The Future of Zoos In the Midst of Activists’ Attacks
In an increasingly threatening environmental crisis, zoos are participating in the conservation of species. The biodiversity of the animal and plant worlds is being deeply affected, on the one hand by the disruption of ecosystems caused mainly by climate change and deforestation, and on the other hand, by the globalization of trade, travel, transport, and tourism. These two factors are increasingly reducing animals’ habitats and endangering many species (Keulartz 336). Even in the face of the environmental serial destruction, animal protectionist and wildlife conservationist activists criticize zoo’s efforts to protect the animals they house. The ways zoos progresses in the future to
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The Doctor Chris Parsons, former Director of the Society for Conservation Biology, explains animal welfare groups accept the use of animals for some human interests like clothing, food, recreational need, or scientific experiments, as long as the animal is free of stress and pain . The influential groups, the Humane Society and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, recognize on their website some zoos are beneficial to animals supporting conservation programs, participating in the preservation and restoration of endangered species, and promoting education about the importance of wildlife. However, this statement holds under certain conditions. First, the Humane Society recommends zoos to be organized around “a core mission that educates the public about the needs of the animals and the threats they face”. Also, zoos should provide animals with humane care and adapted to their physical, social and psychological needs. Finally, ASPCA indicates, zoos should “participate in tightly controlled breeding programs” and their display “should stress the themes of endangered species, wild habitat destruction and reduced biodiversity”. Unfortunately, many zoos are not falling under this description, but they can act on several factors in the intent to work towards the animal welfare activists’ demands.
Human treatment of captive animals and their
This quote is effective because the writer uses his own experience and reliability to show the readers that zoos understand animals. As a result, the author uses a dependent source to make a point that zoos help the animals. Following this, the use of logos is shown in the article to give reasons to support keeping zoos for educational purposes. In one case, when the author says that zoos are advancing, it states, “Today more than 90 percent of mammals housed in accredited facilities were born in zoos and not taken from the wild” (974). It is important to note, that the author uses logos to help the readers realize zoos are taking care of the animals and not hurting them.
The author reveals that zoos help protect animals that are either endangered or threatened. The author wants the reader to understand that zoos can help keep animals safe from natural threats and from going extinct. Moreover, the author can make his point using pathos.
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.
- Zoo’s take on the duty to honor animal rights given that they have taken responsibility for the animal. This means that zoo’s must work to avoid pain and seek to bring the animals pleasure. An “informed empathy” (having a reverence for all life) is the basis for our ethical standard in how we treat animals. Going against this ethical basis in zoo’s is only acceptable when there is a threat to human life. Callicott will be brought in here yet again, to discuss how we have a duty of care for animals and that zoo animals are our creations, so we must treat them ethically.
For many centuries, zoos have served as a way of both educating and entertaining various audiences around the world. However, many ethical and moral concerns have arisen recently regarding the manner in which the animals in these facilities are treated. Zoos disregard the rights of animals because the audiences and employees treat them poorly and animals are unable to thrive in the small enclosures. Journalist Michelle Carr is correct in her claim about the harsh reality of zoos. Even though authors Leslie Kaufman and John Pickrell are accurate when they claim that many zoos serve as educational and conservational institutions, this does not excuse the fact that zoos take advantage of animals in order to make money.
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
In the article “Zoos Are Cruel and Unnecessary,” Earth Times posed a question, “With the internet, as well as DVDs, 3D TV, etc., are zoos really necessary to teach people about animals in the 21st century?” In the response given by Liz Tyson, director of the Captive Animals’ Protection Society, she argues an animal and its environment in a zoo is “out of context” and there is no substitution for an animal’s natural habitat. Therefore, viewing animals in such environments distorts the message that a zoo’s primary purpose is to conserve these habitats in the wild. By focusing solely on the artificial habitats, Tyson fails to mention the educational opportunities that zoos and zoological parks can provide, such as interactive visitor programs, breeding and rehabilitation programs, and up-close animal encounters.
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 are internment camps for animals, and it should be shut down because of all the mistreatment and bad effects it has caused on animals. These bad effects and mistreatment can be summarized to three major points, which are:
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
“Some people talk to animals. Not many listen thought. That’s the problem.” - A.A. Milne. I feel that this means some people command the animals to work, while not understanding what the animal also wants or needs. In the debate, “Are Zoos Bad News?”, written anonymously, the author reports the ethical and unethical reasoning between zoos. This came after the attack on three victims. In my opinion, the existence of zoos should endure seeing that it educates people, zoos can alter the behaviour of people to animals and zoos promote wildlife conservation.
Zoos present a certain blend of nature and culture. They have always provided a way to bring natural wildlife and urban Americans together as a means of entertainment. Yet, throughout the years the role of zoos have changed. Though once used for amusement, zoos are now being used for education on preservation and the welfare of endangered species. One may wonder where and how the idea of zoos started and just how they, and the environment around them, have changed throughout history.
Zoos are a dynamic educational source that enhances our community. Zoos raise awareness about jeopardized species and the significance of preservation. Zoos may help us to comprehend animals. They offer a good tool for our societies by lodging and dealing with creatures that may have been in peril at one point in their life. “100,000 kids come to London Zoo every year to learn about creatures.”[3] Usually when people come to zoos and they are taught about the conservation of some of the endangered species, a lot of these people get motivated and inspired to do something about it either by donating money or volunteering to help and so on.
The topic of zoos and whether or not they’re humane have quickly become one of the biggest controversial topics in the past twenty years. There is not much of a ‘middle’ perspective in this debate, rather people tend to lie on two completely opposite ends of the spectrum when displaying their beliefs pertaining to the zoo debate. I chose to research this topic because though I have strong beliefs, I think that, on this matter specifically, people often jump to a certain side without any prior research or actual education on the subject. I think that it’s important to understand both sides of the argument of zoos before sustaining a side. Another reason why I chose this topic was to moreso educate myself and to make sure that the knowledge I
Some people agree that animals should be kept in the zoo. They said it would be safer for the animals and they won’t be extinct. The amount of possibilities of them dying, shot by hunters or any other reason, still higher than the chances of their survival. Food and shelter are provided, medicine, and their breeding is being controlled. And many of the wild animals in zoos are ones that are on the endangered list as their amounts are rapidly diminishing. Letting them loose and returning them to the wild is not necessarily a safe option. (Mylot, 2007) In fact, zoo can be one of the educational studies for children and people who are interested with animals. Zoo is the only place that we can have an opportunity to see animal’s life really close and sometimes we can touch them. Zoos also provide lots of information about certain animals, children can have chance to get out of the classroom and learn so they can see natural beauty from different species of animals. Even children can see them from discovery channel but that’s really different if you see animal in real world, for an example, if you see crocodile, snake or shark in the movie, maybe you won’t afraid than you see the real one. According to Tudge, (1992, p.56) Zoos are the place where people can study animals and their habitat, even scientist don’t need to go