Importance Of Keeping Animals In Zoos And Aquariums

Zoos, rehabilitation institutions, and many other environmental centers provide opportunities for the public to witness animals that cannot be seen on a daily basis. Whether to keep animals in captivity is morally hard to decide, especially for me personally. In the essay, “Against Zoos,” by Dale Jamieson, he writes about the positives zoos provide, and then reiterates them; making positives turn into negatives. Jamieson makes statements about humans being superior over animals, and how we should not be thinking that we are better. We tend to take a lead role over other species, because of our “higher intelligence.” That should not mean that we treat wildlife as if they are something lower than us. In more ways than one, we as humans are

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

Since their very beginnings, zoo’s around the world have been at the forefront of ethical debates. Animal ethicists, animal liberationists and proponents of the land ethic raise considerable questions about the nature of zoos in a moral and ethical context. Drawing on animal rights claims, the questionable moral status of animals and the land ethic, this essay seeks to argue that zoo’s; a place in which wild animal’s are held in captivity, are inherently unethical. Though animal liberationists tend to include domesticated animals and agriculturally farmed animals, the scope of this essay will focus solely on the ethics of zoo’s and those animals within. Citing experts in the animal ethics

The Vancouver Aquarium uses dolphins and belugas to provide entertainment and utilizes the profit gained, to aid them in research. In The Case for Animal Rights, Tom Regan’s moral principles state that there should be total abolition of the use of animals in science as well as for entertainment purposes (337). Moreover, he claims that humans and animals have equal values and rights. Based on this principle, I argue that the practices of the Vancouver Aquarium of using belugas and dolphins for scientific and entertainment purposes is immoral and thus unjustified.

Are animals safe in zoos? Are zoos main priority profit, and not animal welfare, therefore capitalizing on breeding, buying, and selling animals? There are many pros and many cons of animals being kept in zoos. A couple of those pros and perspectives are, conducting research, education and conservation opportunities for the animals. While also, zoos providing many benefits to animals that normally would have not received them, such as training. On the flip side, there are a couple cons. Some of the perspectives of the cons, are zoos posing risks that affect animals and how zoos take their toll on the mental conditions of animals, dictating behavior of some animals and ultimately the animal’s welfare. I will touch on these pros and cons throughout the paper and will be considering different varieties of perspectives, and ultimately concluding on my thoughts of animals being kept in zoos. Are animals safe in zoos? That’s been a question many people are trying to answer.

From staging protests to opening new exhibits, opinions on keeping animals in captivity have erupted. Many people have thrown their support behind organizations such as PETA and ASPCA, in actively suggesting that we stop the movement of animals into captivity and to let them be left alone. In other cases, support is thrown behind organizations such as zoos, aquariums, and shows. To animal conservatories, it is necessary to push the pros of keeping animals in containment, while animal rights organizations push the cons to keeping animals contained.

I have always enjoyed the zoo, but in the back of my mind, I have constantly thought to myself that it is wrong and I should not be giving money to the people that lock the animals up for our enjoyment. Seeing their sad faces always got to me, but I continue to go. I think the feeling of going and seeing exotic animals in the middle of the United States has always fascinated me. I have always loved animals and been eager to learn more about them. The only problem is they are being locked up and stared at all day for our enjoyment. In today's world animal captivity is a problem and it should be solved using humane sanctuaries and education to the public and people caring for these animals.

In the 18th century zoos started getting popular around the world. Zoos have a public stand of claiming to protect the animals and to educate the general public (Captive Animals, 2010). Contrary to people’s beliefs the costs of keeping animals in zoos far outweigh the benefits. However zoos believe that captivity is the only way that animals of all species will survive. What zoos don’t understand is that animals living conditions are very poor and that can take affect the animals health, behavior and mentality. “The animals were very crowded and there was no provision for individual feeding or sleeping areas. There was no environmental enrichment.” (Animal Facts, 2016, p.1). Animal activist around the world are still striving to get zoos to change their ways and allow the animals better care and more freedom.

Whether it was long ago in the glorious days of childhood or if it was a recent trip, the majority of us have gone to a zoo at least once. As a child, no one seems to challenge the ethical dilemmas zoos put forth, but as one matures they may start to call into question the ethics of zoos. Do zoos treat animals humanely? Some questions one should think about are the zoo’s breeding and conservation strategies that go on and the exhibits. Do they support the necessities that animals require?

Think for an instance about life without zoos or aquariums. You might cheer because of the thought that the animals are free, you may feel upset because you will no longer see your favorite animal, or perhaps you could feel indifferent. Nonetheless, zoos and aquariums are a humane and essential resource to understanding our life, our species, and our world. Constructing zoos and aquariums are an ethical and beneficial practice because they are places that provide human contact with nature and animals without harming the animals’ habitats, they prohibit endangered animals from becoming extinct and conserve the animals’ population, and they improve the health of the animals. Zoos and aquariums are rational, noble, and benevolent in these manners

Ten iconic species worldwide were saved from extinction thanks to the help of zoos. Many zoos are built as last resort for animals near extinction or don’t have much numbers left in the wild to mate. The California Condor and Przewalski’s Horse were some animals who were on the verge of extinction, but was brought back thanks to zoo. Orange-Bellied Parrot, big wild cats, marine mammals, and even some amphibian are aided by zoos to help keep their numbers up since they are nearing the extinction statues. Everyday there is a mass extinction in the wild and many exotic animals are lost by the minutes. Zoos and Aquariums plays a very important role in the survival of many exotic animals because they educate people about these animals, provide breeding programs for endangered species, and is keeping its’ animals health while in captivity.

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For the average person, a day at the zoo consists of walking through exhibits, admiring for a few minutes, maybe taking a picture, and moving on. All a person sees is perhaps five minutes into a zoo animals actual life, and they aren’t exactly concerned with the quality of care they are receiving. Is a few minutes of temporary entertainment really worth risking an animal’s life? Traditional zoos in America should no longer exist because of the poor quality of life they experience versus in wildlife, the little to no education they provide, and how they are not worth the damage they truly cause to animals.

This paper looks at the debate about animals in captivity. Through the debate it seems that there is two sides regarding the issue, keeping animals in zoos, wild parks and aquariums, or keeping them free in nature. Though by debating as such, one overlooks the fact that humans have a strong influence on animals inside as well as outside captivity and that one can better confer animal welfare as a whole.

“Zoos and aquariums are some of the best places for you and your family to get connected to nature and become engaged in conservation action” (“Society”). Zoos are essential in growing public awareness of nature. Recently, zoos have faced controversies from animal activists. Many believe animals are restrained of their rights. Furthermore, individuals believe it is wrong to display animals for entertainment which is unethical and unnecessary. However, such perception is only one of many aspects. On the contrary, zoos play an irreplaceable role in species conservation. Today, there are plethora of zoos around the globe. Zoos are beneficial to the world because they are critical to conservation.