Use Of Enrichment On Captive Animals Essay

The issue on whether or not to keep animals in captivity has been debated heavily for a long time. With species such as the panda on the verge of extinction to mistreatment of marine mammals in theme parks such as Sea World, keeping wild animals under the care of humans has been a struggle and a highly controversial topic. Even though many people believe that animals should not be kept in captivity because humans are incapable of fully understanding and providing specific needs for wild animals, certain animals can be kept happy and healthy in captivity, and these animals are an important educational tool for teaching people of all ages about biology, biodiversity, and the ecosystems of the world.

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.

“Before the early twentieth century, zoos would separate humans from the animals by using a series of moats. In the early 1900s, however, zoos “began displaying animals in realistic exhibits that mimicked actual habitats” (Gioielli, 2016, p. 1). Coupled with the more natural habitat is advancing care for the animals in captivity. More hospitals are being built for animals and better medicine is being created constantly. As a result of healthier and happier animals in increased popularity of animals in captivity. According to Carey (2016), “More than 10,000 zoos are now in operation worldwide . . . the central missions of zoos [are] not only to serve as attractions for recreation and amusement, but also to educate people and promote conservation . . .” (p. 2). Most people do not go to see animals in captivity for the sole purpose of entertainment, they also go to learn about the animals themselves. Both children and adults can learn about how to help protect endangered animals and their habitats. As a result, zoos and aquariums are continually gaining popularity. According to Gazert (2017), “Zoos and aquariums draw 181 million visitors per year in the United States--that’s over half the country’s population, and more visitors than the annual attendance of the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB games combined” (p. 2). Unfortunately, some zoos and aquariums have been known to abuse their animals. While this is not true of all zoos, but the reports of abuse have increased leading to more controversy. Because of this the idea of keeping animals in captive is harder to accept. Still, the sad truth is that animals may have to be in captivity in order to save their species. “A recent report from the World Wildlife Fund warned that without swift and substantial human intervention, over two-thirds of the world’s wildlife could be gone by the end of the decade” (Ganzert, 2017, p. 1). Predictions

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

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

Freedom is everything to people, and animals alike. But animals in captivity are stripped from this. In SeaWorld and circuses, the animals are living their lives entertaining people and living their lives in cages or small enclosed pens. By keeping animals to remain in captivity people are taking away their freedom, forcing them to be used for entertainment, and not providing animals with the proper care.

The world stripped of human intervention was created by God to be a magnificent place, which glorified God. We, as beings made in the image of God, were given dominion over the earth. However, where does our rule become unjust? Where do we overstep our boundaries? Throughout history, humans have strived to gain ultimate control of a planet they did not create. Some aspects in nature should be left to its own devices to be beautiful and glorify God, their intended purpose of creation. Humans have no right to captivate orcas because we cannot provide for their needs and we force them into a world they did not want. We force orcas into tanks not nearly large enough, we force them to mix with orcas not from their social pods, and we force them to perform for our entertainment.

Do you think that animals should be kept in captivity there whole life's. When people put animals in zoos or captivity that keeps the animal safe. Although keeping animals in captivity is bad because they don’t get to be themselves, they should keep animals in zoos or captivity because it helps them not go extinct, it brings happiness to families that go the zoo, and zoos bring in enough money to build better animal enclosures.

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

The zoo has been a timeless attraction that has served as a place for people to gather and ponder in wonder at vast wildlife from every corner of the world. Every year millions of people go to aquariums, and zoos to spectate on these happy go loving pandas, monkeys, dolphins and the rest of the creature on the never ending animal list. Little do people know that they are witnessing firsthand the imprisonment and inhumane treatment of innocent animals; these creatures are exposed to overwhelming isolation, a shortened life span and in the rare occasion they are released back to the wild they no longer have natural instinct to help them survive.

It is referred to as a repetitive locomotion stereotype. During the progression of the behavior over time, the intensity changes. When the animal initially begins the pacing, they may be easily distracted by sights or sounds. However, after some period of time, the animal may appear in a “trance,” unable to break their pace or gaze. This is what we so often see in zoos – the apparent detachment from their environment” (Di Lamont). This fact is stating how captivity could affect animals’ mental health very strongly. Also, “Zoos, contrary to what many people believe, often cause great suffering and stress to the captive animals. Animals in zoos are caged for life and deprived of the opportunity to develop and fulfill the full range of their interests and needs. They lose control over their lives and the environment they live in. Social animals are often forced to live in the misery of solitary confinement. Animals who would prefer to live alone are often forced into close contact with others” (“Zoos”). Animals suffer because of how different their

Many horrific things happen to animals while in human captivity. One of these things is the unnatural treatment of animals in captivity. Animals in the wild must work for their food and this makes them stronger and more capable to survive. These animals in captivity however, do