for debate. Within this research, the ethical and logical reasons as to why zoos should remain in place will be explored, while also the counter claims will be examined. Zoos were created to help and protect animals while also to bring joy and education to the humans, they have continued to do so. Inhumane acts being done to animals are unacceptable. With that zoos are working to improve themselves as well as strengthen the animals, they are a necessity to the animals as long as they continue to help. How zoos benefit the people, have economic benefits, and give both education and volunteer opportunities will be explored further. Zoos have gone from a commonly accepted good to an institution the necessity of whose very existence is now debated.

In a world where animals thrive and live, also comes the world of the human species. For many years animals and humans have lived together and have continued to grow. The human species has always been at the top of the food chain and will continue to be. Because humans are dominant over most animals, many things can happen. One of these things that are capable by the human species are zoos. Zoos have been around in society for many years, and they hold many purposes such as “conservation, science, education, and recreation” (Wickins-Drazilová). Many zoos have mission statements that hold common themes. The common themes among most of the mission statements are “(a) conservation and (b) education” (Patrick). Zoos should always be able to stay true to their mission statements while continuing to ethically provide and care for the animals in captivity. Animal welfare should be amongst the promise of zoos in missions as well.

Have you ever heard of the meme Harambe? Well it was based off of an innocent gorilla being killed because of a mother and zoo’s stupid act, but it does raise the question of should zoo’s have to kill animals if they put the public in risk. Harambe could have been tranquilized instead of shot, the mom who let her kid into the exhibit should have kept an eye on her child, and should the exhibit have been safer. This is why Harambe should still be alive and prospering.

Imagine that your entire life revolved around being a display for tourists and visitors. This is life for a zoo animal, this is what they do everyday. Is this truly humane? These animals are meant to explore and travel, but they spend their lives in artificial habitats. Researchers say that the apes that were born in captivity have no hope of survival, and that they 're better off being taken care of by zoos. In videos captured of the Cincinnati incident the screams and yells of the crowd agitated Harambe. He began to take the stance of a dominant display mode, and this made zoo officials worry for the worst. Harambe was only following the natural behavior of a gorilla, and he was deemed too dangerous to let live in this situation. Then if gorillas are too dangerous to be close to humans, then why are they held in exhibits that reduce them to entertainment?

Zoo's are a subject that has quickly become a hot topic. With the recent tragedies regarding Harambee. It has put the thought in many citizens minds, Are zoo's humane? Although zoo's have been put under the spotlight lately, due to nothing less than bad publicity. Zoo's are a main staple for many different types of cultures. There are few people who can say that they have never been to a zoo, or that when they went they did not enjoy the experience going to the zoo granted them. Going to these animal enclosure gives people the opportunity to see animals from all around the world otherwise they may have never had the chance to see. People visit zoos on a daily basis all across the world to become more familiar with how the animals interact and how they live.

When it comes to the topic of whether or not it is ethical to keep animals in zoos, some of us would agree it is a debatable topic. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question if keeping animals enclosed in zoos is beneficial to them. Whereas some are convinced that zoos educate the public and benefit the animal’s lives, others maintain that zoos are cruel because of how most zookeepers take care of their animals and having them in captivity causes them to lose their natural instincts. My own view is that zoos should be prohibited because even though zoos are educational for us, animals should be allowed to roam free in the wild where they belong and should be getting to experience their natural habitats.

However, the harmful effects that zoos provide unmistakably outweigh all the benefits as these animals are not living the quality of life that they would have in the wild. Some may say that zoos save endangered species by giving them a protective home, safe from predators, habitat loss, and starvation. While zoos claim to be saving species, they are essentially causing animals to die prematurely. Nevertheless, allowing animals to live freely in the wild would provide them with a much longer life span. Zoos are incapable of caring for the animals properly. Zoos are unfair by jailing animals in unnatural habitats and the keeping animals restrained in tiny enclosures is obsolete (Zoos 3). Additionally, many people tend to believe that zoos are beneficial to endangered species due to the captive breeding programs they provide. In the wild, it may be more difficult for an animal to find mates and breed; however, “the vast majority of captive breeding programs never release these animals back into the wild” (Lin 2). After being a victim of a zoo’s breeding experiment, the offspring are forever a part of the chain of zoos and trading programs that exploit animals (Lin 2). So although captive breeding programs are viewed as a benefit to some, zoos are not as transparent as they may seem. In

The section of Environmental Ethics about zoos discusses their histories while also showcasing the main arguments for and against them. In the chapter it is discussed that the reasons we need zoos are for amusement, education, research, and preservation of the species. While zoos do help with these things and many more the chapter goes on to argue that animals also need their freedom. It is stated that while zoos may not be awful, they are still taking something from these animals whether their captive or wild born. Thus, there is no clear answer to whether or not there should be zoos.

Species such as the Arabian Oryx, Golden Lion Tamarin, Red Wolf, and the Freshwater Mussel are only a few of the several species that zoos have successfully protected from extinction. Critics argue that zoos should focus more on the underlying causes of extinction such as habitat destruction, poaching, and the exotic animal trade opposed to captive breeding. However, the idea of saving endangered species does not entirely rely on what zoos should pay more attention to because humane zoos are already encouraging natural habitat preservation and at the same time, are continuing to accomplish safe captive breeding and successful specie reintroduction. In the United States, captive breeding is typically done at selected zoos that are accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and these zoos follow the Species Survival Plan (SSP), a plan developed by the AZA in 1981. The purpose of the Species Survival Plan is to manage rare animal populations, increase genetic diversity and promote demographic stability (Dunlap and Kellert). They way in which accredited zoos and aquariums captive breed endangered species, proves that humane zoos truly care about all species and not just species favored by zoo visitors as critics

“For most of the wild things on Earth, the future must depend upon the conscience of mankind,” said by ecologist and pioneering conservationist Archie Carr. Humanity has vast amounts of responsibilities and one of those responsibilities is to take care of the wild animals in our world. However, is keeping wild animals in captivity really the best way to take care of them? A zoo or aquarium is an establishment that maintains a collection of wild animals, in enclosures, to display to the public. The American public loves to visit zoos and aquariums because they believe it’s educational and they’ll be able to see animals from a variety of continents. The concepts of zoos and aquariums have been around for centuries and the standard of care