Do Zoos Keep Animals In Captivity?

I. Introduction

What comes to mind when you hear zoos mentioned? Visiting the zoo with your elementary class or family, curiosity being sparked about wild animals in your sight. Or you could imagine the vision of animals being deprived of natural habitat, being locked in cages or glass compartments, seeming sad or depressed, reminding yourself of the cruelty that is captivity. It is all is dependent on how you were introduced and exposed to zoos throughout your lifetime. Wild animals have been held in captive since the first modern zoo opened in 1763 in Paris, France. (Lin, About.com) The concept was originated for the sole purpose of pastime and a friendly educational family activity, as humans in the western world would not have the likeliness

Activist organizations and advocates argue and debate the fact that keeping animals in anything other than their unnatural habitats is cruel of the human race to do, because it expresses our ignorance towards the needs of lesser species for our own benefits. Though there are some zoos that treat animals with the unethical standpoints that activists accuse it of, the ever evolving technology and mission of zoos are expanding rapidly. By incorporating naturalistic designs and architecture along with new scientific innovation to not only educate, but take care of and preserve wildlife species for the benefit of our planet, zoos are much more than what they were originally introduced as. With both sides of the argument being on the supporting side of animal rights, it is hard to know what the answer is to the question of animals being kept in zoos and aquaria. The time old tradition of entertainment in unethical conditions of animals should be eliminated due to animal rights, but despite the arguments that they should be eliminated as a whole, the reality of our society is that zoos need to continue to evolve and introduce more innovative ways to keep certain wild animals in ethical captivity because they would not survive in their natural wild habitat due to global change and dangers

Zoos are no exception to this rule, there are arguments about the ethical issues on it with organizations on both sides of the arguments very avidly proving their points. However, it all comes down to what is best for the animals. They don’t have a voice to speak out and explicitly say what is best for them. After analyzing both sides to the question of should animals be kept in zoos, the more convincing argument is yes, they should, but only certain species. Those animals who are endangered or are unsafe in their natural environment out in the world need the assistance of zoos to keep their species from doing extinct. That being said, zoos should be approved by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, or the AZA, and be held to ethical accreditations to keep animals in a safe and natural habitat, and if their budget cannot finance it, as Jane Goodall states, they should simply not exist. Zoos have unfortunately in the past were not ethical in how they took care of our society, but they are on the rise and have the potential to help, not hurt the animal kingdom. Zoos purposes are to help species be able to survive in their natural habitat, and help rebuild the downfall of the animal kingdom from human destruction. It would be a sad day if zoos were the only place species could be safe, and through