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Should animals be kept in captivity
Should animals be kept in captivity
Animal circus abuse
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Is keeping animals in captivity animal cruelty? Zoos are a great way for people to learn about animals without putting themselves in danger or traveling around the globe. Although, People enjoy admiring these animals, they are unaware of the circumstances in which those animals live. People should definitely be questioning how these animals live. Ordinarily, many people would think that these animals are happy in their environment due to the fact that they are fed on a regular basis, they are given all of the medical attention they need and they never have to worry about being hunted by another animal. Keeping the animals in these smaller environments is unhealthy and in most cases cruel to the animal. Animal cruelty is usually defined as …show more content…
Capturing the animals and taking them out of this environment is very cruel. Consequently, by doing this people are destroying an animal’s way of life. Once removed from the wild animals have a difficult time being placed back into the wild. There are many cases in which placing the animals being placed into the wild after being in captivity has been a leading cause of their death. “Keiko, a 26-year-old orca and the star of Free Willy, died just one year after being released from captivity. He had been in captivity since 1979 and was released into the wild five years after the filming of the last Free Willy movie. Even after being taught how to survive in the wild, Keiko still searched for human companionship in the wild because he did not know a life without it” (Animals Are Not Meant for Our Entertainment). Ordinarily, Animals who live in captivity lack the natural behaviors that are needed to survive in the wild. With a lack of hunting skills, the animal wouldn’t be able to capture their prey as they have been fed regularly without having to hunt for it. Also, these animals do not have a natural fear of humans. Captive animals have been cared for by humans, most, if not all, of their lives. This would cause the animals not to run from a human who is hunting for …show more content…
This question has been heavily debated for decades. The events that occurred at SeaWorld Orlando, most recently in 2010, and the subsequent release of the condemning documentary Blackfish in 2013 have brought to light the treatment of wild animals in captivity and whether or not it is an ethical practice” (“Should Animals Be Kept in Captivity?). In some cases, captivity is needed due to the quick extinction of a species. Instituting captive breeding programs could possibly be the only way to ensure the survival of the species. In these programs the animal is given the proper prenatal care to ensure the offspring are born healthy and could eventually be reintroduced to the wild. There are also many rehabilitation programs. These programs have the ability to take ill or injured animals
Captivity is the state or period of being imprisoned, confined, or enslaved, according to Wiktionary. Every year, marine parks and aquariums, like SeaWorld, make billions of dollars through ticket sales. SeaWorld estimates about 70% of their total revenue is due to their performing killer whales (Jeffs). People visit from all over the world to encounter killer whales up close. “Their beauty and power, combined with willingness to work with humans, have made them legendary performers” (Gorman). In recent years, humans have gained the ability to tame and train these creatures. Killer whales should not be kept in captivity simply because it is cruel, unnatural, and dangerous.
Author Robin Ganzert states that in today's society Zoos are using “robust and sophisticated breeding programs” to conserve animal life. While the programs may conserve some animal life, the author over exaggerates the quality of the breeding programs. Most facilities don’t have the resources or the space to support a larger breeding program. Captive breeding programs also have a high cost to support and properly care for each animal so they consist of few animals that cannot sustain a proper breeding population. These programs can often fail to imitate wildlife causing major changes in animal behavior such as: a decrease in foraging abilities, decrease in physical activity, and some problems in social behaviors.
