When people think of a zoo what pops into their minds? They probably imagine a fun, educational place where kids can learn about happy little animals from watching them in enclosures. What comes to mind when I think of a zoo, however, is the opposite. I picture severely depressed and overly stressed animals trapped in cages too small to mimic their natural environment. The effects of housing animals in zoos can be detrimental to the animal’s health, increasing the probability of stress-induced diseases and stereotypic behavior, especially in Asian and Africans elephants. Although wild animals are anything but free from disease or injury, it is a more significant problem for them in captivity. According to Stephen Bostock, author of “Zoos and Animal Rights”, “the stress of being captured and transported can make an animal more liable to serious,” infection (67). He also mentions how the conditions in zoos can assist in the spread of infections and parasites (67). In addition to this, animals can be exposed to disease they would not normally face in the wild, diseases that they have no immunity built against. For example, primates catch tuberculosis and measles from humans and Antarctic penguins often die from aspergillosis as a result of not living in their natural aseptic environment (Bostock, 67). So even though zoo animals may be healthier in ways such as less minor injuries, the gap between them and their wild counterparts is not as big as people perceive. Elephants are
According to the passage “The Impact of Animal Protection” it says “In the wild, animals share territory with other species, and the idea of survival of the fittest is very apparent.” it also mentions that the innate instincts they have to survive can be hurt and sometimes gone if they are kept in captivity for too long. The animals are more likely to be hurt by predators because they forget the their natural ways from when they were wild and untouched by the human kind. Others may say that it’s great for many of the to be in the animals to be in zoos mainly for the entertainment to them when they go to see the animals. However I still feel that it is not necessary for them to be locked away in the captivity of zoos for human needs they have their own needs to you
There are flaws in the measurement for animal welfare in zoos. According to Dita Wickins-Drazilová “the usual criteria for measuring for measuring animal welfare in zoos are physical health, long life, and reproduction” (Wickins-Drazilová). There are more factors of animal welfare than the usual criteria. Many zoos claim to have healthy animals that live long lives and reproduce, but that is not merely sufficient enough for proof of good care. A long life in suffering, for example, is not a great way to live, and it is possible for animals to live long
Likewise, CAPS affirms that zoos cause animals such as elephants physical harm by stating “…75% of elephants were overweight and only 16% could walk normally, the remainder having various degrees of lameness. Less that 20% were totally free of foot problem…” This proves without a doubt that zoo animals are often mistreated and the situations they face in these new surroundings can heavily influence their physical and mental health and their
In the United Kingdom there was a welfare concern for all of the elephants. 75% of elephants were overweight, only 16% could walk normally, and solitary 20% of the elephants were free of foot problems. This is why zoos do more harm than good. CAPS (captiveanimals.org ) states “Wild animals in zoos suffer physically and mentally as their complex social, behavioural and physical needs cannot be met in the unnatural manmade environments.” Many animals suffer from being captive in the children's “fun” center we now call zoos. This captivity can turn into a disease. lcanimal.org states “Many animals held in captivity begin to form
Animals need to be in their natural habitat, instead they are in an area too small and not the same. Animals are more likely to get diseases spread from other animals. By being in captivity it can cause animals physical and emotional distress. Animals should not be kept in zoos because animals deserve to be in their natural habitat away from physical and emotional stress of zoo life. Stress and lack of exercise affects the animals’ health.
Imagine you are a animal in a zoo. You haven't been fed in days. You have a wound on your paw. There is a little girl watching you pounding on the glass she is making you angry. How do you feel? That's how animals the feel everyday. People look at them everyday watching their every move.
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
Firstly, animals in captivity show distraught behavior and don’t have the same abilities as those in the wild. For example, in the article The Loneliest Elephant written by Tracy Tullis, it states, “With limited space and and no infants to care for, captive elephants can become catatonically bored. A great majority of elephants in American zoos -- as much as 80 percent according to a 2013 study by the Honolulu Zoo -- develop disturbing neurotic behaviors, such as repetitive swaying and head bobbing.” Furthermore, it is clear that some animals in zoos behave differently, in a negative manner, in zoos than in their natural habitat (Tullis, 3). Also, a wildlife behavioral biologist Toni Frohof talks about Happy, an elephant kept in isolation at the Bronx Zoo. His words in The Loneliest Elephant was, “She exhibits self-awareness, yet one of the most important aspects of her psychological and physical life, the ability to be around other elephants, she’s been deprived of.” This shows, elephants who are caged in seclusion don’t feel the same as other elephants who get to be around each other 24/7; Happy is forced to be alone for the rest of her life (Tullis, 3). Concludingly, elephants and other animals can form mental and physical issues while caged or isolated.
