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. 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. The real question is, how can we change things? There are a great many negative effects of zoos on animals.When we visit zoos, we can see they often go to great lengths in order to recreate the animals natural habitats. In addition, baby animals that are deemed excess to requirements find their way into black market sales. Why Are Puppy Mills Bad: The Numerous Reasons Why They Must Be Stopped And How You, yes you, Can Help! What if they sent all the animals that need really large areas or lots of freedom and socialization to refuges? The forerunners of the modern zoo, open to the public and grounded in science, took shape in the 19th century. However, suffering doesnt have to be physical; boredom, confinement, and stress can cause an animal a lot of suffering. An estimated 20 red wolves are all that remain in the wild. Reintroduced animals have a hard time coping with life in the wild after long periods away. The Brutal Truth About Seal Clubbing: Because Everyone Needs Dead Seal Pups (Not)! This can lead to an appreciation of animals, which in return will see them being treated much better. Zoos across the US can take credit for reviving the wild Arabian oryx, golden lion tamarin and Californian condor populations, among many others. Should zoos exist essay: Should Zoos Still Exist or Not? The Arguments 32 Important Pros & Cons Of Zoos - E&C Display would be incidental. In several cases, animals held in poor conditions at roadside zoos have been transferred to sanctuaries, after the Animal Legal Defense Fund brought lawsuits under the Endangered Species Act. The shooting of Harambe the gorilla spawned the most-shared meme of 2016 and caused a hounded Cincinnati Zoo to suspend its social media accounts. Some animals are quite intelligent so keeping them in captivity should never be an option. We have good models of captive wild animal protection laws outside of this country as well. On top of that, the animals dont have much freedom even in these tiny spaces that they are forced to live in. The shooting of Harambe the gorilla spawned the most-shared meme of 2016 and caused a hounded Cincinnati Zoo to suspend its social media accounts. Another time, one of the orangutans, Kumang, learned how to use sticks to ground the current in the electrical wire around her enclosure. Step away from the selfie stick. Keeping endangered animals in zoos infringes on those individuals' rights to freedom. Elephants, lions, tigers, rhinos, and such. But the law excludes protection for birds, rats and mice, farmed animals and cold-blooded animals such as reptiles, amphibians and fish. People may behave eco-friendlier after going to the zoo. The truth is that zoos are a prison for animals. Elephants arent the only species that try to flee a zoo life. Exotic animals have become very popular, but they are also dangerous in so many ways. Your voice is needed, so that captive wild animals in the United States, and elsewhere, are better protected. State laws vary considerably, with some states banning the ownership of wild and exotic animals while others have virtually no regulation whatsoever. The daily stress and lack of stimulation often leads to abnormal and self-destructive behaviour - for example, pacing, walking in tight circles, rocking, swaying, or self-mutilation - a condition known as "zoochosis". All rights reserved. Depressed monkey The lawsuit asserts the agency must be able to remove animals if the USDA has deemed the facility unable to provide minimum standards of care set out by the Animal Welfare Act. Zoo keepers are often trained and specialize in a particular breed or species. The Toledo Zoo has dosed zebras and wildebeest with the antipsychotic haloperidol to keep them calm and has put an orangutan on Prozac. These refuge-zoos could become places where animals live. Even though they might be getting enough food, if your animals are not okay mentally they might still not live to their full potential. When it rains, the topsoil gets washed away leaving the land more exposed. This paper is going to discuss why animals should not be kept in captivity. See Related: Most Comfortable Animals in The World. They are removed from their natural habitats and confined to small limited spaces and often forced to perform tricks or entertain visitors. Zoological gardens have been working to help ensure that any endangered species are given another chance to thrive again over time. Marine mammals are best protected by cleaning up and protecting their habitats. See Related: How Similar is Human DNA to Other Animals. Protect animals by boycotting roadside zoos. According toAnimal Behavior: Resources for Applied Ethology, fleeing or running away is the most popular reaction of animals towards humans. Animals in zoos are easier to get various kinds of diseases because there are thousands of people around the animal every day. Carl Hegenbeck, a German exotic animal importer, introduced the modern model of more natural habitats for animals instead of obvious cages at his Animal Park in Hamburg in 1907. Lack of learning valuable animal life skills such as hunting and social structures eventually leads to the alteration of the said animals behavior. Should We Keep Animals in Zoos? - Scholastic See Related: Different Animals That Cant Jump. 