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Controversies of zoos
Why wild animals should not be kept in a zoo
The roles of zoos in conservation
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Recommended: Controversies of zoos
Thousands of zoos worldwide are visited by citizens yearly to admire and satisfy their curiosity of the beautiful wild animals that mother nature has to offer. Zoos have been around for hundreds of years and have become a known tradition for numerous school field trips and family outings. The ongoing debate between animal rights activists and zoo officials remains, should wild animals be taken from their natural habitats to live in city zoos for education and entertainment purposes?
The growing issue of the welfare of wild animals has called for immense concerns for multiple reasons. Even so, more now today with the recent animal related incidents that have taken place and are publicized in social media and broadcasted on the local news. Zoo officials feel the best place for wild animals is zoos. However, animal rights activist strongly believe wild animals belong in their natural habitat where they can be free and live the life that they 're entitled to. An ideal habitat for wild animals varies from marine life having billions of cubic km of ocean water to land animals having forests, evergreens, dry desert land, marshes, caves, mountains and open fields to roam.
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PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is one of several well known support groups for animal rights. Michelle Carr (n.d.) is an animal lover and member of the recognized animal rights group PETA who believes she is the voice for wild animals who are being kept from their natural habitats. Carr recalls her childhood memories and the excitement she felt when going to see what she thought was elated animals. She then began to realize that the animals she grew to love were actually miserable, lonely and bored (Carr, n.d., para. 2). Her response to zoos being used for educational purposes is instead of going to a
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.
Animal rights have become a very serious issue here in the United States over the last few decades. One issue that has been discussed is whether or not zoos serve a good purpose or are they just a torture chamber for the animals. Locked up in small cages so people can yell at them and stare. Or are zoos the key to save our species in an ever growing human population. Rachel Lu, a philosophy teacher and senior columnist, writes the article, “Let’s Keep Zoos: Learning stewardship is a good thing.”, published April 18, 2014, argues that zoos are worth keeping. Rachel Lu uses her personal experiences to appeal to her audience that zoos are valuable to people especially young children because it gives them a perspective on nature.
Considering the many challenges animals face in the wild, it is understandable that people may be eager to support zoos and may feel that they are protective facilities necessary for animal life. In the article “ Zoos Are Not Prisons. They Improve the Lives of Animals”, Author Robin Ganzert argues that Zoos are ethical institutions that enrich the lives of animals and ultimately protect them. Statistics have shown that animals held in captivity have limited utilitarian function resulting in cramped quarters, poor diets, depression, and early death for the animals thus, proving that Zoos are not ethical institutions that support and better the lives of animals as author Robin Ganzert stated (Cokal 491). Ganzert exposes the false premise in stating
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.
The difference between right and wrong is not always perfectly clear. A long-standing part of cultures across the world, zoological and animal parks have been around for hundreds of years. While in the past concerns and issues regarding the ethical problems zoos seem to impose were less prominent, in recent times the rise of animal rights activist groups and new generational values have influenced the way people view these parks. Critics believe that zoos are an unnatural habitat for animals and force them to live in captivity, having a negative impact on their health. Yet, there are still many who fully support zoos, citing business and educational reasons.
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.
"Do We Need Zoos?" : An All Creatures Animal Rights Article. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 May 2015.
Since approximately 1250 B.C., ancient Egyptians had created and practiced the capture and display of animals in what are now known as zoos (Fravel). Records describe such exotic animals as birds, lions, giraffes, and tigers in captivity (Fravel). Since then, zoos have continued to entertain millions with the exciting chance to view exotic animals up close and personal. Even in ancient Greece, exotic animals were on display in fighting arenas, and in enclosed viewing areas. Originally in America, zoos were just created so that royalty and the wealthy could flaunt their exotic animals to the public (Leolupus). Today, with species threatened and habitats disappearing worldwide, zoos are serving a new purpose other than the mere exhibition of animals – conservation. (Fravel). When you think of a zoo, you either think of a fun, entertaining place that provides close-up and exciting exhibits of wild animals that you would otherwise never get the chance to see, or a place where people keep suffering, unhappy animals captive just for entertainment and display. However, despite whichever view you hold, and despite the stereotypes, some zoos have evolved to serve alternative and helpful purposes. Although some zoos face controversy due to allegations such as lack of space and quality care, neglect, and cruelty, some zoos have programs specifically designed to help and protect animal species. For example, these zoos have programs that help such conservation efforts as breeding.
