Since the time they were introduced, zoos have been both praised and criticized. Many people believe that zoos are entertaining and ecologically important; others think that keeping animals in captivity is morally wrong. Both sides have valid and invalid points. Because zoos will not disappear any time soon, the reasons against them should be used to improve their conditions. Most of us, usually during childhood, would have visited zoos at least at one point of time with our parents or as a part of school program. However, zoos always evoke reactions. Many people appreciate the opportunity to see the animals, save the ones which are on the verge of extinction, and educate the public, while the advocates of animal right contend that human …show more content…
Animals in zoos often suffer from stress and boredom.
3. Sometimes animals escape from their enclosures, which is dangerous for humans.
4. Zoos protect animals by bringing them into a safe environment.
5. Bigger zoos have lots of space and make sure the animals have everything they need to be healthy and happy.
6. It is not right to imprison an animal, just for the entertainment of humans.
7. Unwanted animals from zoos are sometimes sold to circuses, hunting parks and even for meat.
8. Many zoos help endangered species to find a mate and breed. They would not have this help in the wild.
9. Since humans are animals, why not put them in zoos too?
10. Animals should be kept in zoos. I interviewed twenty four people from different ages and nationalities: Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Nigerian, Russian, Spanish, Turkish and Pakistanis. I separated the participants in three different age groups- from 8 to 18, from 18 to 30 and from 30 to 50. Then I divided them into two additional groups – females and
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They claim that fauna should be in the wild, not in cages. Zoos are suppressing the freedom of the animals. Their cages have a limited space compared with the wilderness, where lions can roam freely and hunt their prey. Instead they just walk around in a tiny space and depend on the people who feed them. Freedom is the most important ingredient of life for any living being. Without it we can not claim ourselves to be alive. It is necessary for every living thing as long as it will not harm anyone. The main argument against zoos is the belief by some professionals that, even with the best intentions and conditions, a zoo cannot provide the perfect environment for every type of animal. For example, it is extremely difficult for zoos to recreate the natural environment that an elephant is used to living in. This is because in the course of a day an elephant can walk anywhere up to 50 kilometres a day. Elephants also travel in packs of thirty or forty in the wild. In most zoos, elephants will usually have just several acres to walk around in and maybe a couple of other elephants if they are
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
A memorable experience for both young and old, zoos have educated and entertained visitors for decades; however, zoos have been criticized, especially by animal rights activists. These critics say that zoos don’t provide for all the animals’ needs found in their natural habitat. Are zoos worldwide assisting animals, or are the animals better off in the wild?
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 different animals at a zoo like, giraffes, zebras, gorillas, crocodiles, birds, etc… The popularity of zoos are very high because so many people visit zoos everyday. Also certain seasons you can feed some of the different animals, like a giraffe.
As a kid, I had always looked forward to days at the zoo. I was, however, far more interested in the jungle-themed surroundings than the educational parts. I was told that zoos protected animals and took good care of them. Now I'm not too sure that's the truth. Animals like tigers, lions, and elephants are born to live and grow up in the wild. They aren't meant to live inside of a cage in a zoo. Not only that, but the animals' health isn't as good as you'd expect. Although lots time and money has been spent on zoos, animals are still suffering. Zoos are fun and exciting for kids and tourists, however, the animals aren't enjoying it as much as us.
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.
Among many other fun and exciting attraction to visit around our community, a visit to the zoo has always been a memorable experience. This cost effective priceless lifetime experience is being undermined by a group of activists all around the country. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), world largest animal rights organization, argue that zoos deprived animals from satisfying their most basic needs. They urge not to patronized zoos and claims that the money spent on ticket purchases pays for animals to be imprisoned and traded, not rescued and rehabilitated. They go on saying in summary that zoos strip animals from their rights. So this heated debate revolves around the animal rights and how the zoo industry inhibits it. Are zoo really bad for the animals? Should we get rid of the zoo and let the animals back to the wilderness? Mazur and Clark (2001) state that zoo is a monument to a long-standing tradition of people’s fascination with non-human nature. Since the early societies of the Egyptians, Greeks, and Chinese, wild animals have been maintained in captivity in order to satisfy human curiosity with exotica (p 185). Most western zoos today, however, embrace far more benevolent values such as supporting the conservation of biodiversity through specialized animal breeding, research, and education programs.
The topic of rather zoos are made to educate the people or if they are simply just animal cruelty. Zoos contain many animals. From, elephants, lions, tigers, dolphins, otters, giraffes, chimpanzees and gorillas. These animals are accustomed to living in their natural habitat which is with no cages and are free to roam as they please. Zoos are miserable places for animals, according to CAPS an undercover investigator filmed sick animals left untreated and dead animals to rot on floors at Tweedle Farm Zoo. Zoos are overcrowded and there was no provision for individual feeding or sleeping areas. Some lions exhibit skin wounds and multiple scars of various age, some fresh, some healed. Another reason why Zoos should be illegal is simply because zoos cannot provide the amount of space animals would have in the wild. Lions and Tigers have around 18,000 times less space in zoos than they would in the wild. Polar bears have one million times less space. (10 Facts About Zoos). 54% of elephants are showing stereotypies (behavioral problems) during the daytime. One elephant observed during day ...
Zoos often claim they are modern day arks, providing a safe, comfortable environment; making animals happy and content; educating the world about wildlife; and saving species from the brink of extinction while at the same time providing vital research into the lives of animals. There is a moral presumption against keeping wild, defenseless animals in captivity. The zoo is a prison for animals who have been sentenced without a trial. Either we have duties to animals or we do not. I feel that we have a duty and responsibility to animals and need to provide them with respect not neglect.
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 ...
Zoos do not make the best environment for animals. Zimmerman had stated in his article, “what we definitely know is that animals suffer in zoos-there are high mortality rates, there's injuries, and there’s depression.” Keeping animals in an enclosed takes away a big of their persona space that they would get if they were left in the wild where they belong. Animals living in a zoo do not get to use all of their natural instincts, therefore it is taking
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.
Zoos are protecting endangered animals every day. Zoos are reaching out and taking action to save exotic animals that cannot be taken care of by owner. For example, a monkey is considered exotic and people should not own them. Exotic animals are not familiar with humans and can change their demeanor on humans in a split second and attack. The most natural place for animals is in the wild, but zoos are making life for animals better and animals live longer in zoos then they would in the wild. Zoos are a place where dignity and respect of animals is very important. (Blease). Animals are living longer in captivity than in the wild because habitats are being destroyed and the rate of extinction is extremely high. (Balmford) Many animals have
The lengthy description of a zoo, as explained by the Oxford Dictionary, is an establishment that prides itself with an array of undomesticated animals kept in cages or fenced up for the public to view (“zoo”). These menageries have been around for ages and are used for a myriad of reasons including entertainment and conservation (Baker). People who support the notion of zoos believe that these establishments benefit both man and animal in bountiful ways. To begin with, they trust that zoos provide safer habitats than the diminishing wild that animals can thrive in (Sheen 33). Furthermore, they are also convinced that zoos aid in conserving wild animals as it allocates a secure sanctuary for endangered animals to reproduce, a last ditch attempt
In spite of the claimed advantages of zoos, they are unsafe and needless places that should be banned. Such decision is necessary due to the fact that zoos are cruel and cause psychological suffering for animals because of changing their habitats to a confined unsuitable place. As a start, zoos are cruel towards animals. Depending on Oxford Dictionaries, a cruel