why animals should not be kept in zoos articles why animals should not be kept in zoos articles

Tell lawmakers you support animal-friendly legislation and local bans on using animals in entertainment. A study by Bristol University found that many British zoos fail to provide animals with the required minimum standard of care. Animals are forced to sleep, eat, and defecate in the same small area. An animal lover, Alexs family, have all been involved in various animal welfare charities. However, it does not change the fundamental fact that as the world changes, we must also become more aware of the darker side of such animal sanctuaries. Whats Causing Their Decline? When it rains, the topsoil gets washed away leaving the land more exposed. 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). But that day of release never quite seems to come. WorldAnimalFoundation.org is reader-supported. There is an undeniable thrill, seeing animals in zoos, circuses, movies, television shows, and amusement parks. Today's zoos are extremely important to saving wild animals and their habitats. The sale of excess animals to traveling roadside zoos is another big problem. Zoos are a part of culture across the world. Lack of trees to rain will then lead to less and less vegetation and eventually draught in the area which will force the surviving animals to migrate to areas with better conditions. They learned from their parents to be mistrustful because they have no way of knowing whether people could be good or do them harm. 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. Below are a dozen reasons why zoos can be bad for animals: 1. Learn More. Also, removing a certain species from the ecosystem can destroy the whole ecosystem. But many animals clearly show us that they do not enjoy captivity. By playing dead, they would deceive predators into leaving them alone. Visitors will hammer on the glass or clamor around an animal enclosure, calling and shouting for the creature to perform for their pleasure. Most zoos dont focus on the educational aspect of zoos; the animals are mainly kept for amusement. All of these options afford you a close view of nature exactly as it was intended. There is always that element of choice that gets removed from them in a captive environment. For example, smaller and faster animals with a lot of predators in the wild tend to thrive in zoos. In a 2011 study, researchers quizzed visitors at the Cleveland, Bronx, Prospect Park and Central Park zoos about their level of environmental concern and what they thought about the animals. Many zoos use Prozac and other psychoactive drugs on at least some of their animals to deal with the mental effects of captivity. These are wild animals, who are dangerous by nature and cannot be domesticated. Keep on reading. Mr. Hagenbecks model was widely influential. 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. A species protected in captivity provides a reservoir population against a population crash or extinction in the wild. So when they. All Rights Reserved. Zoo owners go to great lengths to build enclosures that have a wild aesthetic and give paying visitors a taste of the wild world. Though the idea of breeding endangered animals to help increase their numbers back in the wild is great, there are problems that come with it. They are just some of the millions of wild animals living in captivity across the United States. Many animals in zoos are not used to confinement. However, few people stop and actively consider why zoos are bad. There have also been reported cases of zoos not properly disposing of dead bodies when animals die on their premises. No, most likely not. They bought tickets, and the wild creatures should behave accordingly. Zoos also say that they save the endangered animals, but all they really care about is how much crowd the animal draws. Cleaners and feeders spend a lot of time with the animals, and understanding the situation one is getting into can be very helpful. Things like ensuring animals arent caged and treated less than they deserve. Few federal laws protect the millions of wild animals who live in captivity in aquariums, circuses, theme parks and zoos in the U.S. Step away from the selfie stick. 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. She could then climb the wire without being shocked. Ostensibly places for genteel amusement and edification, zoos expanded beyond big and fearsome animals to include reptile houses, aviaries and insectariums. That doesnt mean there havent been criticisms. 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. However, in a zoo, the boundaries between the wild and captivity are rearranged. See Related: How Similar is Human DNA to Other Animals. Animal Behavior: Resources for Applied Ethology, Man in Uganda Beats Lion With Bare Hands In Bloody Battle Before Feasting on the Beast for Dinner, Dolphin Attacks Trainer in Front of Horrified Families in Miami Seaquarium: How Often Do These Sea Creatures Attack Humans? NASA's DART Mission Successfully Changed the Trajectory of Space Rock Dimorphos, Asteroid Ryugu Richly Harbors Building Blocks of Life, Scientists Reveal, SpaceXs Crew-6 Astronauts Aboard Dragon Capsule Endeavor Will Arrive at Space Station Early Friday [WATCH LIVE]. Chimps pull out their own hair. 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. This can have huge negative effects on the environment in many adverse ways. Why? For some animals in zoos, the shock of their relocation alone can be fatal. What people can do: Justin Gillis and Hal Harvey describe the types of local activismthat might be needed, while Saul Griffith points to how Australia shows the way on rooftop solar. See Related: Animals With the Best Sense of Smell. While zoos can definitely be exciting places for families to visit, the fact remains that they are bad for animals. People are fascinated by animals. In states without tight enough regulation, local jurisdictions oftentimes adopt ordinances that ban or restrict the display of captive wild animals. Forests Under Threat: A Comprehensive Look at the Latest Deforestation Statistics, Puppy Mills vs. But relatively early in their evolution, a German exotic animal importer named Carl Hagenbeck changed the way wild animals were exhibited. Life expectancy is controlled by both the mental and physical health of most animals. Elephants, lions, tigers, rhinos, and such. 