Zoos And Conservation For Animals

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

Children are jubilant and enamored as they stroll by the animals incaptivated at the zoos. What they are not aware of is that the animals are not elated or healthy there. Most animals in captivity should be released because captivity directly affects their health, behavior, their instincts, and they are permanently disrupted.

“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

If you live in America you are probably one of the 175 million people who visit zoos each year. You have probably visited the zoo with your families to look at the extraordinary animals that they keep. You are not the only one to do so, but you have been tricked by zoos to believe that the animals in their care are properly cared for. The truth is for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week animals in captivity are forced to spend their time confined in a “cell.” The precious animals that you fall in love with are deprived of everything that makes their life meaningful. Keeping wild animals in zoos should be prohibited because the animals are not properly taken care of, they are not in their natural environments, and they are proven to have shorter life spans in captivity.

An animals life in a zoo is dreadful.”A 40 year long study showed that polar bears - along with lions, tigers and cheetahs- exhibit great evidence of stress in captivity.” Zoos have replaced crowded cages and poor diets with spaced out cages and well-researched

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

Animals in captivity are denied the key elements needed to mentally grow and physically evolve as a species. Zoos are solely responsible for taking animals from their natural habitats and placing them in small enclosures where they are not able to live healthier and fulfilling lives that they were to live if not for being captured. Zoos are unable to provide proper habitats that replicate an animal's natural habitat, this can lead the animals to develop harmful diseases such as arthritis due improper climates that are fatal to certain animals, or even neurotic diseases caused by deprivation. Zoos are not suitable to fit the needs of wildlife, as they produce negative effects on an animal's physical health and jeopardize its psychological state.

“Many animal rights advocates and even some conservationists argue that what zoos teach is not a love of animals but rather the acceptance of human domination of nature” (Rudy 124). Keeping animals in zoos sends the message that animals are commodities and that humans are justified in locking them up. It is hard to perceive how providing entertainment could possibly justify keeping wild animals in captivity.

Animals that are kept in captivity by zoos and aquariums are being forcefully removed from their natural habitats. Although zoos and aquariums can help animals going through dangerous situations, they do not always return the animals back to their

Zoos, and Marine parks make multi billions of dollars a year from the tourist, families, and kids who visit. (Linda Goldston). The animals were meant to live in the wild, and be free. Zoos trap animals in an environment that is one millionth the size of their natural habitat causing them to behave unnaturally. Even under the best circumstances at the best of zoos, captivity cannot be compared to their natural habitat. Animals are prevented from doing the things that are natural and important to them, like running, roaming, flying, climbing, choosing a partner, and being with others of their own kind. Zoos teach people that it is acceptable to interfere with animals and keep them locked up in captivity, where they are bored, cramped, lonely,

The section of Environmental Ethics about zoos discusses their histories while also showcasing the main arguments for and against them. In the chapter it is discussed that the reasons we need zoos are for amusement, education, research, and preservation of the species. While zoos do help with these things and many more the chapter goes on to argue that animals also need their freedom. It is stated that while zoos may not be awful, they are still taking something from these animals whether their captive or wild born. Thus, there is no clear answer to whether or not there should be zoos.

According to Statistic Brain, “A total of about 751,931 non endangered species and 1,041 endangered species of animals are kept in zoos around the world ”. Many of the non endangered animals are capable of living in the wild by themselves, but the more time they spend in zoos the more they will forget about how to survive in the wild and they will also gain many other negative effects. Zoos are more harmful than helpful because they restrict animals to enclosed habitats, they weaken the animals primal instincts, and they cause the animals stress which lead to mental and physical health issues.

Have you ever wondered how life would be like living in a zoo? Life can be painful as an animal living in a zoo. Many animals get zoochosis, many aren’t treated correctly, and many animals live longer in their natural habitat. Would you want to have freedom or be in prison your whole life until you die? To animals zoos are the prisons.

First, is mental health, everyone's mental health is important as well as animals. When animals are put into a zoo or aquarium, they are more prone to have mental illnesses such as depression or anxiety. “Irregular pacing behavior is most commonly observed in big cats and canids (and other wide ranging carnivores); exclusively in captive environments” (Lamont, Di, 2015). Irregular pacing for big cats means that the cats pace back and forth continuously and at a rapid pace. A second example is how some animals are known to do self-harming behavior. “Some animals are also known to self-harm, for instance pulling out their own hair such as chimpanzees”(Dasgupta, Shreya, 2015). On the other hand, animals in their natural habitat are seen interacting with their peers normally. “Cetaceans can travel up to 100 miles daily, feeding and socializing with other members of their pods. Pods can contain hundreds of individuals with complex social bonds and hierarchies” ( Wild vs. Captivity).

Almost every human being has been to a zoo or an aquarium. Everyone has seen how the animals are in small cages and people enjoy watching them not even caring to take into consideration how the animal may feel. But then who cares right? It is fun to go to a zoo and an aquarium and have a family day and spend money at these institutions not caring what is really going on around them. Animals really suffer by being in a captive environment. To be captive means to be confined to only one place, I personally would not like to be confined to one area my whole life. Although some people may argue that zoos save endangered species by placing them in a captive environment, safe from poacher, starvation, and predators. Animals should not be captive. Animals should be free instead of being captive for human enjoyment and profit because animals have rights, animals in captivity suffer from stress, confinement, and boredom, and when zoos become overpopulated some zoos will outright kill the surplus of animals.