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Arguments about animal captivity
Essays on animal captivity
Essays on animal captivity
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It is said that in order to protect the wildlife, we need to be educated about the wildlife that inhabits our planet. As humans, and the superior species on Earth, we put exotic animals, aquatic and terrestrial, in zoos or aquariums where people can go to see them to learn more about them in order to protect them. It just so happens that by putting these animals into captivity, we are causing more damage to them, just as damage is occurring in the wild and more species are becoming extinct. Animals should not be held in captivity; it does not save them from going extinct, but helps kill them off.
The first zoo in the United States was established in 1874 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia zoo first only had 813 animals but has grown today to have 1,300 animals, still having the same forty-two acres as it did when it first opened. Today there are zoos in almost every major city across the country and even more around the world. But along with zoos, there are marine parks and aquariums. The most famous marine park is SeaWorld, which has three different locations in the nation: Orlando, San Diego and San Antonio. Zoos and aquariums were first brought about to learn about the species that we live with on this planet. To be educated about the wild creatures who are so different from ourselves. Zoos and the caging of wild animals have been around for centuries, there is evidence from Egypt of rulers having wild animals as pets, locking them in cages, just like how today people have hamsters but instead, you would have a wild animal. Today, zoos are used for education to teach people about wild animals so that we can learn ways to conserve the planet and the animals’ habitats, in order to prevent more animals from becomin...
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Hediger, Heini. Wild Animals in Captivity. New York: Dover Publications, 1964. 27-60. Print.
Mason, Georgia J. "Species Differences in Responses to Captivity: Stress, Welfare and the Comparative Method." Trends in Ecology & Evolution 25.12 (2010): 713-21. Print.
Mason, Georgia, et al. “Plastic Animals In Cages: Behavioural Flexibility And Responses To Captivity.” Animal Behaviour85.5 (n.d.) : 1113-1126. Biological Abstracts. Web. 2 Dec. 2013.
Rohter, Larry. "In Killing a Cove, Siding With Dolphins." The New York Times. The New York Times, 16 July 2009. Web. 2 Dec. 2013.
"Should Animals Be Held in Captivity?" ABC News. ABC News Network, 28 Dec. 2007. Web. 02 Dec. 2013.
The Cove. Dir. Louie Psihoyos. Lionsgate, Roadside Attractions. 2009. DVD.
“Zoological Park." National Geographic Education. National Geographic Society, n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2013.
He states that “Animals in zoos and aquariums can live longer, healthier, and richer lives than their forbearers ever did in the wild.” Studies have proven again and again that for most animals a caged life was a short and unhappy one. To begin with, for many species, a stare is received as a threat. With the public constantly staring at the animals, many of them become depressed. Scared and depressed animals might fill the hours with repetitive behaviors known as stereotypy: masturbating to a danger point, pacing their paws raw, or swaying endlessly from side to side (Cokal 492).
"Stories of Captiv Killer Whales." A Whale of a Business. PBS, n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.
1. Deag, J. M. (1996). "Behavioural ecology and the welfare of extensively farmed animals." Applied Animal Behaviour Science 49(1): 9-22.
middle of paper ... ... In conclusion, education, research and conservation is a very important role that we can play in improving the lives of Orca whales, but at what cost? When you have to take an animal out of its natural habitat and deprive it of all its natural instincts, cause unnecessary emotional and physical problems, and put the lives of the whales and their trainers at risk, what are we learning? That it’s okay to possess them merely for entertainment and profit?
Have you ever seen an animal sitting in a cage all alone with nothing to do. Well, zoos are trying to change that fact. They will allow the animals to live in an environment that is like their home. Many people don't realize this, but zoo are keeping and breeding these animals because they would not survive in the wild alone. In the three passages, ¨The Stripes Will Survive,¨ ¨The Zood Go Wild from No More Dodos,¨ ¨Our Beautiful Macaws and Why They Need Enrichment.¨ All of these articles present one claim, that is that the role of zoos is no longer to keep animal, but to protect them.
