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Ethics of the roles of zoos
Ethics of the roles of zoos
Ethics of the roles of zoos
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To begin, zoos are unethical because animals inherit mental issues while in captivity. According to "Play time at the Zoo" by Elizabeth Carney, "Bored animals can be dangerous. They can exhibit self-mutilation, hyper aggressiveness and loss of appetite" (149). This is important because animals execute these behaviors regularly, so the animals can be harmed. If the animals did not live in zoos they would not be harmed. Also, according to a video produced by Discovery News, un-noticed stress can result in bad health for animals (==). This is significant since animals lives can be dramatically shortened from their poor health. The stress can be caused by the light levels and noise levels and because the light and noise is so high the animals would
Zoos all over the world are keeping animals in environments that mimic their natural habitat. In the article “Should we have zoos?” by Shayna Orens, Zoos around the world are to help adults, animals, and kids. Zoos not only keep animals, but they also rescue animals.This means zoos are beneficial because Zoos take care and rescue animals for educational purposes Zoos also have many different programs like education for kids.
In “Are Zoos Morally Defensible?” philosopher Tom Regan argues that non-human animals in fact do have rights and that therefore, zoos are not morally defensible. In this context, zoos will be defined as “a professionally managed zoological institution accredited by the AZA and having a collection of live animals used for conservation, scientific studies, public education, and public display (Regan 392).” Regan states that in previous times, animals were often regarded as lesser to humans, leading to the interests of humans forming “the center of the universe (Regan 393).” Throughout Regan’s paper, he explores both the utilitarianism viewpoint and the rights viewpoint of the morality of zoological institutions. Utilitarianism is the belief
May 26, 2009 was a day of history. Not many people know or even care about this day, but it was the very first day a Latina was nominated for the Supreme Court. That very woman made a huge impact in the United States of America but not many people show her the respect she deserves, that very woman is Sonia Maria Sotomayor. Sonia Sotomayor was born on the 25th of June in 1954. Sotomayor grew up in the Bronx of New York, her parents(Juan and Celina Baez Sotomayor )were Puerto Rican Descents that had moved to New York City to raise their children.
Lets start with zoos, where animals are kept in cages or large enclosures for public viewing. Millions of people visit zoos thinking the animals are happy, when in all reality they are miserable. You can try to replicate the animals enclosure to their natural habitat, but they can never replace their homes. An animals rights organization states, “Animals are often prevented from doing most of the things that are natural and important to them, like running, roaming, flying, climbing, foraging, choosing a partner, and being with others of their own kind,” (PETA). Although, zoos are said to ‘help’ these animals, they really are not, it is more a collection of different animals in order to show off to the audience and gain money off of them. People begin to believe it is okay to keep these wild animals captive and have their lives be controlled by someone else.
Keeping animals locked in cages, bored and cramped up in such a small space is an awful sight to show the children. It creates an image in the little minds of children that animals are to be treated like they don’t matter. They say Zoos are a place where children can learn about the wild, exotic animals, but in reality it doesn't teach them anything only that they are meant to be caged up, which is wrong. Also, it is really painful to see the animals bored and lonely, so why should people keep letting them do this to these beautiful creatures. Animal captivity for entertainment should end to let them go to their rightful home.
Zoos have been very controversial lately with debate about animal cruelty and speculations shifting around the industry, so what is the truth about zoos? Zoos are known to be a safe area for animals and humans, entertain individuals and be a safe containment for endangered animals. Knowing this information it’s factual to say that this sounds like the perfect place for animals and humans, and they are.
Zoos are very inhumane, because the animals are put to their misery inside of their cages Lions and tigers have around 18,000 times less space in a zoo and Polar bears have one million times less space when living in a zoo.
