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Animals being kept in zoos
The consequences of zoos for animals
The consequences of zoos for animals
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Second of all, animals in captivity show stereotypical behavior and how this shows that animals are bored in zoos. Animal Welfare Institute says “Stereotypic behavior is an abnormal behavior frequently seen in laboratory primates. It is considered an indication of poor psychological well-being in these animals. As it is seen in captive animals but not in wild animals, attention has been focused on the situations in which this behavior develops,” (Animal Welfare Institute). You don’t see animals doing stereotypical behaviors in the wild. This is not good for them, they're just doing the same things over and over again. This can also lead to self-mutilation,(A.K.A) them harming themselves in some way over and over again, like hitting their head
on a wall. Again, it’s not normal for an animal to be hitting themselves over and over again and damaging their bodies. A good example of this are orcas in Marine World. Dr. Ingrid Visser is a marine biologist who is very passionate about orcas. She was in a documentary with Jonny Meah. They did a documentary about orcas in Marine World, and what actually goes on in their tanks. (LINK) During part of the video (10:24), it talks about how bad stereotypical actions can become. For example, you can see orcas swimming is a circle or bobbing their head up and down. One really bad action is when they hit their head against the wall hard and for a really long time, this is not good for them. All in all, animals in captivity show much more stereotypical behaviors in captivity than they should, and it causes them to hurt themselves which is not good.
He states that “Animals in zoos and aquariums can live longer, healthier, and richer lives than their forbearers ever did in the wild.” Studies have proven again and again that for most animals a caged life was a short and unhappy one. To begin with, for many species, a stare is received as a threat. With the public constantly staring at the animals, many of them become depressed. Scared and depressed animals might fill the hours with repetitive behaviors known as stereotypy: masturbating to a danger point, pacing their paws raw, or swaying endlessly from side to side (Cokal 492).
The entertainment value does not contradict the morals of taking a wild animal and caging it, so we can stare at it for a few minutes. I will be honest, I love being able to take my kids to the zoo and aquarium. We enjoy walking around looking at all the exotic animals that cannot be seen while walking around the local park. The animal’s personalities and temperaments we see at the zoos is hardly the animal they would be in the wild. The visual education we are receiving is altered and therefore, false. Imagine you are put in a room very similar to your own, with your best friend or spouse, and you were told to behave ‘normally’. You can dance, laugh, talk, play, anything, but you will be watched by an estimated 5,000 people a day. No one would see the true you; the same goes for wild animals. We are able to have a better understanding of animals in their natural habitat rather than a miniature version filled with artificial objects in the local zoo or aquari...
I confess, I am guilty. I am guilty of supporting these disgraceful prisons where the ones held captive are, at times, abducted from there homes and forced to entertain us. I did not support them because I wanted to or thought it to be right, but because I was ignorant and did not know the truth. In fact, at one point in our lives we are all guilty of it. Looks can be deceiving. At first glance we would never think these places to be horrible, but in all reality they are. I am talking about zoos, aquariums, marine parks and circuses. All of these places are just another form of prisons. The only difference between this prison and other prisons is that the prisoners did nothing to deserve to be in there, they are all innocent. I have been to a zoo and a circus, making me guilty, therefore it is my responsibility to inform you about what really goes on behind closed doors.
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.
Zoo captivity is substandard and inadequate for animals. Zoo animals are deprived of their right as animals they are treated unjustly and unfairly. Animals should not be forced to kept in a cage away from their natural environment and be used as a form of entertainment to humans. The animals also suffer from stress and are driven insane by being trapped behind bars. The zoo is supposed to provide safety to these endangered animals but instead, these zoo animals are put at risk towards a variety of dangers such as vulnerability to diseases and starvation.
The article, “Are Zoos Cruel? The Pros and Cons of Zoos and Wildlife parks”, discusses the advantages and disadvantages animals have being in zoos and wildlife parks. It states, “The physical and mental frustrations of captivity often lead to abnormal, neurotic, and even self destructive behavior, such as incessant pacing, swaying, head-bobbing, bar-biting, and self-mutilation. In other words, animals tend to become psychotic when held in captivity. Their psychotic behavior comes from the restriction of freedom they have. This is significant because it validates my argument that dysfunctions.
Throughout the realm of animal production, there are two major practices: free-range and confinement. Free-range production, essentially, is when animals can roam freely. Confinement is when animals are placed either in cages or in very close spaces. Both practices have negative and positive aspects. Free-range is seen as more humane, but there are some downfalls such as the fact that animals are more susceptible to predators. Confinement is seen as more inhumane; however, production increases and animals are less susceptible to predators. According to David Fraser, on occasion, birds raised in confinement are placed on constricted diets. These constricted diets can cause aggression and behavior problems in some cases. With these practices, although, solutions to both are available. The solutions for confinement can include rebuilding structures to include sunlight and install larger cages. On the other side, the solutions for free-range can include building shelters for the
Many animal rights activist argue that animals should be allowed to live their lives in the wild instead of captivity. That we as humans have no right to neither alter the fate of other species nor use them for our personal benefits. PETA who is well known for their animal rights view 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.” (PETA 1) Zoochosis is a condition in which the animal wonders back and forth usually in the same position for hours on end. This condition is only seen in the zoos as a result of the animal’s captivity. As a result zoos provide these animals with Prozac, which is a mood-altering drug to help prevent public atte...
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.
Even though some zoos have an endangered species exhibit with the intention of protecting and rehabilitating animals, many do not do an adequate job of protecting the animals. Zoos have been harmful to the very animals they have sworn to protect. Animals in captivity often suffer from anxiety, boredom and other severe issue related to prolonged confinement. Most animals are unable to thrive in small enclosure with unnatural weather and climates. For example elephants are known to walk as far as 30 miles per day, but the association of Zoos and aquariums only require a space the measures $0 feet by 45 feet, which is about the size of a three car garage, to house these large animals. (peta.org) the drastic difference in the amount of space their allowed ...
I. living standards of animals and serve to entertain the human population. However, they serve little benefit to the animals themselves. A. Many of us have been to the zoo a few times in our lifetime and seen animals for the very first time that we have never seen anywhere else. a) We may justify zoos by stating that they teach us about different animals and allows us to view them up close. b)
In the wild, animals almost always stick with their own species, but in captivity, some animals prefer animals that are not related to them. At the San Diego Zoo Safari Park a Rhodesian ridgeback, Raina, and a shy cheetah, Ruuxa, formed a lifelong relationship with each other. The two wrestled, chased, and cuddled together since they were less than 2 months old when they met. There are very few of these types of relationships around the world, but these connections can be very unique.
According to PETA article, in many cases animals will develop neurotic and/or self harming behavior that are rarely seen in the wild. Some animals that do develop these problems may eat their feces and throw their vomit, pluck out their own feathers, sway back and forth, pace, or swim in endless figure eights. Zoos have tried to give animals pills to calm them down as opposed to changing their million dollar park structures. If they’d leave the animals in their natural habitats they wouldn’t need to worry about anything happening to the
Zoos are an unsuitable environment for wild animals and should, therefore, be abolished. Firstly, zoo animals are kept in a very confined area compared with 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.