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Should animals be kept in captivity
Should animals be kept in captivity
Text - animals in captivity
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Animals held in captivity in zoos are deprived of everything that is natural and important to them. Taking animals out of their natural habitat makes them mentally ill. As a result, they become bored, lonely and depressed and many suffer from a condition called “zoochosis”. If you have ever watched captive animals in zoos pacing, chewing on bars or engaging in various of other abnormal behaviors, you have seen the disease close-up. Some animals are so depressed in their new environment they would tear holes in their own skin! Can you imagine doing that to yourself out of depression and loneliness? Zoochosis is so common that some zoos give animals a mood-changing drug, because the visitors have started to notice. Bears spend 30 % of their
The medicinal use of animals for the benefit of humans, zootherapy, dates all the way back to the medieval period. Many indigenous peoples around the world rely solely on the use of plants and animals for the healing and treatment of their people. These ancient uses of animals have often led to scientific research of the specific uses of animals and compounds developed from animals in modern medicine. The use of leeches is a well-know type of zootherapy that has recently been approved by the FDA. The venom of cone snails is also being studied and used in pain relief for people who suffer from cancer and other painful diseases. Also, there are studies being done on the ability of arctic mammals, such as the arctic ground squirrel, to survive in subzero temperatures during hibernation. Scientists are looking to incorporate this in organ transplants to prolong the life of organs outside the body, and in protecting the brain from ischaemia.
Zoos have been with us throughout our history, and can provide a good barometer of public beliefs and values at any given time. Therefore it seems necessary to explore whether in today’s society contemporary zoos are a means of educating and conserving or still seek to control and exhibit animal others for human benefit. In order to make this assessment there are a number of contributing factors. Firstly it is important to establish context by considering the history of zoos and looking at the changes from the early menageries to contemporary zoos who strive to be institutions of refuge for animals facing twenty-first century global challenges. This links into how the physical space of zoos has changed over time and whether these advancements have made any crucial difference to the welfare of animals. Following this conservation, education and scientific research will be explored in detail in order to assess whether they provide good enough motives for keeping animals in captivity. I will seek to argue that although attempts have been made to point zoos in the direction of conservation and education, in my opinion the concepts of dominance and human superiority are still at the core of modern zoos.
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.
Animal cruelty is the abuse or failure to care for an animal. Before the past couple of years, people did not have to worry about how the animals in zoos were treated. For centuries, families have gone to zoos to be educated on the different species of animals. As years have gone by, zoos have become a trending topic of animal cruelty. While zoos do not physically abuse the animals, they have been known to not properly care for them. “According to the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA), there are over 10,000 zoos worldwide” (Fravel 2). Of these 10,000 zoos, only some of them actually care about their animals. Caring for wild animals is extremely hard because zoos have to recreate the animals’ natural habitat. Zoos believe that they are protecting the animals’, yet; they tend to forget how it affects the animals. In reality, the animals are depressed and bored. These wild animals are being taken out of their natural habitats and are enclosed in small cages and habitats. Wild animals should live in their natural habitats, the wild, not in a zoo for the entertainment of zoo visitors. Therefore, banning zoos will end the horrible cycle of animal cruelty.
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...
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
Zoonosis are infectious diseases that have been transmitted between animals and humans or in its advanced stage from human to human. It also can be transmitted from human to animal, when that happens it is called reverse zoonosis Emerging zoonosis are infectious diseases that are newly recognized or newly evolved while re-emergence zoonosis have occurred previously but have more recently shown an increase in incidence or expansion into a new geographic, host or vector range. The concept of ‘emerging diseases’ developed as health scientists documented and tried to explain the apparent abrupt rise in the number of new and important infectious diseases over the past two decades (Bengis et al., 2004). Zoonosis can be transmitted in different ways: 1)Viral, where some of the most known are: HIV, Ebola virus, Hantavirus, Rabies, Hendra virus, Nipah virus, Menangle virus infection, West Nile virus infection, Severe acute respiratory syndrome, Avian influenza and Monkeypoxvirus infection. 2) Bacterial: Lyme borreliosis, Ehrlichiosis, Bovine tuberculosis (Mycobacterium bovis), Brucella, Tularemia, Plague and Leptospirosis. 3) Parasite: Cysticercosis/Taeniasis, Rematodosis, Echinococcosis/Hydatidosis, Toxoplasmosis and Trichinellosis. 4) Dermatophytoses and Sporotrichosis
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
Animals should not be held captive in zoos because it is inhumane and unfair to the animals. There are so many records of terrible things that have happened to animals in zoos over the past few centuries, the go under the radar too often. Too few people even know about these animal care atrocities, and therefore the New York Times decided to bring light upon this situation. The Times did a first-of-its-kind analysis of 390 elephant fatalities at accredited U.S. zoos over the past 50 years (Berens 3). It found that most of the elephants died from injury or disease linked to conditions of their captivity, from chronic foot problems caused by standing on hard surfaces to musculoskeletal disorders from inactivity caused by being penned or chained for days and weeks at a time.
“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.org). After a while, the animals begin to get irritated and very desperate to escape the zoos. “Some animals are so unhappy that they risk their lives in desperate attempts to free themselves” (peta.org). Animals do not like being put in cages, they like to be free in the wild where they can live their life and do what wild animals are supposed to
The article clearly states that zoos are not able to provide a place for these animals to live permanently because clearly we cannot recreate what mother nature does, but rather for short periods of time to revive them then set free again. When we take them out of their natural habitats they can become physically and mentally unbalanced meaning that if you take a baby from it's parent, it can become severely depressed and unable to function or opposite, if you take the mom away from the baby the mother can become hostile. “Many animals held in captivity begin to form abnormal symptoms referred to as “zoochosis.” These neurotic and atypical behaviors occur as a result of boredom, depression, frustration, a lack of mental and physical enrichment, and removal from their natural habitat and social structures”(“Last Chance For Animals”). Zoochosis is very much alive in operating zoos and other animal exhibits such as privately owned petting
Although many people claim that Zoos exist for our learning experience and that we couldn’t experience it in the wild, and I agree with that but what people don’t know is that animals aren't as happy as they used to
First of all, when animals are in controlled environments they lose their natural instincts. In captivity animals are safe from predators, they receive medical attention, and are fed on a regular schedule. This makes them not used to the threats of the wild and they lose their natural instincts. It is understandable that animals may not need natural instincts in zoos or sanctuaries but if the goal is to release the animals back into the wild they could die off again because they have to hunt for themselves and protect themselves again. This means that animals shouldn’t be kept in safe habitats and that “protecting” these animals is actually crippling them.
Zoos are a great way for people to learn about animals without putting themselves in danger or traveling around the globe. Although, People enjoy admiring these animals, they are unaware of the circumstances in which those animals live. People should definitely be questioning how these animals live. Ordinarily, many people would think that these animals are happy in their environment due to the fact that they are fed on a regular basis, they are given all of the medical attention they need and they never have to worry about being hunted by another animal. Keeping the animals in these smaller environments is unhealthy and in most cases cruel to the animal. Animal cruelty is usually defined as
There has been much discussion about the welfare of animals ever since zoos were created. There are many people who support the fact that animals should be kept in zoos. It benefits the animals greatly, because in zoos, the animals have every need catered for. However, in some zoos, animals are ill-treated by their zoo keepers. Sometimes, they even deprive a natural habitat that zoos attempt but fail to re-create after the wild. Consequently, they develop physiological problems. Some zoos are no better than prison cells that cage up animals, causing these creatures to become greatly distressed. Because it is against Mother Nature, animals should not continue to be kept in zoos.