Persuasive Essay On Zoos

Zoos have been around for quite some time; however not all the animals are being treated with the care they deserve. They should not be taken from their friends and family in the wild and be forced to live in cement cages for the rest of their lives. Some zoos in the world do go above and beyond to make sure their animals are satisfied, but something needs to change with those zoos who are only meeting the governmental requirements. There are animals around the world living in captivity that are starving, suffering, spending their days pacing, and all alone. Zoos that do not reach the space, care and social requirements for animals are not ethical and should not be allowed to continue forcing these animals to suffer.

The first modern zoo was opened in 1793 in Paris, France, still open for visitors today. This type of zoo became popular in the eighteenth century (Rutledge). Zoos were started when people became interested in learning more about creatures. However, zoos did not exist in America until 1874 in Philedelphia (Rutledge). Meaning animals have been living in captivity for a very long time.

When they are living in spaces too small, they soon become bored, and they spend their time pacing back and forth in their cages. Animals in zoos are not receiving the amount of exercise they do in the wild, which could lead to potential obesity and health issues. The San Diego zoo is the largest zoo in America, reaching out over 2,000 acres with 4,000 animals (Rutledge). While the San Antonio Zoo, being one of the worst rated zoos in America, only covers 56 acres with 9,000 animals (onegreenplanet). This proves that some zoos do provide a healthy amount of space for them, however, many zoos have far too many animals crammed in such a small area for them to strive