Tigers, lions, giraffes, and other exotic animals are rarely seen in the wild. However the public, without humans and/or animals being harmed at the same time, can see exotic animals when a zoo opens. Zoos for many are a wonderful experience, but to others they see the animals as being treated poorly and not able to roam free. These people do not consider the beneficial sides of zoos. Zoos around the world help species that have been endangered by protecting and caring for them. Otherwise they would have became extinct and killed for their valuable fur or feathers. Zoos were created for a purpose that needed to be filled. If there were no purpose for them they would have not been created. Zoos are needed and if there is a need in this world, the spot will most likely be filled without hesitation. Some zoos were not trained properly and do not treat their animals very well. Some bad zoos do not feed their animals enough and keep them in a confined cage. Although some zoos are harmful for both animals and people, many of them are good zoos and take care of their animals better than most people take care of them selves. It is amazing to be able to see such care and love are associated with zoos. Not only do zoos help the endangered animals they also help people learn to respect such amazing creatures. Zoos are a good attribute to society because they promote education, research, protect, conserve, and outlook.
There are many places where people can go to see live animals such as aquariums, zoos, and safari parks. A pleasant way to define a Zoo is to call it “an establishment that maintains a collection of wild animals”. (Google def) Another way to say that is a facility in which animals are “enclosed in cages for public exhibition”. I believe zoos are ethical; however, changes need to be made to eliminate problems I have discovered. In this argumentative essay, I will be arguing the ethics of zoos and certain problems that need to be addressed that people are not aware of. Zoos are great places to take the family out for the day to have entertainment; however, problems such as captive breeding, length of life, and animal stress need to improve.
In the film, Madagascar, zoos are depicted as a sanctuary in which all the exotic animals are kept safe and are open for the public to view. But many would argue that zoos are inhumane, the caging of animals for our personal entertainment is unjustifiable. Those who believe that zoos are wrong and should be destroyed are animal rights activist; they believe that animals should be allowed to choose their own destiny. Those that believe that zoos are an important part of our lives are scientist and zoologist. This debate has gone on for generations and average folk are stuck in the middle, not knowing which side to stand on. The animals being kept in captivity could not be interviewed; their side of the story will be based on interpretation on their movement and interaction with animals in the zoo and in the wild. Are animals better suited to live in the harsh conditions of the wild or are they better suited to live their lives safely in captivity?
Zoo’s enclosures and parks have been around for quite a while now, and it is the duty of the public to go to these parks to explore a new world and experience the “true” animals. People are attracted to new experiences and to learn about exotic animals and see them in their “natural” habitat, or so owners try to present zoos to the public in that way. The seller ideas to get the public to continue to go to the zoos is gaining new exotic animals that you wouldn’t normally see around your house or near civilization. As stated by DeLuca and Slawter-Volkening, zoos are used to “bringing a taste of wilderness” to its public (3), trying to give a false reality of the wilderness. Later in the same article, they stated that “fundamentally zoos exist to amuse people…..animals are reduced to actors in the play/world created by humans for humans” (DeLuca and Slawter-Volkening 4). This statement shows that humans do in fact enjoy the “fake” over the real, and that animals are only objects or toys used to amuse the people.
... danger too. A good reason for captivity is rehabilitation for an animal that is hurt or wounded and could be treated. Then having a second chance back out into the wild. Also by keeping endangered species from going completely instinct by figuring out genetics of an animal. So having zoos and farms do help animals but does put them at risk.
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.
Zoos bring human kind closer to wild life. Though, sometimes that means taking the animal out of its natural habitat. Some animals have lost most of their habitat and are on the verge of extinction. In this way, the zoo helps the animals rather than using them as a form of human entertainment. Zoos also allow humans to study different kinds of animals more closely. Some zoos on the other hand manipulate the animals to acquire as much revenue as possible rather than being concerned with the welfare of each animal.
Zoos are an unsuitable environment for wild animals and should, therefore, be abolished. Firstly, zoo animals are kept in a very confined area compared to their vast natural habitat. Secondly, breeding programmes are far less successful than zoos claim. Thirdly, zoo animals are exposed to many diseases and other dangers. Zoo animals are usually kept in very cramped enclosures and do not behave like their wild counterparts.