From our loving pets that welcome us home every day, to the birds chirping in the morning, to the exotic animals we admire; animal safety and animal rights is a priority that gathers attention across the world. Being up close and personal with animals is a coveted experience that zoos try to bring to everyday life. While it is breathtaking to see these glorious animals it can possibly bring danger to their lives and call into question someone’s morals. The Denver Zoo claims that they rescue endangered or suffering animals from hostile environments and bring them into a safe, nurturing facility where they cater to the animals’ needs. With the demands of the people it is truly amazing that the Denver Zoo can properly care
Many zoos today say their main purpose is breeding endangered species in captivity and reintroducing them into the wild (Masci, D., 2000, April 28). Zoos have many benefits, not just for the animals themselves, but also the humans who can enjoy them. People, as a whole, are becoming increasingly distant from nature as we move to bigger cities and away from the wildlife. For many, real experiences with wild animals can only be found in zoos (Masci, D., 2000, April 28). With education comes recognition and worry. The wildlife experiences that people have at well taken care of zoos and aquariums are becoming even more crucial as we continue to urbanize our world (Masci, D., 2000, April 28). Visitors play a major part in the zoo animals’ well-being, relying on donations and the interest of the public to pay for procedures and new exhibits. People come to zoos with specific ideas and thoughts on what they expect to see. If the zoo looks bad, the animals look maltreated, or there is garbage all over the ground, the zoo 's reputation will dissolve and the animals will not thrive and may have to be sold to who knows where (Falk, Reinhard, Vernon, Bronnenkant, Deans & Heimlich, 2007). Zoos need the help of the communities to continue to provide a comfortable environment for their animals. People come to zoos to learn and expand their horizons by seeing animals from all
Some people may argue that zoos protect animals and species under this polluted world, however, do animals in zoos really need our “help”? Yes, but surely not that many. According to Captive Animals Protection Society (CAPS), 79% of animals in United Kingdom zoos and over 70% of elephants in European zoos are wild-caught. It seems that zoos need them rather than they need zoos.
Wildlife should stay wild for many reasons. Most zoos are explained as having poor conditions for their animals. They claim to teach children about animals but they just show them an animal in a cage. Some people say that zoos connect us to nature in a fun way. With this wildlife should stay wild.
Zoos and aquariums are not putting animals in captivity without a driving purpose. Although not a perfect solution, society should view zoos and aquariums as a bulwark against the world’s extinction crisis. These conservation centers are commonly associated with brutality and unethicality, when in reality they’re offering a great deal of care and hospitality towards the animals. Conserving animals in an artificial environment is a way to restore the damage we’ve done towards their ecosystems. This is done while ensuring the animals being safeguarded receive the care and compassion they deserve.
Supporters of zoos argue that they help to conserve endangered species, but in fact they are not very good at this. Even the world famous panda-breeding programme has been very costly and unsuccessful. Also, zoo life does not prepare animals for the challenges of life in the wild. For example, two rare lynxes released into the wild in Colorado died from starvation even though the area was full of hares, which are a lynx’s natural prey.
Did you know the first to open in the United States was in New York? Zoos are a place that captures animals from the wild and puts them up for a show. They deem to educate people, but zoos are now becoming a thing of the past. Zoos interpret that they help animals' population numbers, but they do not. Therefore zoos that enclose animals and do not have worthy animal health or maintenance should become subsided.