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 . Apes are excellent at escaping. Visit animal sanctuaries instead of zoos, marine parks or circuses. In zoos vets and biologist help to prevent inbreeding. What could these zoos do with it, besides enlarging enclosures? After all, more than 700 million people visit zoos and aquariums worldwide every year, and biodiversity is still in decline. The AWA only applies to some captive wild animals. Some sad facts about zoos are that at times, the people hired to take care of and protect these animals arent very qualified. Some of the captive-born animals are not capable of sustaining themselves in the wild and they could pass on these genes dooming the whole species in that region. More than 6,000 comments made by the visitors were recorded, nearly half of which were purely descriptive statements that asserted a fact about the exhibit or the animal. The researchers wrote, In all the statements collected, no one volunteered information that would lead us to believe that they had an intention to advocate for protection of the animal or an intention to change their own behavior.. Zoos and circuses are among those who fall under this act. First and foremost, captivity can be extremely detrimental to an animal's physical and mental well-being. They are removed from their natural habitats and confined to small limited spaces and often forced to perform tricks or entertain visitors. The process of training an animal is a long and brutal one. 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. Earlier this month, footage of a dolphin attacking its trainer in Miami Seaquarium went viral. In some environments, we believe it's best not to keep certain wild animals at all, as their needs simply can't be met. 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. Wild dolphins swim up to 40 miles day with the other members of their pod, while captive dolphins are forced to swim in tiny pools with unfamiliar dolphins day after day. See Related: Most Comfortable Animals in The World. Many zoos conduct such studies, and also run captive breeding programmes for endangered species. Roadside zoos dot the American landscape. Zoos shifted just slightly from overt demonstrations of mastery over beasts to a narrative of benevolent protection of individual animals. Sadly, once the small animals outgrow their cute phase, the zoo has to get rid of them since feeding and housing them all can get expensive. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. For privacy policy and ad & cookie policy information, visit our Privacy Policy pages. This type of behaviour is almost unheard of in their wild counterparts. When factoring in the number of zoos breeding animals and the risk posed to baby animals, the change of disease skyrockets further. This relocation alone can come as a large shock and wreak havoc on the animals mental health. However, the truth is that no enclosure can come close to matching the vastness of an animals natural environment. There are dozens of other countries around the world with similar prohibitions, including Austria, Greece, Israel, Mexico, Peru and Singapore. Sanctuaries occupy a "gray area," says Tanya Espinosa, a . Ms. Marris is an environmental writer and the author of the forthcoming book Wild Souls: Freedom and Flourishing in the Non-Human World.. To update your payment information, visit our Member Center. Today, nearly every country in the world is a member of CITES. It took several decades before Alex was able to leave the corporate world behind and embark on a real writing journey. Most people arent always comfortable seeing animals that are kept in zoos. Instead, they will hire generalists with a degree of knowledge specificity and run with that. But theres no unambiguous evidence that zoos are making visitors care more about conservation or take any action to support it. The AWA establishes only baseline standards of care for licensing exhibitors. For them, the best option is to fight back. Zoos provide opportunities for nice family trips. They go to get out of the house, to get their children some fresh air, to see interesting animals. Another similar behavior of flirting is freezing, in which an animal does not move when there is no way of escape, like being caught in a trap or net even though they are terrified. This alteration of the animals behavior will eventually do more harm than good. Zoos also have the power to euthanize their animals when they themselves deem it permissible. Unlike in the wild where these endangered species have to worry about staying safe, in these breeding programs they get taken care of. Copyright 2015-2021 National Geographic Partners, LLC. In 1982, only 22 condors existed in the wild. See Related: Endangered Species in California. A largely unregulated trend is the hybrid breeding of wild cats with house cats, with predictably disastrous consequences. It is expensive and difficult to keep wild animals in captivity. Here is an example of just how harsh it can get when an animal is being trained to perform tricks. In 1898, the reason was cited by the New York Zoological Society when it resolved to inform the public of the continued decline in animal populations, to stimulate sentiment in favor of animal protection, and to cooperate with scientific organizations to ensure the preservation of species. 7 reasons why animals in captivity deserve freedom. 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. The others ran, and she pursued them, ignoring all other humans in her path. Regardless of the merits or ethics of zoos, one thing's for certain: they're going to be around for some years yet. The law, adopted by Congress in 1966, protects so-called warm-blooded animals who are bred for commercial sale, used in research, transported commercially or publicly exhibited, like in a zoo or circus. Some animals are quite intelligent so keeping them in captivity should never be an option. 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. Once the ground has been left with no coverage, soil erosion will be the next step. A gorilla named Togo at the Toledo Zoo used his incredible strength to bend the bars of his cage. Thats true, he said. WorldAnimalFoundation.org, Today's Deal: $300 Discount on Halo 2+ GPS Dog Collar. 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. All of these animals are well studied and have a plethora of documentaries and video footage of them in the wild. Should Animals Be Kept In Zoos However, there are various reasons that explain why zoos are unethical. There are 39 animal species currently listed by the IUCN as Extinct in the Wild. Keeping endangered animals in zoos infringes on those individuals' rights to freedom. They go for the same reason people went to zoos in the 19th century: to be entertained. (The culling of mammals specifically in E.A.Z.A. Children leave most zoos with a misconception about how animals behave in the wild and what it takes to truly care for endangered animals. Captive animals need better laws, and better enforcement of those laws. The Animal Legal Defense Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. I once overheard two schoolchildren at the Smithsonians National Zoo in Washington confess to each other that they had assumed that elephants were mythical animals like unicorns before seeing them in the flesh.