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. PETA says: "People who care about protecting endangered species should donate to organisations that safeguard them in their natural habitats if a species' native environment has been destroyed, there's nowhere left for the animals to go. Roadside zoos dot the American landscape. Wildlife experts said that the incident was just another proof that wild animals should not be kept captive because it would not happen had the dolphin was only in the wild. All things considered, animals should not be kept in zoos or aquariums. After all, more than 700 million people visit zoos and aquariums worldwide every year, and biodiversity is still in decline. But whether recent events have triggered a profound shift in public consciousness is harder to quantify. An orangutan at the Omaha Zoo kept wire for lock-picking hidden in his mouth. WHY ANIMALS SHOULD NOT BE KEPT IN CAPTIVITY By "Phillip" Hungry, depressed, and unable to connect. Animals are stressed when they get separated from their packs or herds, especially when they end up as the only one of their kind in their new homes. Zoos accredited by the A.Z.A. But, for every story that casts zoos in a bad light from Vince the rhino's poaching at Paris' Thoiry Zoo in March; Cincinnati Zoo shooting endangered gorilla, Harambe, last year after a child fell into his enclosure; or Copenhagen Zoo killing and publicly dissecting Marius, a two-year-old giraffe in 2014 there are heart-warming tales too. Investigators found sticks and pine cones inside the exhibit, most likely thrown by the boys. Copyright 2015-2021 National Geographic Partners, LLC. For many wild animals, this is a vital part of their life, and they can struggle to redefine their footing. The AWA only applies to some captive wild animals. It took several decades before Alex was able to leave the corporate world behind and embark on a real writing journey. Zoos also have the power to euthanize their animals when they themselves deem it permissible. At the Los Angeles Zoo, a gorilla named Evelyn escaped seven times in 20 years. But then theres the pacing, the rocking. Tatiana the tiger, kept in the San Francisco Zoo, snapped one day in 2007 after three teenage boys had been taunting her. Visitors will hammer on the glass or clamor around an animal enclosure, calling and shouting for the creature to perform for their pleasure. What could these zoos do with it, besides enlarging enclosures? Older menageries existed as far back as 2500 BCE, in Mesopotamia. Sanctuaries promise to take in and care for any animals that have been abused, neglected, or abandoned and to keep them for life. A 2019 report by World Animal Protection found that captive animals exhibitedabnormal levels of aggression, indicating that the attack in Miami Seaquarium was a direct result of captivity, despite claims that it is an isolated incident and is uncommon. In April, ethical tour operator Responsible Travel after consultation with wildlife charity Born Free Foundation axed trips that include zoo visits. Grizzly Bear vs Black Bear: Whats the Difference. While researching my book on the ethics of human interactions with wild species, Wild Souls, I examined how, exactly, zoos contribute to the conservation of wild animals. We do know that common animals kept as pets include lions, tigers, cougars, ocelots, servals, wolves, bears, alligators, snakes and nonhuman primates like chimpanzees. (This law does not affect zoos or circuses.). 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. By playing dead, they would deceive predators into leaving them alone. Why Animals Should Not be Kept in Zoos These animals oftentimes live in inhumane conditions, and pose a serious threat to public safety. zoos is usually not more than 200 animals per year, the organization said.) Well, scat reveals all sorts of things about individual animals; information the keepers share with the scientific community. Earlier this month, footage of a dolphin attacking its trainer in Miami Seaquarium went viral. Breeding programs in zoos eventually lead to some animals being sold off to other zoos or worse circuses. This is due to the fact that many zoos want to keep as many animals as . Watching these is a much healthier and more educational way to learn about wild animals than visiting a local zoo. Such a transformation might free up some space. This relocation alone can come as a large shock and wreak havoc on the animals mental health. Zoo animals sustain both physical and psychological scars from harsh zookeepers. Here is an example of just how harsh it can get when an animal is being trained to perform tricks. This is seen as a cheaper option as opposed to moving them back into the wild. These experiences are often harmful to wildlife and dangerous for you. For example, the typical enclosure designed for a polar bear is about a million times smaller than its natural roaming grounds. ", Published in the June 2017 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK), What to do in the Forest of Bowland, Lancashire, How to plan and book an Indian rail odyssey, Four of the best luxury sleeper trains in India, How Miami is re-embracing its modernist architecture, Where to eat in Clitheroe, the Ribble Valley's culinary hotspot, Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic Society. If an animal cannot be given sufficient space or is suffering from stress and not behaving as expected, the zoo is within its right to kill the animal(s). Throughout history, men have accumulated large and fierce animals to advertise their might and prestige. Life expectancy is controlled by both the mental and physical health of most animals. ViewResources. Giant Insect From Jurassic Era Found in Walmart Opens Deeper Ecological Questions, 3,500-Year-old Perfectly Preserved, Mummified Bear Might Lead to 'Breakthrough in Ancient Animal Study', Presumed Extinct Funji-eating Fairy Lantern Plant Found Emerging Again in Japan, How Did Missing Argentinian Man's Remains Get Into a Shark's Stomach? Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram. Animals in the wild are naturally shy to humans. Unfortunately using real animals for these purposes involves tremendous cruelty. Declawing is extremely painful and causes permanent disability. Especially not for the broad spectrum of species they have in their park. 