WebThe question whether animals should be kept in captivity or not is debated on many platforms and forums. Opponents say wild animals should never be kept captive. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Although the initial methods of retrieval were brutal, sometimes killing the parents to take the young one back for study, the overall goal was to extend human knowledge. Animals in zoos are often kept in small cages where they cannot roam freely or express natural behaviors. Growing urbanization and industrialization led to heightened demand for new forms of entertainment. Up until the early 19th century, the sole function of zoos was to symbolize the power of royalty and indulge their extravagant tastes. Share it! Should zoos be banned Why Zoos Should Not Be Banned When the first modern zoo was established in London in the 19th century, the purpose was purely scientific. After the famous wildlife conservationist Geral Durrell opened a zoo in Jersey in 1959, zoos all over the world have embraced the mission of. 4. Your vote is anonymous. In general, if animals are kept under unnatural living conditions, their behavior will change in the long run. procon@eb.com, 2022 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. It also means that those zoos often work together on research projects and share their latest insights regarding how to keep animals in zoos as naturally as possible. 3. The American Zoo Association even stated that conservation was its number one priority. When that possibility is no longer a choice, then this option might be the next best thing. Zoos are not only important to protect endangered animals from extinction, they are also important from a financial perspective for many local communities all around the world. Pros Elephants become more aggressive when they are unable to travel and explore, which is caused zookeepers to euthanize almost 100 individuals in the past decade because of the danger they caused to others. It was only then that a transition was made from royal menageries, designed to entertain the elite, to public zoological gardens aiming to educate the wider population. Heres Why, nationalgeographic.com, Mar. Zoos study, Animals in captivity are deprived of many things that are important to them, as a result they become lonely and bored. Zoos are detrimental to animals' physical health. Especially for those people, it can be quite important to go to the zoo and to see all those animals in order to remember how important protecting our environment really is. This can lead to boredom, frustration, and mental health problems. 3. Whenever visitors like animals and birds and pay more to visit them, they get luxurious food and habitat. While zoos spend millions on keeping animals confined, natural habitats are destroyed and animals are killed, as theres insufficient funding for their protection. Should zoos be banned Yes, there are several reasons why zoos are bad. Should zoos be banned Jane Goodall, the famous British primatologist and one of the most important experts in chimpanzees in the world, has defended the role of zoos in helping us understand and preservethe life of wild animals (see video below). Opponents of zoos often claim that zoos are just in place for human amusement. This disadvantage occurs because there is no longer a need to hunt for their survival. WebCons of zoos Animal cruelty in zoos continues to be extremely common. 21 Pros and Cons of Zoos Zoos This emphasis is still present today, with many facilities offering educational programs, behind-the-scenes tours, and various activities which encourage visitors to learn more about the animals which live there. Animals in captivity often develop dangerous and destructive habits due to the stress of living in such restricted spaces. Thus, zoos can also be quite important to raise awareness of our global environmental problems in order to protect our animals as best as possible. While zoos can provide some benefits for animals and the public, there are also valid concerns about the impact on animal welfare and the effectiveness of conservation efforts. Source: This image was created for netivist.org. Zoos can be construed as a. 3. Human-Environment Interaction: Definition & Examples, 30 Team-Building Activities for Kids (Indoor & Outdoor), 25 Outdoor Team Building Activities for Group Bonding, 3 Homemade Heating Pad DIYs to Warm Up Your Winter, How to Make a Bird Box With Easy Customizations, DIY Baking Soda Vinegar Foot Soak For Tired Feet. The Red Panda can be found in St. Louis, and there are fewer than 10,000 of them in the world today. CON Zoos don't educate the public enough to justify keeping animals captive. Pros One strong argument for why zoos should be banned is it is intrinsically wrong to place animals in captivity. After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? Equity, respect and transparency are at the heart of fair trades definition. Already have an account on netivist? Controversy has historically surrounded zoos, from debates over displaying exotic humans in exhibits to zookeepers not knowing what to feed animals. [29], About 70% of adult male gorillas in North America have heart disease, the leading cause of death among gorillas in captivity, although the condition is almost completely absent in the wild. In addition, visitors are allowed to get very close to them, which is notpermitted in larger, better-regulated establishments. zoos should be banned Ever since there has been an increasing public concern about animal welfare in zoos. 9 Reasons Not to Visit Zoos Zoos also collect exotic pets from people who want to get rid of them, which gives the pets home while generating revenue for the zoos. One of the biggest reasons why zoos are bad is because there arent any proper laws to be followed when it comes to providing these animals with protection and as far as there isnt any, zoos should be banned. Animal cruelty or protection? As unbelievable as this sounds, it is happening, and something should be done to stop such actions in the future. Whenever visitors like animals and birds and pay more to visit them, they get luxurious food and habitat. A zoo cannot provide the perfect environment for every type of animal. Should zoos be banned Banning zoos could go a long way toward halting this practice or at the very least reducing its impact on the natural world. A joint conservation effort between the San Diego and Los Angeles Zoos with other organizations resulted in a population of 276 California condors in the wild and another 170 in captivity by 2016. 