Your email address will not be published. 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.. Unfortunately, this is done under the guise of conservation and to protect endangered species. But many animals clearly show us that they do not enjoy captivity. 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. WorldAnimalFoundation.org is reader-supported. 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. (707) 795-2533 |info@aldf.org Animals also lose their genetic diversity especially due to inbreeding. Its said that Texas has the worlds second-largest tiger population, due to private citizens propensity for keeping these big cats as pets. Yes And Someone is Paying Attention, Swimming with The Seahorse: Discover Their Mystical Charisma. However, critics say this doesn't justify their existence. To many people, a trip to the zoo is a fun day out for the family. Captive animals are forced to spend their lives swimming endlessly and aimlessly instead of traveling up to 100 miles a day at fast speeds in the wild. A zoological park is defined as an establishment designed for conservation, study, and public display. In states without tight enough regulation, local jurisdictions oftentimes adopt ordinances that ban or restrict the display of captive wild animals. Depressed monkey At the Los Angeles Zoo, a gorilla named Evelyn escaped seven times in 20 years. Even without a consciousness (that we know of) animals are alive and should be treated as such. 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. People are fascinated by animals. 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. Visitors will hammer on the glass or clamor around an animal enclosure, calling and shouting for the creature to perform for their pleasure. An estimated 20 red wolves are all that remain in the wild. 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. Should Animals Be Kept in Zoos? | The Minimalist Vegan Even if the animals are being fed well, the lack of freedom can cause them to be stressed. Its protections are minimal as well. Wild Animals Should Not Be Kept In Captivity - Medium People assume that because an animal can move great distances that they would choose to do that. If they have everything they need nearby, he argued, they would be happy with smaller territories. Zoos shifted just slightly from overt demonstrations of mastery over beasts to a narrative of benevolent protection of individual animals. A.Z.A. Today, nearly every country in the world is a member of CITES. Animal rights activists argue that hunting, capturing, and putting animals on display is unethical. We have good models of captive wild animal protection laws outside of this country as well. Animals are forced to sleep, eat, and defecate in the same small area. She somehow got over the 12-foot wall surrounding her 1,000-square-foot enclosure and attacked one of the teenagers, killing him. 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. 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. Why zoos are good | Zoology | The Guardian Animals need physical stimulation and a level of interaction with nature that we, as humans, cannot understand, let alone interpret and recreate. The process of training an animal is a long and brutal one. When it comes from unsustainable sources it is a key cause of deforestation, impacting many species like orangutans and tigers. PETA isn't alone. However, not all of them are suitable for captivity and are better left alone in the wild. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Apes are known for picking locks and keeping a beady eye on their captors, waiting for the day someone forgets to lock the door. This treaty is credited with helping foster international cooperation to protect some endangered and vulnerable species. Should Animals Be Kept In Zoos However, there are various reasons that explain why zoos are unethical. 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. These experiences are often harmful to wildlife and dangerous for you. "An even smaller proportion are part of captive breeding programmes and, of those, a tiny fraction have been released back into the wild. Slow animals with minimal to zero predators such as elephants have brief life spans in captivity. A day may come, he said, when we need to breed elephants or tigers or polar bears in captivity to save them from extinction. If an untrained zookeeper comes across a stubborn animal, they might hurt it if they are impatient. Why Animals Should not be Kept in Zoos? Essay You can surely help these animals by refusing to visit zoos and instead supporting sanctuaries where animals live in natural habitats. 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. Zookeepers also often may neglect their healthcare needs. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The A.Z.A. However, looking back as an adult with a world-savvy eye, there is far more to animal captivity than meets the eye. There have also been reported cases of zoos not properly disposing of dead bodies when animals die on their premises. Many zoos fail to provide the required minimum standard of care, Zoos dont replicate animals natural habitats, Zoos teach people that animal captivity is acceptable, Animal protection laws are not strong enough, Many visitors disturb and disrespect the animals, Zoo animals are often drugged to be kept calm. Chimps pull out their own hair. 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. James Borrell: Eight reasons why zoos are good for conservation What if they sent all the animals that need really large areas or lots of freedom and socialization to refuges? Elephants arent the only species that try to flee a zoo life. Not surprising, perhaps, considering the typical polar bear enclosure is one million times smaller than the area they would naturally roam.". Regardless of the merits or ethics of zoos, one thing's for certain: they're going to be around for some years yet. See Related: War and the Effect on Wildlife. Some surplus animals or injured animals are even fed to predators as a means of life-cycle maintenance. The AWA establishes only baseline standards of care for licensing exhibitors. The practice of killing surplus animals is kept quiet by zoos, but it happens, especially in Europe. But is there a reason why animals should not be kept in zoos? Some of these animals are surplus from roadside zoos. Their sleeping quarters can get overcrowded and this can lead to the animals harming each other. When the caretakers are not well informed about the animals they are to be taking care of, it can be problematic. The fewer than two dozen non-participants include North Korea, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Turkmenistan. Animals in zoos are easier to get various kinds of diseases because there are thousands of people around the animal every day. Public zoos sprang up across Europe, many modeled on the London Zoo in Regents Park. Animal Legal Defense Fund v. Claws N Paws, Looking for case and legal resources? And Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo has an on-site Wildlife Hospital to save sick and injured native species. A fine day out with the family might itself be justification enough for the existence of zoos if the zoo animals are all happy to be there. The most recent addition to the family, Willow, a cockapoo puppy, has settled straight into family life and now controls who sits where on the sofa. Due to the low density of the population of some animals in their natural ecosystems they struggle to find partners. This becomes a major blow to the biodiversity of the affected region. Zoo animals, this new narrative went, function as backup populations for wild animals under threat, as well as ambassadors for their species, teaching humans and motivating them to care about wildlife. Some sad facts about zoos are that at times, the people hired to take care of and protect these animals arent very qualified. 