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. In 2014, the director of the E.A.Z.A. Zoos cannot begin to provide the amount of space animals have in the wild. But whether recent events have triggered a profound shift in public consciousness is harder to . The AWA establishes only baseline standards of care for licensing exhibitors. Here are some of the major ways that these jurisdictions are protecting wild captive animals under the law: Restricting Private Parties From Keeping Wild Animals: Some states ban the keeping of wild and exotic animals. Why Animals Should Not Be Kept in Captivity: The Problem With Wildlife This may be true to some extent; however, many zoos are running breeding programs for their own benefit and have no interest in releasing their animals back into the wild. The statistics on the number of big cats alone that have died in captivity between 1990 and 2021 is 126. Photographs by Peter Fisher. The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. Polar bears have one million times less space. Zoos have been around for thousands of yearsas far back as 3500 BC in Egypt. The Animal Legal Defense Fund is rated four-stars by Charity Navigator, is a Platinum Level GuideStar Exchange participant, a Better Business Bureau Accredited Charity, and an Independent Charity Seal of Excellence awardee, ensuring that we meet the highest standards of accountability, efficiency, and impact. Once again, a change of this magnitude can cause captive animals to exhibit changing behaviors, which include self-destructive acts and unrelenting restlessness. Non-native animals are held in conditions that vary greatly from what they are used to living in. It is expensive and difficult to keep wild animals in captivity. However, only a certain number of each species are really needed, and so should breeding result in a sharp increase, these numbers are reduced via various methods. The Endangered Species Act: The Endangered Species Act, the ESA, is a federal law that protects fish, mammals, birds and plants listed as threatened or endangered in the U.S. and beyond. Pro and Con: Zoos | Britannica Elephants are particularly unhappy in zoos, given their great size, social nature and cognitive complexity. Groundhog More than Just a Weather Prognosticator! The worst climate risks, mapped: In this feature, select a country, and we'll break down the climate hazards it faces. For example, Orcas are migratory animals with a vast range. 525 East Cotati Avenue,Cotati, CA 94931 Forests Under Threat: A Comprehensive Look at the Latest Deforestation Statistics, Puppy Mills vs. Your email address will not be published. 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. A gorilla named Togo at the Toledo Zoo used his incredible strength to bend the bars of his cage. This type of behaviour is almost unheard of in their wild counterparts. Animals such as lions, elephants, and tigers don't get even close to one percent of the area they roam in the wild. Its protections are minimal as well. 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.. See Related: What Is The Hunters Role in Wildlife Conservation? WorldAnimalFoundation.org, Today's Deal: $300 Discount on Halo 2+ GPS Dog Collar. Visiting a zoo is a chance for many people to see exotic animals they would otherwise be unable to see. Persuasive Speech: Why Animals Should Not be kept in Zoos. 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.". Zoo owners go to great lengths to build enclosures that have a wild aesthetic and give paying visitors a taste of the wild world. Sadly, most of these associations end up protecting the interests of their members, and not the animals they should be protecting. Many zoo animals are forcefully removed from their natural habitat. They found that only 27 percent of people bothered to read the signs at exhibits. facilities report spending approximately $231 million annually on conservation projects. Unfortunately, this is done under the guise of conservation and to protect endangered species. 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. However, they are really just teaching children about caring for animals in captivity. 12 Reasons Why Animals Should Not Be Kept in Zoos - Our Endangered World Private individuals with the financial means use their money to procure rare or exotic animals from zoos to add to their own private collections. Animals held captive in zoos are in very small environments such as cages, and they have no freedom. NASA's Hubble Space Telescope Captures Dramatic Hour-by-Hour Changes of Dart Mission Slamming on an Asteroid, Can Humanity Deflect Potentially Hazardous Asteroids? Cleaners and feeders spend a lot of time with the animals, and understanding the situation one is getting into can be very helpful. In fact, while animals will have almost unlimited space in the wild, they are often caged in rather confined areas in zoos. If one could simply stop urging and encouraging zoos then maybe someday animals get to live in the free wild as they please. Copyrights 2023. Zoos | Freedom for Animals Should zoos be banned? | National Geographic Marine mammals in captivity | The Humane Society of the United States They learned from their parents to be mistrustful because they have no way of knowing whether people could be good or do them harm. Ive been to zoos and aquariums in Winnipeg, Vancouver, and Vancouver Island, not to mention those in the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. Here's What Experts Think. When a female gorilla named Johari kept fighting off the male she was placed with, the zoo dosed her with Prozac until she allowed him to mate with her. Should Animals Be Kept in Zoos? | KQED Education When wild animals shouldn't be in captivity. Going to the zoo is sort of a short vacation for many people. A day may come, he said, when we need to breed elephants or tigers or polar bears in captivity to save them from extinction.

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