On the other hand, those who view zoological institutions as a harmful to wild animals concentrate on the captivity and mistreatment of animals inside of zoos. Dr. Hone even admits that there are bad zoos functioning to this day. He dolefully admits, “Not all animals are kept perfectly, much as I wish it were otherwise, and even in the best examples, there is still be room for improvement” (Hone). Numerous zoos are far from being considered good zoos. Some are ongoing improvements for animal well-being, while others have no care to better conditions for the animals. T.A. Blackett, C. McKenna, L. Kavanagh, and D.R. Morgan, authors of an article focusing on the welfare of animals in zoological institutions, reveal that zoos can certainly and …show more content…
In their studies Demartoto, Soemanto, and Zunariyah went on to conduct a research experiment on two zoos to find whether or not zoos are implementing their welfare commitments. Their results rendered more negative than positive results regarding the conditions the wild animals are living in. Although one zoo was found to be better in treatment of the animals, they both could undergo serious improvements. One of the zoos studied keeps the animals in undesirable living conditions. The animals in that particular zoo live in rusty, damaged, and small cages without partners. The animals are restricted from behaving normally due to the iron pillars on the cages. Moreover, some of the animals die due to poor maintenance. In the other zoo studied, many animals were often found sick. Freedom from stress, disruption, and pressure from passing vehicles was found in neither zoo. At times, animals experience stress from visitors distracting them whether it may be the loud scream of a child or a visitor luring them with a food that is not consistent with their diet. The research revealed that zoos are definitely in need of improvement and are currently not offering the best environments for wild animals to reside in …show more content…
PETA, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, exploits numerous actions zoos partake in that may be unknown to many. PETA strongly asserts, “Despite their professed concern for animals, zoos can more accurately be described as “collections” of interesting animals than as actual havens or homes” (PETA). According to PETA, zoos stand as prisons rather than a place where animals can live in contentment and safety. Firstly, most zoos are operating under unfavorable financial circumstances. Some zoos are spending their funds on landscaping, gift shops, and landscaping to draw in more visitors instead of spending them on providing better and more humane environment for the animals. Secondly, the workers are not always invested in the protection and supervision of the animals. For example, Tatiana, a Siberian tiger, escaped out of her zoo habitat at the San Francisco Zoo. As a result, she managed to kill one victim and injure two others. Tatiana was also shot to death after doing so (PETA). According to PETA, that was one of the numerous incidents that occur in zoos due to little investment of animal care. Additionally, zoos use the wild animals for entertainment, not education. PETA states, “Animals’ normal behavior is seldom discussed, much less observed, because their natural needs are rarely met” (PETA). Visitors are not being fully educated due to the
Analysis of Argument for Ethical Zoos and How They Benefit Animals Due to the recent events in the Cincinnati Zoo, arguments have been sparked about the ethics of zoos. Most articles try to argue against zoos and closed environments, but there are those that still support zoos and the programs that they provide for endangered species. The argument “Zoos Are Not Prisons”? They Improve the Lives of Animals” focuses on the positives of animal enclosures and fights for support to keep zoos in business. The author, Dr. Robin Ganzert, ties examples of programs that zoos help create and what type of research is conducted in the zoos, to support his claims.
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
The first point of view from this issue is the side that believes humans, zoos and other facilities should be allowed to keep animals. The places that captivate animals believe that they are doing a favor to the creatures. They believe that they are saving them from being killed by humans. They say that if they would not have taken in these animals they would have died in the wild. They say they’re giving them a fresh new start and a place to live without worry. For example, in this article they state that zoos try and h...
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 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.
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.
Dr. Dave Hone (2014) proudly honors the title of being in the pro-zoo camp. Hone was a volunteer for a number of years at two different zoos and is able to identify zoos as being more than just a collection of animals (Hone, 2014, para. 2) He firsthand witnessed the importance of how conservation assists with preventing species from going extinct, the role education plays to inform many children and adults along with the guidance research shares to help better understand wildlife (Hone, 2014). In order to ensure that wild animals receive maximum care it is crucial to gain beneficial knowledge from research. In addition to understanding animal breeding through research, zoo officials are able to learn how to prevent and cure a variety of animal diseases. Education is another positive resource that zoos have to offer. There is always the option to learn about wild animals through animal documentaries, however many people enjoy a prominent up-close personal
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.
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 ...
Most people think that zoos protect animals, but it can clearly be seen in the records provided by the Times that the zoos are doing the exact opposite of protecting animals. The American zoos, including the accredited ones, have led to the near demise of elephants. 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...
Supporters of zoos argue that they help to conserve endangered species, but in fact they are not very good at this. Even the world famous panda-breeding programme has been very costly and unsuccessful. Also, zoo life does not prepare animals for the challenges of life in the wild. For example, two rare lynxes released into the wild in Colorado died from starvation even though the area was full of hares, which are a lynx’s natural prey.
Every year 3,000 to 5,000 healthy zoo animals are killed in Europe. Zoos claim to take good care for their animals and thats its the best place for animals to be, but zoo animals don’t want to be in an inclosed area, they want to be free and happy. Zoos are taking animals away from happieness, away from their home, and putting them into a space to where they have to entertain kids every single day. These zoos are teaching these children that its ok to capture and put these animals into captivity. The zoo life is not the best life for any animal.
Since the time of the early cave paintings, humans have been fascinated by the animals around them. Humans flock to zoos in order to see the animals that are not near them, enjoying themselves as they observe the encaged, often out-of-place animals. To most humans, these animals are merely objects. In this way, the human fascination for zoo animals is limited to how entertaining and exotic the animal is; thus, there is no interest in the wellbeing of the viewed animal. It is without doubt that a great portion of the zoo animal population is grossly mistreated, examples of which will be given within the essay.
Dating back to 3500 B.C, zoo were first discovered in egypt for people's entertainment (“History of Zoos”). Zoos were thought to be a great way to not only entertain children but also help them learn more about how to animals live. But not until recently, the issue has been whether zoos actually do teach children about how the animals live or is it just a way to keep them busy so their parents don't have to deal with them. To most people zoos are essential to learning and they help keep animal attacks to a minimum. However, what people don’t understand is how miserable the animals really are and how they are often treated.
Zoos are around the world, in the hottest weather and the coldest and yet some people seem to not appreciate it. A Lot of people think that humanity is wasting their money on animals that don’t benefit the people of critics, but yet they don't realize that animals are not just for being benefited in anything. Zoos give opportunity for animal to be safe and be valuable. We should always have zoos. “According to AZA over 180 million visitors to zoos it accredits participate in educational program each year, including over 50 million students”.