Such zoos might even be merged with sanctuaries, places that take wild animals that because of injury or a lifetime of captivity cannot live in the wild. Welfare of Wild Animals in Captivity | RSPCA Copyrights 2023. Zoos also say that they save the endangered animals, but all they really care about is how much crowd the animal draws. It is these boastful collections of animals, these autocratic menageries, from which the modern zoo, with its didactic plaques and $15 hot dogs, springs. Animals are not able to bear living in small, unsuited environments. For many wild animals, this is a vital part of their life, and they can struggle to redefine their footing. Many zoo animals are forcefully removed from their natural habitat. He also found many examples of zoo elephants hurting or killing their keepers and evidence that zoos routinely downplayed or even lied about those incidents. In 2018, the Eighth Circuit issued a unanimous decision in Cricket Hollows appeal of that case, that it can be a violation of the Endangered Species Act when captive animals arent given proper care. All rights reserved. Wildlife experts remind people that these animals do not know people's intentions, so they will try to protect themselves no matter what. Your voice is needed, so that captive wild animals in the United States, and elsewhere, are better protected. Check out more news and information on Wild Animalsin Science Times. Some, however, argue that children benefit from zoos. In many modern zoos, animals are well cared for, healthy and probably, for many species, content. Elephants figure prominently in his book, in part because they are so big that when they escape it generally makes the news. See Related: Best Wildlife Conservation Jobs. But relatively early in their evolution, a German exotic animal importer named Carl Hagenbeck changed the way wild animals were exhibited. Animals in captivity can struggle to adapt to their new environment. 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. The Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) operates an accreditation system for sanctuaries, rescue centres and rehabilitation centres. They are kind people, bonded to their charges and immersed in the culture of the zoo, in which they are the good guys. Weve discussed the reasons and can surely all now answer the question of why are zoos bad. For example, Orcas are migratory animals with a vast range. The A.Z.A. Animals also lose their genetic diversity especially due to inbreeding. Taking your family for a day out at the zoo has been a sort of tradition for a very long time and given recent statics the number of visitors is growing. Should We Keep Animals in Zoos? - Scholastic Today's zoos are extremely important to saving wild animals and their habitats. The first modern one was opened in Paris, France in 1793. Wrong! https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/11/opinion/zoos-animal-cruelty.html, Photographs by Peter Fisher for The New York Times. The Los Angeles Zoo has used Celexa, an antidepressant, to control aggression in one of its chimps. Because so many diseases can be transmitted from animals to humans, such as Ebola, Hantavirus, and the bird flu, zoos frequently conduct disease surveillance research in wildlife populations and their own captive populations that can lead to a direct impact on human health. There have also been reported cases of zoos not properly disposing of dead bodies when animals die on their premises. This is the image of the zoo I grew up with: the unambiguously good civic institution that lovingly cared for animals both on its grounds and, somehow, vaguely, in their wild habitats. In the 1980s, a group of orangutans escaped several times at the San Diego Zoo. In the age of social media, high profile culls have sparked heated debates. Zoos are expensive to run, often have a very tight budget, and cannot afford to maintain and support animals that do not pull their weight in terms of attraction. The Animal Welfare Act: The Animal Welfare Act, or AWA, is the primary piece of federal legislation regulating captive wild animals. Keep on reading. There are a few exceptions. The state and local laws protecting wild animals in captivity are spreading. Many zoos claim to be helping preserve dwindling populations. Animals are forced to live in artificial habitats that arent anywhere close to their former homes (the wild). See Related: Most Comfortable Animals in The World. The surpluses are then sold off to zoos, aquariums, or even circuses. A criticism is that protections are less robust for species that are economically valuable, and that CITES is not as transparent in its decision-making or enforcement as would be ideal. Alex started writing from the moment he could hold a pen. Most people arent always comfortable seeing animals that are kept in zoos. The truth is there is a vast difference between genuine conservation efforts and endangered species protection and running a zoo. They go for the same reason people went to zoos in the 19th century: to be entertained. Why Animals Should not be Kept in Zoos? Essay Photographs by Peter Fisher. As long as there is demand should zoos exist essay them, zoos will continue to exist. We say zoos are bad because animals are forced to live in unnatural, stressful, boring environments, leading to a lack of mental and physical stimulation. Unfortunately using real animals for these purposes involves tremendous cruelty. Chimps pull out their own hair. Tigers, lions, elephants, bears and nonhuman primates are all included in this law. That doesnt mean there havent been criticisms. Reintroduced animals have a hard time coping with life in the wild after long periods away. These are species that would have vanished totally were it not for captive populations around the world, many of which reside in zoos (or, for plants, botanic gardens). See Related: How Similar is Human DNA to Other Animals. Zoos shifted just slightly from overt demonstrations of mastery over beasts to a narrative of benevolent protection of individual animals. Zookeepers are not mustache-twirling villains. Its protections are minimal as well. Privacy Policy. For the unlucky ones that end up in the circuses, they are always in for a wide awakening. However, the vast majority dont do enough to accurately replace an animals natural habitat. 