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

Apes are known for picking locks and keeping a beady eye on their captors, waiting for the day someone forgets to lock the door. 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. This could cause problems for the animal. Wed like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. A species protected in captivity provides a reservoir population against a population crash or extinction in the wild. Zookeepers are not mustache-twirling villains. Jason Hribals 2010 book, Fear of the Animal Planet, chronicles dozens of attempts. But that incident has triggered conversations on the negative impacts of marine parks and aquariums on wild animals. Animals are not able to bear living in small, unsuited environments. Taking an animal say a big cat, into an enclosed habitat when she cant hunt for herself can be detrimental to her life skills. ALSO READ: Man in Uganda Beats Lion With Bare Hands In Bloody Battle Before Feasting on the Beast for Dinner. Lack of learning valuable animal life skills such as hunting and social structures eventually leads to the alteration of the said animals behavior. There is an undeniable thrill, seeing animals in zoos, circuses, movies, television shows, and amusement parks. An animal lover, Alexs family, have all been involved in various animal welfare charities. By playing dead, they would deceive predators into leaving them alone. We use cookies to help ensure the best experience on our website. So when they. It took several decades before Alex was able to leave the corporate world behind and embark on a real writing journey. Zoo elephants tend to die young. See Related: War and the Effect on Wildlife. If an untrained zookeeper comes across a stubborn animal, they might hurt it if they are impatient. See Related: Best Wildlife Conservation Jobs. [WATCH], Armored Dinosaur Magnificently Preserved After Face, Skin, Spikes Survived Fossilization. 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 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. There are a few exceptions. After all, more than 700 million people visit zoos and aquariums worldwide every year, and biodiversity is still in decline. Our EIN number is 94-2681680. As a result, many zoos breed animals. Others allow private parties to keep animals like tigers or primates with a permit. Look out for the GFAS seal of approval. For some animals in zoos, the shock of their relocation alone can be fatal. For the unlucky ones that end up in the circuses, they are always in for a wide awakening. The California condor breeding program, which almost certainly saved the species from extinction, includes five zoos as active partners. No, most likely not. "Zoos are prisons for animals, camouflaging their cruelty with conservation claims," Mimi Bekhechi, director of international programmes at PETA, explains. See Related: How Similar is Human DNA to Other Animals. What Cause Extinction What Can We Do To Stop It? The animals too have rights and they shouldnt be subjected to half the things they undergo. But this is not the norm. Deforestation will be the next problem when animals such as moose, elks, and deer start eating everything even young trees. One of the best examples of this advantage is the Przewalski's horse. On the other hand, some animals try to flirt their way to protect their nest. Why Animals Should Not be Kept in Zoos These animals oftentimes live in inhumane conditions, and pose a serious threat to public safety. Should Animals Be Kept In Zoos However, there are various reasons that explain why zoos are unethical. 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. Throughout history, men have accumulated large and fierce animals to advertise their might and prestige. This is particularly true if the animal is there for entertainment. Zoos provide opportunities for nice family trips. A peer-reviewed 2017 study in the . She somehow got over the 12-foot wall surrounding her 1,000-square-foot enclosure and attacked one of the teenagers, killing him. Visit animal sanctuaries instead of zoos, marine parks or circuses. Personally speaking, Ive been to zoos in Sydney, Australia, and all over the UK. In fact, while animals will have almost unlimited space in the wild, they are often caged in rather confined areas in zoos. But that day of release never quite seems to come. Giraffes endlessly flick their tongues. That claim is up for debate. Another time, one of the orangutans, Kumang, learned how to use sticks to ground the current in the electrical wire around her enclosure. Few federal laws protect the millions of wild animals who live in captivity in aquariums, circuses, theme parks and zoos in the U.S. The allure of baby animals and the crowds they pull can lead a zoological garden director to increase them to keep attracting customers. The same applies to elephants. 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. Public zoos sprang up across Europe, many modeled on the London Zoo in Regents Park. In 2020, facilities accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums contributed more than $230 million to conservation efforts. 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. For comparison, in 2018, they spent $4.9 billion on operations and construction. But relatively early in their evolution, a German exotic animal importer named Carl Hagenbeck changed the way wild animals were exhibited. Some are in aquariums, circuses, theme parks and zoos, others live caged at private homes. Why Are Puppy Mills Bad: The Numerous Reasons Why They Must Be Stopped And How You, yes you, Can Help! 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". Here are some tips. This paper is going to discuss why animals should not be kept in captivity. 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. Going to the zoo is often quite affordable. Declawing is extremely painful and causes permanent disability. 