“Zoochosis” is a term used for the specific behaviors that animals in captivity get due to unstimulating or even small enclosures. These behaviors are usually repetitive and purposeless, like pacing and overgrooming. According to one study “the median
I will now move onto arguments supporting the use of animal captivity. I am starting with Kant, who provides a strong argument for animal captivity. Kantian Ethics holds the view that we do not have any direct ethical duties to non-human animals. We only owe ethical duties to rational beings, and non-human animals are not included in this group. The value humanity comes from our capacity to be governed by autonomous, rational choices. Since non-human cannot be part of this, Kant believes we can do as we please with them. This can be demonstrated in Kant’s ‘Political Writings’ when he argues,
Animals should not be held captive in zoos because it is inhumane and unfair to the animals. There are so many records of terrible things that have happened to animals in zoos over the past few centuries, the go under the radar too often. Too few people even know about these animal care atrocities, and therefore the New York Times decided to bring light upon this situation. The Times did a first-of-its-kind analysis of 390 elephant fatalities at accredited U.S. zoos over the past 50 years (Berens 3). It found that most of the elephants died from injury or disease linked to conditions of their captivity, from chronic foot problems caused by standing on hard surfaces to musculoskeletal disorders from inactivity caused by being penned or chained for days and weeks at a time.
Animals should not be kept in captivity for any reason unless they have been harmed and need to receive treatment, but they should be released as soon as they are healthy and capable of taking care of themselves again. The use of a captive animal for research, education, or entertainment is just wrong; no creature deserves to have their life taken away for our benefit. Would you want to be captured and put in a tiny box, or a fake little ecosystem, or abused and tortured because apparently that’s the only possible way to train an animal? How about just knowing that your real life is over and now all you get to do is put on a show for people? That is what we put these animals through for our entertainment, we tear children away from their parents.
Flynn, Clifton P. "Acknowledging the "Zoological Connection": A Sociological Analysis of Animal Cruelty." Society and Animals 9.1 (2001): 71-87. Print.
The word zoo is actually the shortened term for zoological park or garden. They were once known as a sign of royalty, wealth, and power. Now zoos are a place where people can congregate and see animals up close and personal. The first zoos were small private menageries that only the wealthy had. The earliest evidence of a zoo is 2500 BCE. Carvings showed exotic animals in possession of rulers in Egypt. The first modern zoo was established in 1793 in Paris, France, and it is still a popular attraction. Most modern...
" Society & Animals 18.2 (2010): 183-203. Academic Search Premier -. EBSCO. Web. The Web. The Web.
The reasons that animals are held in captivity could favor some people and others not. Animals in captivity are usually held for entertainment, education, research, and conservation purposes. The other major reason they are held in captive is the process of rehabilitation. The article, Ethical Issues, defines rehabilitation as the treatment of wild animals found injured or ill, taken into captivity until restored to full health and then returned to the wild. Then when the animal is released they are then able to live freely in their own habitat. Although this may lead to suffering and stress or even death for the animal. The animal is so dependent on their caretaker that once they are put into the wild they do poorly (1).
Places like Zoos will argue that they are keeping these animals in cages to protect their species from extinction. A study done shows that when a pack of wolves was reintroduced to Yellowstone after being absent for nearly 70 years, that it had a tremendous effect on the ecosystem. The wolves helped to control the deer in the area so the vegetation could flourish. Other animals began to migrate to the park, so there was more animals helping the ecosystem grow. So, keeping animals in cages actually has an impact on the environment they are meant to be in.
People all around the world love visiting the zoo - especially the kids! To be able to see their favorite animals playing around or just admiring the beauty of these creatures makes their eyes sparkle. Although seeing the animals is truly amazing, a question that is frequently asked is: “How do they manage in captivity? Are they happy living in here?” Merely looking at the animals may not reveal much about how they feel or manage in captivity, unless someone could speak to the animals but that’s not likely. Therefore, this topic requires some research. So let’s grab some thinking helmets. First, we will explore the history of zoological gardens or zoos in general.