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,
I will now provide arguments against the use of animal captivity. Firstly, I will use Peter Singer, who I believe delivers the strongest argument against animal captivity. Singer is a consequentialist who argues for animal rights and the position that animals should not be held captive. Singer reminds us that humans are animals but language makes us overlook this. As a utilitarian and hedonist, Singer looks towards the end result, where like human beings, other animals choose pleasure over suffering. Singer regards interests of consciousness rather than self-consciousness. Therefore since animals are conscious beings and animal captivity causes pain and suffering, it is wrong. Robert Garner
Overall, animal captivity has not been solved yet because of people wanting to keep and observe animals to “learn” about them. Also, because people don't realize how places like zoos and SeaWorld are cruel and not actually seeing that the animals captured are not happy where they are placed. However, it is a problem that needs to be solved right away for the benefit of the
Animal cruelty is the abuse or failure to care for an animal. Before the past couple of years, people did not have to worry about how the animals in zoos were treated. For centuries, families have gone to zoos to be educated on the different species of animals. As years have gone by, zoos have become a trending topic of animal cruelty. While zoos do not physically abuse the animals, they have been known to not properly care for them. “According to the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA), there are over 10,000 zoos worldwide” (Fravel 2). Of these 10,000 zoos, only some of them actually care about their animals. Caring for wild animals is extremely hard because zoos have to recreate the animals’ natural habitat. Zoos believe that they are protecting the animals’, yet; they tend to forget how it affects the animals. In reality, the animals are depressed and bored. These wild animals are being taken out of their natural habitats and are enclosed in small cages and habitats. Wild animals should live in their natural habitats, the wild, not in a zoo for the entertainment of zoo visitors. Therefore, banning zoos will end the horrible cycle of animal cruelty.
On the other hand, animals kept in captivity not only have research done about them but it can also have a positive effect on their population. Being kept in captivity helps conserve the populations of endangered species. In a captive environment they are kept safe and away from harm. They can breed in captivity and keep the population growing. SeaWorld has bred many Orca Whales in captivity and hasn’t taken any out of the ocean in 35 years (Raja).
Captive breeding programs are what make zoos ethical, but several problems need to be confronted. Zoos operate captive breeding programs in which they take animals from the wildlife and breed then in a scientifically controlled environment. They have saved several species from extinction such as the Red Wolf and the Przewalski Horse, and are aiding many others such as the blue-crowned laughing thrush. Before the breeding program saved the Red Wolves from extinction, there were only 14 pure breed Red Wolves remaining. When a species gets endangered it goes on the Species Survival Plan program. There are two issues that I came across during my research. Firstly, some zoos are taking advantage of several species to generate revenue. Cohn said that “to get more white tigers, zoo managers in India and the United States in the 1950s mated fathers with daughters, granddaughters, and even, on occasion, great granddaughters. (Cohn 654)” The question is whether this is ethical? After reading this I felt...
The animals being kept in captivity could not be interviewed; their side of the story will be based on interpretation of 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? Many animal rights activists argue that animals should be allowed to live their lives in the wild instead of in captivity. That we as humans have no right to alter the fate of other species, nor use them for our personal benefit. PETA, who is well known for their animal rights views, argue that “Captive animals are deprived of everything that is natural and important to them and as a result, they become bored and lonely and many even suffer from a condition called zoochosis.”
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.
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.
There are billions of animals in captivity around the world. These animals are in zoos, breeding centers, and research laboratories. All those animals lead to out lash because of the stress of being in a small confinement habitat. Is it ethical to keep animals in captivity for research, breeding, or for our enjoyment? Over the years keeping animals in captive has not changed in safety and the well-being of the animal.
Zoos introduces captive-bred projects to take care of some animals for years and reintroduce them back to the wild. However, captive animals usually lose their survival skills in wild after under an absolute protection for a long time, especially those who are used to learning from their parents. They no longer able to escape from predators or track preys. Reintroduction often needs to be abandoned permanently.
Zoos display fascinating animals from all over the world for human entertainment, research, conservation, and education. Many scientists conduct studies on animals in captivity that they may not have been able to in the wild. Zoos educate all the visitors that come; they let people know everything that they know about the animals on display. We do learn a lot from these animals, but not all of the animals in the zoo are behaving like they normally would in the wild. Larger animals, such as elephants and orcas (commonly known as killer whales), have trouble with being confined in such a small area. However, many smaller animals benefit from zoos because they provide protection from predators, natural disasters, and poachers. They also benefit from conservation efforts; the babies being born get all the care they could ever need. Some animal rights activists are concerned that the conservation efforts are limiting the gene pool of the species. They argue that the small number of animals able to breed in captivity limits biodiversity and leads to weaknesses in the species overall. Zoos are wonderful places to study and learn about animals, but we need to improve the living standards for animals that struggle with captivity.
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.