The Cause And Psychological Effects Of Zoo Animals

By placing these animals in unsuitable environments, they are experiencing mental and physical abuse. Moreover, their behaviors are being reformed in order to even be able to survive in such terrible conditions, therefore, altering future generations of these animals. So, not only are zoos changing these animals to conform to their artificial surroundings, but they are also disturbing the natural instincts of the species in order to survive in captivity. As mentioned by the Humane Society of the United States, “Inhumane conditions teach children the wrong message, seeming to condone indifference. Zoos should educate about how animals live in the wild, and help preserve them there.” (The Humane Society of the United States 7). While zoos often try and replicate the natural habitats that these animals live in, they cannot be successfully duplicated, therefore wrongly educating children and leading them to

Most animals in zoos do not get enough exercise as part of their daily schedule, and when animals exercise is lacking, health issues are occurring more frequently. For instance, stressed animals signal depression or psychoses. When elephants at zoos sway from side to side, the people outside of the cage believe it is a normal motion for the animal, but it is actually a signal of stress. Behaviors like these are mainly caused by a lack of privacy, mental stimulation and physical exercise. To help the animals, some zoos give tranquilizers or antidepressants to control these kinds of behaviors in animals. Animals do not deserve this, but still lack exercise. For example, cheetahs in the wild pace 0% to 5% of their day, but at the Milwaukee County Zoo, 64% of their day is spent doing this. Cheetahs are one of the most endangered animals at the zoo because at zoos they only live to age 16 or 17, while in the wild they live to be 30 or older. As a result of this lack of exercise provided by zoos, zoos are not matching the animals’ natural exercise behaviors, so the animals become unhealthy.

As claimed in the LCA article, ”Animals in zoos are forced to live in artificial, stressful, and downright boring conditions”(User, Super). Evidence shows time to time that animals are being affected by zoos. There are many things hidden behind the facilities, that many people do not know about. The animals are being held in conditions that no animal should ever live in. Even though some zoos do focus on helping the animals, they are not as beneficial to the animal because they are not provided with the proper care and attention they need and zoos do not try to fix their problems.

A short documentary film, ‘Zoochosis’, highlights odd behaviors captive animals can exhibit. These unnatural behaviors are repetitive, such as rocking, vomiting, head-bobbing, pacing, and other repetitive actions. Although the cause is still unknown, many experts believe one of the reasons for this disorder is extreme stress (Ramos). When animals are placed in enclosures with animals they aren’t compatible with, it can often lead to aggression and hostility. This is an unhealthy and stressful environment for the animals and, if stress is the cause of zoochosis, can lead to the unnatural behaviors.

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.

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.

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

Most people go to zoos with the expectation of a happy family and enjoying a day staring at wild animals that we do not see very often except of a screen. They see zoos as a place to experience something different and to take their children to. However, few people know of the mistreatment and unfit conditions the animals are forced into. On the contrary to popular belief, there are many zoos that care so little for the health of the animals the zoos are actually the reason the animals become ill. For the truth is that animals in zoos are mistreated, neglected, and even abused because of the awful situations they are in. In this essay, then, we will go over the excruciating conditions and the abuse these animals face everyday of their lives

By placing these animals in unsuitable environments, they are experiencing mental and physical abuse. Moreover, their behaviors are being reformed in order to even be able to survive in such terrible conditions, therefore, altering future generations of these animals. So, not only are zoos changing these animals to conform to their artificial surroundings, but they are also disturbing the natural instincts of the species in order to survive in captivity. As mentioned by the Humane Society of the United States, “Inhumane conditions teach children the wrong message, seeming to condone indifference. Zoos should educate about how animals live in the wild, and help preserve them there.” (The Humane Society of the United States 8). While zoos often try and replicate the natural habitats that these animals live in, they cannot be successfully duplicated, therefore wrongly educating children

Imprisoned animals are unable to have control over their natural environment because they are estranged from their natural dwellings for a long time. The book titled Animal Madness: Inside their Minds by Laurel Braitman (2015) exposes the tragic destiny of the wild animals in zoological gardens who suffer psychologically by developing abnormal behaviours such as pacing, circling, bar biting, self-mutilation and neck twisting. These abnormal behaviours are interpreted as ‘zoochosis’, and the caged animals have an immense tendency to form this abnormality due to their boredom, frustration and lack of

Like humans’ animals suffer from depression, anxiety, sadness, happiness, and many other emotions. Caged animals suffer the worst of it from these emotions. Have you ever seen an animal pace back and forth, rock, or sway side to side in their cage on a trip to the zoo? If so, then take note that the animal is suffering greatly. They are most likely suffering from a disease called zoochosis. The poor animal is physically and mentally worn out from being held capacitive. Some zoos have resulted to giving them human drugs such as Prozac to help them with their condition. A condition that the animal would never have if it was not caged to begin with. What has the world come to when innocent animals are drugged? What about when innocent animals are killed for humans’ careless mistakes? A gorilla at the Dallas Zoo named Jabari was fatally shot by the police after he tried to jump over the wall of his enclosure. A

Every year almost 175 million people visit a zoo, yet the mistreatment of animals in zoos goes almost completely unnoticed. This mistreatment is constantly swept under the rug by issues that society deems more relevant or impact us more. For example, issues like climate change receive more attention. However, this mistreatment is relevant and is constantly impacting society. These animals that are left malnourished, fatigued, and constantly fighting bacterial infections, are important. Every time an animal is pulled from the wild and put into captivity it impacts the mental health of the animal and endangers everyone and everything around it. Zoos are to blame for this endangerment, yet so is the public for overlooking mistreatment such as enclosures that are too small, surplus animals, and mental illness in animals.

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

In the wild, elephants often walk up to 30 miles a day. Bears are very active animals, they roam around hundreds of miles exploring, and are normally active for 18 or more hours a day. Tigers and lions will roam for many miles just to hunt down their pray, and love to run and climb on things. But when these animals are imprisoned in cages and small enclosures at the zoo, they aren’t capable of living up to their natural instincts. “Living without these important things often causes “zoochosis” is a condition in which animals act strangely and even hurt themselves out of boredom and frustration”. Some don't realize all the cons of animals being kept in a zoo.

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