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. Things like ensuring animals arent caged and treated less than they deserve. For comparison, in 2018, they spent $4.9 billion on operations and construction. Some sad facts about zoos are that at times, the people hired to take care of and protect these animals arent very qualified. Others are captured from their native habitats, or come from backyard breeders or the black market. And this is not a definite number of victims; there is probably a good number that hasnt been documented. In zoos, elephants are often given a small outside enclosure and an internal house. This is nowhere near enough space to provide an elephant with a life comparable to that of its wild counterparts. Zoos often do more harm than good, creating unnatural environments that look realistic enough to make any potential return to the wild all but impossible. To many people, a trip to the zoo is a fun day out for the family. Young chimpanzees on movie sets are trained through regular beatings and then discarded around age 8 when they become too large to control. Their natural habitat extends far beyond anything captivity zoos could provide. Why Are Zoos Bad? Why Animals Should Not be Kept in Zoos When big predators are brought up on dead meat and never have to hunt for themselves, mingle with the prey they cant hunt, and entertain humans with tricks, they get further from their natural behaviors. They are just some of the millions of wild animals living in captivity across the United States. Copyright OurEndangedWorld | All Rights Reserved, Environmental Organizations in The Philippines, Environmental Organizations in North America, Environmental Organizations in South America, Best Energy-Efficient Electric Fireplaces. But whether recent events have triggered a profound shift in public consciousness is harder to quantify. Zoos and circuses are among those who fall under this act. However, not all of them are suitable for captivity and are better left alone in the wild. The animals too have rights and they shouldnt be subjected to half the things they undergo. In most cases, animals in zoos lead very unhappy lives. Zoos are built as a source of income for some. The Humane Society of the United States believes that animals in bare tanks do not present a realistic image of natural behaviors or natural habitats. Animals are an important part of nature and should have the right to live in their natural environment. Caring for animals on a full-time basis requires someone who is both informed and cares about them. Captive tigers pace back and forth, and in a 2014 study, researchers found that the time devoted to pacing by a species in captivity is best predicted by the daily distances traveled in nature by the wild specimens. It is almost as if they feel driven to patrol their territory, to hunt, to move, to walk a certain number of steps, as if they have a Fitbit in their brains. Zoological gardens have been working to help ensure that any endangered species are given another chance to thrive again over time. Ive been to zoos and aquariums in Winnipeg, Vancouver, and Vancouver Island, not to mention those in the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. Once an animal has served its purpose, many zoos will either sell them or euthanize them. As a late Gen-Xer-cum-early-Millenial, my childhood was rich with trips to visit zoos. 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. A species protected in captivity provides a reservoir population against a population crash or extinction in the wild. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram. The window to the world of. Zoos are held to their word of conserving animals and releasing them back into the wild when they are ready. From there, it was an easy leap to protecting animal species. Important to protect endangered species from extinction. Yes, it is time consuming and it is expensive, but if it is possible, we have to try, simply because is the right thing to do.". Many zoos give children the wrong lessons about wild animals and how to protect animals. The practice of killing surplus animals is kept quiet by zoos, but it happens, especially in Europe. Running a successful zoo is about drawing in visitors as much as it is caring for animals. The forerunners of the modern zoo, open to the public and grounded in science, took shape in the 19th century. I do not doubt that some people had their passion for a particular species, or wildlife in general, sparked by zoo experiences. James Borrell: Eight reasons why zoos are good for conservation Learn More. This type of behaviour is almost unheard of in their wild counterparts. Look out for the GFAS seal of approval. Those who reported a sense of connection to the animals at the zoo also correlated positively with general environmental concern. In one escape, they worked together: One held a mop handle steady while her sister climbed it to freedom. Existing animal protection laws do not actually consider the true ramifications of captivity. But many animals clearly show us that they do not enjoy captivity. A.Z.A. Its said that Texas has the worlds second-largest tiger population, due to private citizens propensity for keeping these big cats as pets. And Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo has an on-site Wildlife Hospital to save sick and injured native species. Giraffes endlessly flick their tongues. There are 39 animal species currently listed by the IUCN as Extinct in the Wild. Zoos often have insufficient knowledge of animals. Severe arthritis and foot infections are common in captive elephants due to standing on hard, unnatural surfaces all day without room to roam. Its protections are minimal as well. Some 5,800 species of animals are covered by the treaty (along with 30,000 species of plants). 