why animals should not be kept in zoos articles

And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com. As an avid fan of botanical gardens, I humbly suggest that as the captive animals retire and die off without being replaced, these biodiversity-worshiping institutions devote more and more space to the wonderful world of plants. Sadly, most of these associations end up protecting the interests of their members, and not the animals they should be protecting. 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 many modern zoos, animals are well cared for, healthy and probably, for many species, content. Their sleeping quarters can get overcrowded and this can lead to the animals harming each other. That doesnt mean there havent been criticisms. Some of these animals are surplus from roadside zoos. The U.S. became a signatory to CITES in 1975. (The culling of mammals specifically in E.A.Z.A. Zoos often have insufficient knowledge of animals. Animals are removed from their natural habitats. The incident in Miami Seaquarium is proof that animals do not belong in captivity. Animals are forced to sleep, eat, and defecate in the same small area. Will we ever see all zoos closed down? In a study done on 40 chimpanzees in six different zoos, all of the chimps exhibited behavior their counterparts in nature did not. Throughout history, men have accumulated large and fierce animals to advertise their might and prestige. Zoos are a part of culture across the world. 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. Public zoos sprang up across Europe, many modeled on the London Zoo in Regents Park. For example, Orcas are migratory animals with a vast range. 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. Most people arent always comfortable seeing animals that are kept in zoos. Infringing the rights of individuals because it benefits the species is wrong because a species is not an. "We engage huge audiences with wildlife, inspiring the conservationists of tomorrow," argues zoological director of ZSL London and Whipsnade Zoos, Professor David Field. So when they. Below are a dozen reasons why zoos can be bad for animals: No matter how dedicated a zoo is, it cant meet the space requirements for most of its animals. The Link Between Fasting And Mental Health: Can It Improve Mood And Cognition? Especially animals like lions that are used to roaming vast distances in the wild in search of food. A peer-reviewed 2017 study in the . Exotic animals have become very popular, but they are also dangerous in so many ways. For intellectual property information and terms of use, visit our Intellectual Property Terms of Usepage. However, there are some disadvantages of zoos to the environment ranging from overpopulation of a species to global warming. But that day of release never quite seems to come. In zoos vets and biologist help to prevent inbreeding. See Related: Animals With the Best Sense of Smell. 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? They are just some of the millions of wild animals living in captivity across the United States. This is due to the inhumane conditions that these animals are forced to endure. Photographs by Peter Fisher. Many animals in zoos are not used to confinement. In some environments, we believe it's best not to keep certain wild animals at all, as their needs simply can't be met. Life expectancy for animals in captivity depends on a couple of things, such as their way of life, among other factors. In addition, a costlier but more educational option is to make arrangements to view animals in the wild. Wildlife experts remind people that these animals do not know people's intentions, so they will try to protect themselves no matter what. 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. When the caretakers are not well informed about the animals they are to be taking care of, it can be problematic. In contrast, those nesting animals or cornered ones will try to defend themselves if being approached to protect their young. What if they sent all the animals that need really large areas or lots of freedom and socialization to refuges? This becomes a major blow to the biodiversity of the affected region. To many people, a trip to the zoo is a fun day out for the family. A gorilla named Togo at the Toledo Zoo used his incredible strength to bend the bars of his cage. Some surplus animals or injured animals are even fed to predators as a means of life-cycle maintenance. Most people visit the zoo to see the big draw animals. Kept in barren cages rarely larger than 20 by 20 feet, bears in roadside zoos spend their days pacing, sleeping abnormally long periods of time, and bobbing their head all indications of extreme psychological distress. WHY ANIMALS SHOULD NOT BE KEPT IN CAPTIVITY By "Phillip" Hungry, depressed, and unable to connect. 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. Zoo keepers are often trained and specialize in a particular breed or species. 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. One of the best examples of this advantage is the Przewalski's horse. Alex shares his life with his wife (to-be), children and stepchildren, a herd of guinea pigs, and numerous tropical fish, frogs and snails. But whether recent events have triggered a profound shift in public consciousness is harder to . On top of that, the animals dont have much freedom even in these tiny spaces that they are forced to live in. Animals such as lions, elephants, and tigers don't get even close to one percent of the area they roam in the wild. When it comes to lethal force and animal welfare, at least, public opinion swiftly sides against zoos. They go for the same reason people went to zoos in the 19th century: to be entertained. These laws help the animals and also people, since wild animals in captivity present a serious public safety risk. It gets even worse for the animal if the trainer is impatient, the poor beast will have to endure beatings over commands they dont understand. Theres also the Zoological Association of America that operates in the United States. The truth is there is a vast difference between genuine conservation efforts and endangered species protection and running a zoo. Thats undeniable. His justification was philosophical. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/11/opinion/zoos-animal-cruelty.html, Photographs by Peter Fisher for The New York Times. "An even smaller proportion are part of captive breeding programmes and, of those, a tiny fraction have been released back into the wild. These tours often pretend to talk about their animals natural habitat and inclinations. Elephants bob their heads over and over. Zoos shifted just slightly from overt demonstrations of mastery over beasts to a narrative of benevolent protection of individual animals. Fighting is a sign that they are threatened, especially when an animal has no way of getting away quickly. Boycott businesses that profit from cruelty to animals. See Related: Endangered Species in California. When the zoo replaced the bars with thick glass, he started methodically removing the putty holding it in. There have also been reported cases of zoos not properly disposing of dead bodies when animals die on their premises. This is seen as a cheaper option as opposed to moving them back into the wild. 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. Instead, they will hire generalists with a degree of knowledge specificity and run with that. What Is The Hunters Role in Wildlife Conservation? See Related: Endangered Species in Oklahoma. 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. There are a few exceptions. Local laws are often most effective in governing the private possession of exotic animals. 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. 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. An animals worth is only equal to the attraction it offers to visitors. Eventually, the only animals on display would be a few ancient holdovers from the old menageries, animals in active conservation breeding programs and perhaps a few rescues. However, when the animals being culled arent in demand, they might find themselves facing death. What could these zoos do with it, besides enlarging enclosures? Now, Alex writes full-time, and when hes not working on an article, hes knee-deep in writing fiction. This goes to the detriment of the animals in zoos and puts them at risk of receiving inadequate care. What Mr. Ashe wants visitors to experience when they look at the animals is a sense of empathy for the individual animal, as well as the wild populations of that animal.. 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. Read on to find out why animals should not be kept in zoos. However, that does not stop the silent damage that captivity delivers to such roaming animal species. Lawsuit to Force USDA to Recognize Its Authority to Take Possession of Animals Upon License Revocation, Demanding USDA Strengthen and Enforce AWA Licensees Recordkeeping Requirement for All Animal Deaths, Demanding USDA Revoke Animal Welfare Act License from Pennsylvania Roadside Zoo Claws N Paws, Big Cat Public Safety Act Passes the U.S. Senate in Victory for Animals, USDA to Strengthen Tracking of Animal Deaths at Licensed Facilities Following Legal Petition, Lawsuit Seeks to Force USDA to Recognize Its Authority to Take Possession of Animals When Agency Revokes Licenses. 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. 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. As humans, we have no right to hunt and lock up animals for our enjoyment. Writing at the end of 2020, Al Gore, the 45th vice president of the United States. A.Z.A. Once an animal has served its purpose, many zoos will either sell them or euthanize them. Zoos accredited by the A.Z.A. Regardless of the merits or ethics of zoos, one thing's for certain: they're going to be around for some years yet. Having seen a majestic leopard in the zoo, the visitor becomes more willing to pay for its conservation or vote for policies that will preserve it in the wild. All Rights are Resvered. For example, the typical enclosure designed for a polar bear is about a million times smaller than its natural roaming grounds. Look out for the GFAS seal of approval. Many zoos conduct such studies, and also run captive breeding programmes for endangered species. Copyright 2015-2021 National Geographic Partners, LLC. She somehow got over the 12-foot wall surrounding her 1,000-square-foot enclosure and attacked one of the teenagers, killing him. This could cause problems for the animal. In fact, while animals will have almost unlimited space in the wild, they are often caged in rather confined areas in zoos. Some populations in the wild are weakened by endogamy too. Once again, a change of this magnitude can cause captive animals to exhibit changing behaviors, which include self-destructive acts and unrelenting restlessness. 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. Anyone can read what you share. Ostensibly places for genteel amusement and edification, zoos expanded beyond big and fearsome animals to include reptile houses, aviaries and insectariums. If you go on holiday to any major destination, the chances are high that there will be at least one zoo and/or one aquarium nearby. Some, however, argue that children benefit from zoos. 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.

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