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. Children leave most zoos with a misconception about how animals behave in the wild and what it takes to truly care for endangered animals. 7 reasons why animals in captivity deserve freedom. See Related: How Similar is Human DNA to Other Animals. or the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria have studbooks and genetic pedigrees and carefully breed their animals as if they might be called upon at any moment to release them, like Noah throwing open the doors to the ark, into a waiting wild habitat. That's how animals living in captivity feel. Animals are forced to live in artificial habitats that arent anywhere close to their former homes (the wild). Ive been to zoos and aquariums in Winnipeg, Vancouver, and Vancouver Island, not to mention those in the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. They are used to collect exotic pets from owners who are looking to get rid of them. An orangutan at the Omaha Zoo kept wire for lock-picking hidden in his mouth. Capturing animals even smart ones like apes, for amusement shouldnt be going on anywhere. These associations ensure that members are treating their animals with a high standard of care and following any guidelines they provide. The first modern one was opened in Paris, France in 1793. Copyright 2015-2021 National Geographic Partners, LLC. The state and local laws protecting wild animals in captivity are spreading. This support of the exotic pet trade also results in a lot of preventable animal deaths. Many zoos claim to be helping preserve dwindling populations. In most cases, animals in zoos lead very unhappy lives. In addition, when animals are removed from their natural habitats, they are also removed from their family structure and social hierarchy. The same applies to elephants. This paper is going to discuss why animals should not be kept in captivity. As a result, many animals at zoos may die prematurely from stress or illness. Animals in the wild are naturally shy to humans. Some zoo animals try to escape. The sale of excess animals to traveling roadside zoos is another big problem. All Rights are Resvered. Why Animals Should Not Be Kept in Captivity: The Problem With Wildlife No, most likely not. 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). Personally speaking, Ive been to zoos in Sydney, Australia, and all over the UK. Sadly, most of these associations end up protecting the interests of their members, and not the animals they should be protecting. In contrast, those nesting animals or cornered ones will try to defend themselves if being approached to protect their young. WHY ANIMALS SHOULD NOT BE KEPT IN CAPTIVITY By "Phillip" Hungry, depressed, and unable to connect. Copyright 2023 The Science Times. Elephants are particularly unhappy in zoos, given their great size, social nature and cognitive complexity. [WATCH]. A largely unregulated trend is the hybrid breeding of wild cats with house cats, with predictably disastrous consequences. For animals in zoos, the AWA sets low requirements as to housing, food and sanitation, and, as is commonly noted, no requirements for mental stimulation of animals other than primates. The California condor breeding program, which almost certainly saved the species from extinction, includes five zoos as active partners. As a late Gen-Xer-cum-early-Millenial, my childhood was rich with trips to visit zoos. Many zoos create attractive enclosures to attract visitors. Nature reserves, bird watching, going on a safari. Though some zoos plan on reintroducing the animals into the wild after a while, living in zoos makes it impossible for some animals. This is only one of the Act's limitations. Zoos can be productive when it comes to reviving an animal species on the brink of extinction. 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. In the past five years, the number of zoos has been gradually going up. Photographs by Peter Fisher. Should zoos be banned? | National Geographic (The culling of mammals specifically in E.A.Z.A. The Toledo Zoo has dosed zebras and wildebeest with the antipsychotic haloperidol to keep them calm and has put an orangutan on Prozac. The United Kingdom, for example, has announced a plan to phase out all circuses featuring wild animal performances by 2020. Why Animals should not be Kept in Zoos? - StudyDriver.com 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. These tours often pretend to talk about their animals natural habitat and inclinations. In fact, while animals will have almost unlimited space in the wild, they are often caged in rather confined areas in zoos. By designing these enclosures so that many animals could be seen at once, without any bars or walls in the visitors lines of sight, he created an immersive panorama, in which the fact of captivity was supplanted by the illusion of being in nature. Zoos across the US can take credit for reviving the wild Arabian oryx, golden lion tamarin and Californian condor populations, among many others. This isnt always guaranteed since the breeding practices could be insufficient or even produce animals that are not suitable for survival in the wild. See Related: Best Books on Endangered Species. Step away from the selfie stick. Regardless of the merits or ethics of zoos, one thing's for certain: they're going to be around for some years yet. Keeping endangered animals in zoos infringes on those individuals' rights to freedom. But relatively early in their evolution, a German exotic animal importer named Carl Hagenbeck changed the way wild animals were exhibited. 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. See Related: Endangered Species in California. A 2000 survey of U.S. and Canadian zoos found that nearly half of respondents were giving their gorillas Haldol, Valium or another psychopharmaceutical drug. RELATED ARTICLE: Dolphin Attacks Trainer in Front of Horrified Families in Miami Seaquarium: How Often Do These Sea Creatures Attack Humans? All of these animals are well studied and have a plethora of documentaries and video footage of them in the wild. However, I feel there are certain species that should never be held in captivity unless they are candidates for breeding programs or rehabilitation. What began as a way to pass time soon became a compulsion. Our EIN number is 94-2681680. What Cause Extinction What Can We Do To Stop It? The Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) operates an accreditation system for sanctuaries, rescue centres and rehabilitation centres. Zoo elephants tend to die young. Wrong! As we snap a selfie by the sea lions for the first time in so long, it seems worth asking, after our collective ordeal, whether our pleasure in seeing wild animals up close is worth the price of their captivity. Another time, one of the orangutans, Kumang, learned how to use sticks to ground the current in the electrical wire around her enclosure. 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".
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