11 Biggest Pros and Cons of Zoos Another disadvantage of zoos is that they often only offer quite poor living conditions for animals. Zoos also give us a unique opportunity to see many different exotic animals without the need to travel to many exotic countries. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Up until the early 19th century, the sole function of zoos was to symbolize the power of royalty and indulge their extravagant tastes. This image was created for netivist.org. All rights reserved. Natural Habitat and Animal Rights Web1030 Words5 Pages. While zoos can provide some benefits for animals and the public, there are also valid concerns about the impact on animal welfare and the effectiveness of conservation efforts. Find out more here: Environmental Organizations: 8 NGOs and Non-Profits Worth Supporting, Big cats have an allure unlike many other animals. Even when these facilities began to open to the general public, the purpose was still to provide an educational resource to the community. WebCons of zoos Animal cruelty in zoos continues to be extremely common. Should Zoos Be Banned We are having trouble saving your comment. Zoos are detrimental to animals' physical health. One of the biggest reasons why zoos are bad is because there arent any proper laws to be followed when it comes to providing these animals with protection and as far as there isnt any, zoos should be banned. Predatory animals encounter a similar problem when they are kept in a zoo as well, even if there is no way to safely introduce them back into the wild. 1. Other great apes have similar health problems in captivity. Consequently, zoos can also be an important income source for many people in poor parts of our planet. Orcas can live for more than a century on their own, but when you keep them in captivity, the average lifespan for a male is less than 20 years. This might take a few seconds, please wait. This is due to the unnatural living conditions in zoos and also due to the fact that animals often get tired of their lives in zoos. Consider the pros and cons with a video from Above the Noise. There are many problems that come with keeping animals in zoos. Should zoos be banned facts. In fact, those people often work in demanding office jobs for long hours and dont spend time in nature anymore. Zoos Extend the debate to other human-made animal habitats, such as safari parks and animal sanctuaries. Animals which are born in captivity can often adapt to their circumstances if given enough time, but they will still encounter the lifespan issues of their parents. There are more humane and effective ways to conserve and educate about animals, and it is our responsibility to consider the welfare of all beings on this planet. 3. When ecological conservation emerged as a matter of public interest in the 1970s, zoosbegan to engage in conservation programs. The Smithsonian Zoo is one example of many that works with local institutions to build programs at every post-graduate level to ensure the future safety of animals. Research on this species is quite important since only if we get to know more about them, we will be able to protect those species from extinction in the long run. The most urgent issue is arguably the lack of uniform regulation. [17] [18] [19] [20], 23% of birds and 47% of small mammals (weighing less than about 2.2 pounds) are negatively impacted by climate change. When you keep the animal in a zoo instead, then they might have 1,500 square feet to roam, and sometimes even less. Zoos provide 200,000 jobs with an annual budget of $230 million set aside for wildlife conservation. [15], Zoo research is used in other ways such as informing legislation like the Sustainable Shark Fisheries and Trade Act, helping engineers build a robot to move like a sidewinder snake, and encouraging minority students to enter STEM careers. However, this also implies that each animal will only have a rather limited space to live.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'environmental_conscience_com-leader-3','ezslot_22',199,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-leader-3-0'); While many zoos aim to protect our endangered animal species from extinction, some zoos just exist for the sole purpose of profit maximization. At least 37 countries have banned or restricted the sale of cosmetics with ingredients tested on animals, including nations in the European Union. 9. Pros and cons Because poaching activities qualify as criminal conduct, most attempts are thwarted. A zoological garden, which is sometimes referred to as an animal park or a menagerie, is a facility which houses animals within an enclosure and displays them to the public in a manner that is safe for everyone involved. 11 Biggest Pros and Cons of Zoos The first modern one was opened in 1828 for scientific study in London, and then eventually became open to the public about 30 years later. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'environmental_conscience_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_19',188,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0');The entrance fee for zoos is often also rather low in many countries of our planet. 7. In fact, many animals are kept in an unnatural manner and also dont get sufficient other animals from their species. Web1030 Words5 Pages. There are times when wild animals should stay that way. Push for the position and policies you support by writing US national senators and representatives. If you have four kids that you want to take there for the day, then you could be out $300 before you take your first step onto the grounds. Although there are efforts to replicate a wild habitat, a small display area is hardly the same as being free to roam. 2021. Thus, zoos are also often not able to increase the populations of animals in the wild. When dealing with a predator species in particular, any children born in captivity cannot be released into the wild because they have no hunting or survival instincts. Author Bio Natalie Regoli is a child of God, devoted wife, and mother of two boys. By 2018, breeding programs at zoos increased the number to 2,400 horses, and 800 were reintroduced to the wild.