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. Though some zoos plan on reintroducing the animals into the wild after a while, living in zoos makes it impossible for some animals. YES. PETA isn't alone. Artificial environments. Animals held captive in zoos are in very small environments such as cages, and they have no freedom. There is always that element of choice that gets removed from them in a captive environment. A peer-reviewed 2017 study in the . Protect animals by boycotting roadside zoos. When it works out, breeding endangered animals has positive results that can be felt even in the human kingdom. The fewer than two dozen non-participants include North Korea, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Turkmenistan. I pointed out that we cant ask animals whether they are happy with their enclosure size. Not surprising, perhaps, considering the typical polar bear enclosure is one million times smaller than the area they would naturally roam.". Life expectancy is controlled by both the mental and physical health of most animals. Little Joe, a gorilla, escaped from the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston twice in 2003. In April, ethical tour operator Responsible Travel after consultation with wildlife charity Born Free Foundation axed trips that include zoo visits. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com. Should Animals Be Kept In Zoos However, there are various reasons that explain why zoos are unethical. Going to the zoo is often quite affordable. 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.. Captive animals need better laws, and better enforcement of those laws. For some animals, reintroduction will always be difficult, such as baby elephants, or pet cheetahs, both of which habituate to human care very quickly, says Moore of IFAW. Early in the pandemic, the Neumunster Zoo in northern Germany coolly announced an emergency plan to cope with lost revenue by feeding some animals to other animals, compressing the food chain at the zoo like an accordion, until in the worst-case scenario, only Vitus, a polar bear, would be left standing. In this article, we will take a look at why zoos teach children the wrong lesson about captive animals. I find one statistic particularly telling about their priorities: A 2018 analysis of the scientific papers produced by association members between 1993 and 2013 showed that just about 7 percent of them annually were classified as being about biodiversity conservation.. Watching these is a much healthier and more educational way to learn about wild animals than visiting a local zoo. Some populations in the wild are weakened by endogamy too. Animals in zoos are easier to get various kinds of diseases because there are thousands of people around the animal every day. Just as we humans are free to do whatever we want so long as we follow the law, then it shouldn't be different for animals. The idea of conserving animals that are at risk of going extinct is a great one; the problem is that not most zoos live up to it. Older menageries existed as far back as 2500 BCE, in Mesopotamia. Deforestation will be the next problem when animals such as moose, elks, and deer start eating everything even young trees. In 1982, only 22 condors existed in the wild. Should Animals Be Kept in Zoos? | KQED Education Visiting a zoo is a chance for many people to see exotic animals they would otherwise be unable to see. Top 50 Most Good-looking Nationalities: AI Shows Beautiful People From Different Countries; How Does Science Measure Beauty, Attractiveness? Also, removing a certain species from the ecosystem can destroy the whole ecosystem. Well, scat reveals all sorts of things about individual animals; information the keepers share with the scientific community. Climate change has become a very real threat for the next and even current generations. Animal Legal Defense Fund,National Headquarters Apes are known for picking locks and keeping a beady eye on their captors, waiting for the day someone forgets to lock the door. Animals such as lions, elephants, and tigers dont get even close to one percent of the area they roam in the wild. Black-footed ferrets and red wolves in the United States and golden lion tamarins in Brazil all endangered, as well have been bred at zoos for reintroduction into the wild. After being captives of the pandemic for more than a year, we have begun experiencing the pleasures of simple outings: dining al fresco, shopping with a friend, taking a stroll through the zoo. Big cats, such as lions and tigers, used in circuses are forced to live in tiny cages that are transported across the country. That change prompted the shift in zoo narrative from entertainment to the protection of animals. Properly curated and interpreted, a well-run garden can be a site for a rewarding outing with friends or family, a source of education for the 27 percent of people who read signs and a point of civic pride. Genes evolved over time to help the animal adjust to a man-made habitat can be a downside to the populations of the species in the wild. See Related: What Is The Hunters Role in Wildlife 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 . Before anyone starts sprinkling the stuff on their cornflakes, this isn't the hottest new beauty trend nor is it a natural phenomenon: Assiniboine Park Zoo's keepers use coloured glitter in the bears' feed to identify their droppings. First and foremost, captivity can be extremely detrimental to an animal's physical and mental well-being. There were five such states until 2017, when South Carolina passed a law banning wild and exotic animals to be kept as pets. Yes And Someone is Paying Attention, Swimming with The Seahorse: Discover Their Mystical Charisma. It is impossible to read these stories without concluding that these animals wanted out. This is only one of the Acts limitations. The confined living areas are a big contributor to animal stress and lack of physical stimulation like would be gained from a nice sprint. 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. Going to the zoo is sort of a short vacation for many people. All of these options afford you a close view of nature exactly as it was intended. A day may come, he said, when we need to breed elephants or tigers or polar bears in captivity to save them from extinction.