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Should animals be in captivity
Should animals be in captivity
Should animals be in captivity
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Animal Justice
Can you answer yes to the question; have you ever been to a zoo? Most can, but have you ever realized the animals suffering for your amusement? Of course not, you went to have a good time, not to worry about the animals behind bars. I strongly believe us humans should come together and get rid of zoos for good. This is because it is a proven fact that animals die premature while kept in zoos. Also an animal's wild habitat wins out over captivity. Finally, zoos are teaching kids that it is perfectly fine to lock up animals for our gratification.
My first reason for animals to be let out of zoos is, animals held captive in zoos often die very young. According to the article by Captive Animals Protection Society [CAPS] states the following,"40% of lion cubs die before one month of age, in the wild only 30% of cubs are thought to die before they are six months old." This quote proves that either the zoo isn't supporting their needs correctly, or being held captive messes with their mental state. Which tells us that no matter the zoo, they can't possibly beat the animal's natural habitat, the wild.
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As reported by an article by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals [PETA] quotes, "Even under the best circumstances at the best zoos, captivity cannot begin to replace wild animals habitat." This shows significance because animals are limited to what they can, and cannot do, like running, or even finding their own prey. Animals locked up in their cages are cramped with no space, just like they committed a crime they couldn't ever
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
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.
Do you think animals should be put into zoos? Well they shouldn't, because they are put into misery and they also suffer in their cages.
It’s always fun to go with your friends and family to see cute and exotic animals when you go to the zoo, right? You may think that they have the best life having people to give them things that want and to protect them, but some of them are actually suffering just for our amusement from being in that small enclosure all day and all night. Animals should not be put in zoos because they can develop many mental and physical health problems due to the absence of some natural necessities and they are not always treated as nice as you think.
middle of paper ... ... Freedom is precious and animals are constantly suffering mentally and physically from the lack of freedom that captivity brings to them. Although many zoos are visited by millions of people annually, they still operate at a loss and have to make budget cuts. Funds that should be used to provide humane conditions for animals are often wasted on cosmetic improvements such as landscaping, refreshment stands, and gift shops in order to draw visitors, leaving the animals behind steel bars and glass trapped in a concrete jungle for no reason without hope of ever being free.
... 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 ...
As if that alone isn’t enough to prove that zoos are cruel and unfair, there are many professionals and experts who gravely look down upon zoos, too. Delcianna Winders, director with the PETA foundation, said “Renowned oceanographer Jean-Michel Cousteau reported that he was forever changed after witnessing a captive dolphin commit suicide by ramming his head into a tank wall.... ... middle of paper ... ...
I think that animals shouldn’t be in zoos because they need more space to run, swim, fly, climb, and roam. Animals need to know how to protect themselves from predators and hunters. If animals stay in zoos and then get released after a while they won’t know how to protect themselves from predators and hunters. They also need to know how to find food on their own or they will die cause they won’t know how to find food for themselves. Some animals are not meant to be kept in cages they need to roam around.
First of all, zoos should keep animals in captivity, because if they are running wild around the animal park, they could cause all kinds of catastrophes, and they also could injure or possibly attack a visitor or park keeper. If the wild animals are running around on the loose, instead of being held in captivity, then they could possibly get injured, or in the worst case scenario, get lost. They could climb into the other animal cages, and possibly get into a fight with the other animals. If the animals are all in separate cages, then it decreases the risk of them getting in to a fight with the other animals. Also, zoos should keep wild animals in captivity, so that the children can be taught about the value of animals so that they understand the importance of them being looked after during their visit.
Such as, animals that are hunted for their fur or meat. Animals are also treated with medical care in the zoos, where was if they were living in their natural habitat they would not have immediate medical care. However, argument against having zoos think by capturing the animals out of their natural habitat it disturbs the way they live. Once you put animals in a cage, it changes the atmosphere and the behavior. It also changed the way the animals mate, a specific species may start decreasing in size because they are being put into zoos all around the world.
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.
This topic should be taken more serious and as a community let's help the animals be free and wild. “Zoos have improved significantly in the last 4,000 or so years.” (Horton). At the beginning when zoos started to get build, they were build with old steel-bars and cold cement cages, but now zoos have natural looking barriers. Not all zoos have wild animals some animals come from the captive breeding program.
Zoos are located all over the world and is a great way for people to learn about animals. However, it is an unsuitable environment for wild animals and should be abolished. These animals are only used for public viewing and education. People admire these animals but many are not aware of the conditions that the caged animals live in. Zoos should be banned because the animals are not in their natural habitat which causes emotional stress, and malnutrition and mistreatment.