The zoo is packed with children, running everywhere. They laugh and smile as they watch the animals at the zoo sleep. What these children do not realize is that these animals are dying on the inside. Animals that live at the zoo are extremely depressed. These animals can suffer severe psychological disorders from being out of their natural environment. But others argue that keeping these animals in captivity will help keep endangered species alive. However, the disadvantages of keeping animals in captivity are becoming more and more serious, and more people are beginning to believe that animals should not be held captive. Animals should not be kept in captivity because of the negative impact it can have
For several generations, animals have been entertaining humans. From sitting in zoo exhibits to being paraded around in flashy circuses, animals, especially exotic ones, have drawn large audiences. A close look at a ferocious lion or a dancing elephant wearing a headdress is often what captivates people, since these spectacles are often unusual and fascinating. However, for lions to be viewed up close and elephants to dance, they must be held captive and trained for desired behavior. This captivity and training raises a question: is captivity detrimental to global animal ecology and health? Many animal activists claim that captivity is abusive, but animal entertainment organizations, such as zoos, circuses, and animal theme parks, promote environmental health through ecological education of children and adults as well as funding research for conservation.
Some people may argue that zoos are good for sick or injured animals; however, while they can help nurture babies and bring sick creatures back to health, they are not safe for healthy animals. Dr. Lesley Dickey estimates that every year about 3,000 to 5,000 animals are ‘management euthanized’ in European zoos (Barnes). This means that zoos put down animals if there is not enough space for them. This is called zoo culling. Some zoos even dissect animals in front of guests that they killed. Zoos are for caring for animals, there is no place for cruelty. Although most zoos don’t kill surplus animals, that doesn’t make them innocent. Some animals don’t live as long in zoos as they do in the wild. The median life span in European zoos for African
responsible in creating. A common case amongst zoo animals is that of anxiety. This can be due to several factors in the zoo environment. This includes animals strict diet, the constant attention from zoo goers, lack of companions, and loss of freedom. The animals may be unaware to how they have ended up in their situation, but their instincts know something isn’t right. There have also been cases of depression with zoo animals. Most cases of depression are due to lack of companions or a loss of a companion, if a zoo animal is surrounded by a companion and the companion passes the behavior of the animal changes. For example, in NY Times article Zoo Animals and their Discontent by Alex Halberdtadt he mentions a male gibbon who struggled psychologically, displaying behavior qualities after the passing of his companion,” He ate less, moved less and sometimes refused to go on exhibit.” (paragraph 25 line 9-10). Behaviorist Virga believed the cause to be grief, which happened to last for a quarter of the year. The psychological effect physically caused the animal harm regarding its health. In the wild gibbons live a life with several companions so when one dies, the loss isn’t as tragic or mentally straining on the animal. This affliction zoos have on its animals is correlated to captivity in general.
Many people have memories of visiting a zoo or an aquarium in their childhood, but are they safe for the animals inside? Indicators for both support and opposition exist, making the debate double sided and more complex than originally thought. For example, SeaWorld recently shut down their orca breeding program because the whales were being harmed. Despite this, animals in captivity may be a necessity. Habitats being destroyed and the threat of predators and poachers are becoming more common. Zoos and aquariums can provide a safe haven from these dangers. Alternatively, some zoos and aquariums can be even more dangerous for the animals than if they were in their natural habitat. Mistreatment of animals in captivity is a problem that only seems
Now there are modern zoos in almost every city in the world that boasts different arrays of animals. With all these different zoos around the world, we see different approaches on how these animals are treated and what they are subjected to.
There have been a lot of problems with animals in zoos. It has gotten to the point where zoos are hated and looked upon as a places of animal torture. Are zoos really that bad? Turns out, they are. They do not have enough space, they do not allow the animals to communicate with each other, and they sell the animals to cruel circuses.