why animals should not be kept in zoos articles
See Related: War and the Effect on Wildlife. There are currently 421 zoological gardens and aquariums and a 2.9% business growth this year despite the pandemic. Some zoo animals try to escape. Animals such as lions, elephants, and tigers dont get even close to one percent of the area they roam in the wild. It is these boastful collections of animals, these autocratic menageries, from which the modern zoo, with its didactic plaques and $15 hot dogs, springs. The Los Angeles Zoo has used Celexa, an antidepressant, to control aggression in one of its chimps. YES. Why Are Puppy Mills Bad: The Numerous Reasons Why They Must Be Stopped And How You, yes you, Can Help! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Depressed monkey Many zoos create attractive enclosures to attract visitors. The truth is there is a vast difference between genuine conservation efforts and endangered species protection and running a zoo. Yes And Someone is Paying Attention, Swimming with The Seahorse: Discover Their Mystical Charisma. Increasingly, animals were presented with the distasteful fact of their imprisonment visually elided. When the zoo replaced the bars with thick glass, he started methodically removing the putty holding it in. The Arabian oryx, an antelope native to the Arabian Peninsula, went extinct in the wild in the 1970s and then was reintroduced into the wild from zoo populations. Some studies have shown that as many as 80 percent of zoo carnivores, 64 percent of zoo chimps and 85 percent of zoo elephants have displayed compulsive behaviors or stereotypies. This paper is going to discuss why animals should not be kept in captivity. Grizzly Bear vs Black Bear: Whats the Difference. William Randolph Hearst created his own private zoo with lions, tigers, leopards and more at Hearst Castle. Older menageries existed as far back as 2500 BCE, in Mesopotamia. Especially animals like lions that are used to roaming vast distances in the wild in search of food. Four of the zoos and the aquarium in New York City, for instance, are managed by the Wildlife Conservation Society, which is involved in conservation efforts around the world. Here are some tips. Taking an animal say a big cat, into an enclosed habitat when she cant hunt for herself can be detrimental to her life skills. The practice of killing surplus animals is kept quiet by zoos, but it happens, especially in Europe. Tell lawmakers you support animal-friendly legislation and local bans on using animals in entertainment. Animals in the wild are naturally shy to humans. Ive been to zoos and aquariums in Winnipeg, Vancouver, and Vancouver Island, not to mention those in the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. Why? The Enigmatic Wombats: Surprising Facts and Myths Debunked. Life expectancy is controlled by both the mental and physical health of most animals. Zoos are home to many animals. This is evident in killer whales' most vital body part: their teeth. Many zoos conduct such studies, and also run captive breeding programmes for endangered species. How Similar is Human DNA to Other Animals, Animals That Have Become Extinct in the Last 100 Years, 9 Best Solar-Powered Computers to Buy Today, 10 Impactful Ways to Conserve Coral Reefs. There is considerable variation from state to state and among cities and counties, as to how much legal protection is offered to captive wild animals. Trading in Wild Animals: Every year, thousands of animals enter the captive wild animal trade. The fewer than two dozen non-participants include North Korea, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Turkmenistan. Are Zoos Ethical? Arguments for and Against Zoos - Treehugger All of these animals are well studied and have a plethora of documentaries and video footage of them in the wild. Look out for the GFAS seal of approval. People are always attracted to exotic animals such as grizzlies, lions, wolves, tigers, and alligators among others. These associations ensure that members are treating their animals with a high standard of care and following any guidelines they provide. Others allow private parties to keep animals like tigers or primates with a permit. In the end, he said, we live with our own constraints. He added, We are all captive in some regards to social and ethical and religious and other constraints on our life and our activities.. The truth is that zoos are a prison for animals. Most people arent always comfortable seeing animals that are kept in zoos. Zoo elephants tend to die young. Animals are forced to live in artificial habitats that arent anywhere close to their former homes (the wild). Others are captured from their native habitats, or come from backyard breeders or the black market. Though some zoos plan on reintroducing the animals into the wild after a while, living in zoos makes it impossible for some animals. Check out more news and information on Wild Animalsin Science Times. So when they face a threat, wild animals believe that they should survive by fleeing, fighting, flirting, or freezing. There have also been reported cases of zoos not properly disposing of dead bodies when animals die on their premises. This treaty is credited with helping foster international cooperation to protect some endangered and vulnerable species. In fact, while animals will have almost unlimited space in the wild, they are often caged in rather confined areas in zoos. An example of these associations is the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) which represents over 240 businesses across the globe. Public zoos sprang up across Europe, many modeled on the London Zoo in Regents Park. People are fascinated by animals. Students and the general public get a chance to learn about different species of animals. Don't be suckered into supporting companies that offer experiences like hugging a tiger, swimming with dolphins, riding elephants, or kissing sharks. In the past five years, the number of zoos has been gradually going up. While zoos can definitely be exciting places for families to visit, the fact remains that they are bad for animals. Ive heard and read some of their stories. This is particularly true if the animal is there for entertainment. However, in a zoo, the boundaries between the wild and captivity are rearranged. This alteration of the animals behavior will eventually do more harm than good. They are just some of the millions of wild animals living in captivity across the United States. Declawing is extremely painful and causes permanent disability. The Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) operates an accreditation system for sanctuaries, rescue centres and rehabilitation centres. 