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. Ive been to zoos and aquariums in Winnipeg, Vancouver, and Vancouver Island, not to mention those in the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. However, when the animals being culled arent in demand, they might find themselves facing death. The required standard of care for wild animals, such as those held by zoos, is wide-ranging and nigh on impossible for zoos to provide. Elephants figure prominently in his book, in part because they are so big that when they escape it generally makes the news. When theres a surplus, you can just have a plant sale. In addition, baby animals that are deemed excess to requirements find their way into black market sales. All of these animals are well studied and have a plethora of documentaries and video footage of them in the wild. 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. Slow animals with minimal to zero predators such as elephants have brief life spans in captivity. Alex started writing from the moment he could hold a pen. (This law does not affect zoos or circuses.). India bans the keeping of elephants in circuses and zoos. There are dozens of other countries around the world with similar prohibitions, including Austria, Greece, Israel, Mexico, Peru and Singapore. 7 reasons why animals in captivity deserve freedom. In the past five years, the number of zoos has been gradually going up. The Dark Truth behind Bear Bile Uses: Hidden Costs of Traditional Medicine, The Untold Story of Factory-farmed Cows the Consequences for Animal and Human Health, Are Giraffes Endangered? 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. When factoring in the number of zoos breeding animals and the risk posed to baby animals, the change of disease skyrockets further. Breeders: How to Stop Puppy FarmsPermanently. Zoos across the US can take credit for reviving the wild Arabian oryx, golden lion tamarin and Californian condor populations, among many others. Most states have no laws governing captive wild animals. Non-native animals are held in conditions that vary greatly from what they are used to living in. For example, smaller and faster animals with a lot of predators in the wild tend to thrive in zoos. However, I feel there are certain species that should never be held in captivity unless they are candidates for breeding programs or rehabilitation. Understanding the optimal requirements for the reproduction of certain animals can be difficult. In addition, when animals are removed from their natural habitats, they are also removed from their family structure and social hierarchy. There are zoological park associations that were formed to keep zoo owners on their toes. Animals are removed from their natural habitats. These wild animals are sold at auctions, pet stores or over the internet. 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. NASA's Hubble Space Telescope Captures Dramatic Hour-by-Hour Changes of Dart Mission Slamming on an Asteroid, Can Humanity Deflect Potentially Hazardous Asteroids? They found that only 27 percent of people bothered to read the signs at exhibits. This goes to the detriment of the animals in zoos and puts them at risk of receiving inadequate care. 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. Zoos have been around for thousands of yearsas far back as 3500 BC in Egypt. Animals are an important part of nature and should have the right to live in their natural environment. Humans have kept wild animals for thousands of years. At the end of the day, Zoos are largely unethical places that are built under the pretense of habitat conservation but really are there to earn money and entertain people who want to be able to say they saw real-life wild animals. It is these boastful collections of animals, these autocratic menageries, from which the modern zoo, with its didactic plaques and $15 hot dogs, springs. An orangutan at the Omaha Zoo kept wire for lock-picking hidden in his mouth. All Rights are Resvered. 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. But the law excludes protection for birds, rats and mice, farmed animals and "cold-blooded" animals such as reptiles, amphibians and fish. See Related: Animals That Have Become Extinct in the Last 100 Years. Not investing enough when designing a habitat for your animals to save money. Ive spent many memorable days in botanical gardens, completely swept away by the beauty of the design as well as the unending wonder of evolution and theres no uneasiness or guilt. This is seen as a cheaper option as opposed to moving them back into the wild. Animals begin to display erratic behaviors, self-mutilation, and an inability to settle. Tatiana the tiger, kept in the San Francisco Zoo, snapped one day in 2007 after three teenage boys had been taunting her. The Link Between Fasting And Mental Health: Can It Improve Mood And Cognition? Sign up for our free newsletter for the Latest coverage! 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. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/11/opinion/zoos-animal-cruelty.html, Photographs by Peter Fisher for The New York Times. Zoos and circuses are among those who fall under this act. 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. William Randolph Hearst created his own private zoo with lions, tigers, leopards and more at Hearst Castle. 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.. Here's What Experts Think. The incident in Miami Seaquarium is proof that animals do not belong in captivity. zoos is usually not more than 200 animals per year, the organization said.) Persuasive Speech: Why Animals Should Not be kept in Zoos. There is no wild animal census in the United States, and many states have lax oversight, so any estimates about the population of wild animals in captivity is at best an educated guess. There is no end to the risk of cross-contamination and disease spread, especially when considering the fact that lots of zoos fail to provide the correct standard of care.