12 Reasons Why Animals Should Not Be Kept in Zoos - Our Endangered World When confined they rock, pull their hair and engage in other tics. Big cats, such as lions and tigers, used in circuses are forced to live in tiny cages that are transported across the country. Little Joe, a gorilla, escaped from the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston twice in 2003. The confined living areas are a big contributor to animal stress and lack of physical stimulation like would be gained from a nice sprint. Many suffer from arthritis and other joint problems from standing on hard surfaces; elephants kept alone become desperately lonely; and all zoo elephants suffer mentally from being cooped up in. Humans have kept wild animals for thousands of years. They argue that no animal should be forced to spend their life in an unnatural environment and perform. Here is an example of just how harsh it can get when an animal is being trained to perform tricks. Lack of learning valuable animal life skills such as hunting and social structures eventually leads to the alteration of the said animals behavior. When it comes to lethal force and animal welfare, at least, public opinion swiftly sides against zoos. An animal lover, Alexs family, have all been involved in various animal welfare charities. Terrifying, Pre-Historic-Looking Fish Captured in the Ocean's Twilight Zone; What Is It? For example, a lion might have a hard time adjusting to hunting for its meals when it has spent years being fed and lazing around. Anyone can read what you share. The same applies to elephants. People dont go to zoos to learn about the biodiversity crisis or how they can help. The California condor shows what zoos can accomplish. For example, the typical enclosure designed for a polar bear is about a million times smaller than its natural roaming grounds. Gus, a polar bear at the Central Park Zoo, was given Prozac as part of an attempt to stop him from swimming endless figure-eight laps in his tiny pool. Climate change around the world: In Postcards From a World on Fire, 193 stories from individual countries show how climate change is reshaping reality everywhere, from dying coral reefs in Fiji to disappearing oases in Morocco and far, far beyond. 32 Important Pros & Cons Of Zoos - E&C CITES does not directly address living conditions for captive animals. But then theres the pacing, the rocking. Tigers, lions, elephants, bears and nonhuman primates are all included in this law. Giraffes endlessly flick their tongues. Groundhog More than Just a Weather Prognosticator! Zoos accredited by the A.Z.A. Zookeepers are not mustache-twirling villains. Mr. Hagenbecks model was widely influential. See Related: Best Books on Endangered Species. Zoos - Pros & Cons - ProCon.org A quick google search reveals that a zoo is an establishment that maintains a collection of wild animals, typically in a park or gardens, for study, conservation, or display to the public. Due in part to unnatural enclosures, animals in zoos are under stress. Ms. Marris is an environmental writer and the author of the forthcoming book Wild Souls: Freedom and Flourishing in the Non-Human World.. Understanding the optimal requirements for the reproduction of certain animals can be difficult. Having seen a majestic leopard in the zoo, the visitor becomes more willing to pay for its conservation or vote for policies that will preserve it in the wild. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. An animals worth is only equal to the attraction it offers to visitors. The A.Z.A.s policies allow for the euthanasia of animals, but the president of the association, Dan Ashe, told me, its very rarely employed by his member institutions. They learned from their parents to be mistrustful because they have no way of knowing whether people could be good or do them harm. Important to protect endangered species from extinction. According to an article inPlant Based News, marine parks and aquariums are a billion-dollar industry that exists to entertain the public by catching fish and sea mammals from the wild and using them as live exhibits. The trainer was immediately sent to the hospital and has since recovered from physical injuries, and so does the dolphin. "Zoos are prisons for animals, camouflaging their cruelty with conservation claims," Mimi Bekhechi, director of international programmes at PETA, explains. How Does Saving Water Help Climate Change? But few federal laws protect these animals, who may be forced to perform or kept confined in small cages with little to keep their minds occupied and bodies well. In contrast, those nesting animals or cornered ones will try to defend themselves if being approached to protect their young. In 2014, the Animal Legal Defense Fund successfully brought a lawsuit under the Endangered Species Act against a roadside zoo called the Cricket Hollow Animal Park, that was mistreating protected animals. When it comes to lethal force and animal welfare, at least, public opinion swiftly sides against zoos. In 2020, facilities accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums contributed more than $230 million to conservation efforts. Local laws are often most effective in governing the private possession of exotic animals. Fish and Wildlife Service, suggested that learning how to breed animals contributes to conservation in the long term, even if very few animals are being released now. I have written before about the importance of zoos and the role they have to play in the world for conservation . Reasons why people think keeping animals in zoos is bad for their welfare: the animal is deprived of its natural habitat; the animal may not have enough room; the animal is deprived of its natural . Thats undeniable. His justification was philosophical. Animals also lose their genetic diversity especially due to inbreeding. The monotonous, confined life of animals in captivity is a mere shadow of what life was like for them in the wild. One of the best examples of this advantage is the Przewalski's horse. Regardless of the merits or ethics of zoos, one thing's for certain: they're going to be around for some years yet. Animals such as lions, elephants, and tigers don't get even close to one percent of the area they roam in the wild. Why Are Zoos Bad? Why Animals Should Not be Kept in Zoos However, not all of them are suitable for captivity and are better left alone in the wild. If one could simply stop urging and encouraging zoos then maybe someday animals get to live in the free wild as they please. See Related: Animals That Have Become Extinct in the Last 100 Years. Even without a consciousness (that we know of) animals are alive and should be treated as such. Deforestation will be the next problem when animals such as moose, elks, and deer start eating everything even young trees. On the other hand, the researchers reported, there were no significant differences in survey responses before entering an exhibit compared with those obtained as visitors were exiting., A 2008 study of 206 zoo visitors by some members of the same team showed that while 42 percent said that the main purpose of the zoo was to teach visitors about animals and conservation, 66 percent said that their primary reason for going was to have an outing with friends or family, and just 12 percent said their intention was to learn about animals., The researchers also spied on hundreds of visitors conversations at the Bronx Zoo, the Brookfield Zoo outside Chicago and the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. If you dont have people that know how to care for them, know how to breed them successfully, know how to keep them in environments where their social and psychological needs can be met, then you wont be able to do that, he said. Read more: Should I worry about chemtrails? There is no wild animal census in the United States, and many states have lax oversight, so any estimates about the population of wild animals in captivity is at best an educated guess.
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