Reasons Why Zoos Are not a Good Place for Animals

In today’s day and age, there are many forms of entertainment that help many people from being stressed out from their day to day life. These forms of entertainment can also help people bond with their family and friends, so it is obvious to see how important it is that people everywhere seek these small moments of joy and pleasure. There are plenty that can be done either outside or inside the comfort of homes. For example, some may include going out to a movie theater, amusement parks or perhaps even a sporting event. There are plenty more examples, however, a more controversial one that arises are zoos. A zoo is a place where animals live in captivity and are put on display for people to view (National Geographic). Many people have gone to a zoo at least once or twice in their life because it is a fun activity that many people enjoy. People always find it fun and exciting to go to a zoo to see these animals behave and interact with each other. Of course, it is easy to see why going to the zoo is a popular group action because observing a lion, giraffe, elephant, or any wild animal for that matter is not something the average person does every day. Despite this, zoos are often seen as being unethical and they are because they are not a good place for animals to be living in and should not be supported.

Many people that have gone to zoos may say that zoos are important for general education on these wild animals. That zoos give an opportunity to learn about these creatures we hear about every day. Of course, what better place to learn about wild animals than a place full of them, right? Well at first glance this may sound appealing, but after more careful consideration it is easy to see why this is wrong. People see animals in zoos, who are not in their natural environment, but instead in an area often pacing around not doing anything. Actually, Liz Tyson a doctoral researcher in animal law and an animal rights campaigner stated, “ zoos have never been necessary for education. The educative message delivered by zoos is… damaging. A zoo shows the animal completely out of context, outside its natural habitat and the ecosystem it was designed to inhabit” (Herwitt). This is true since an animal that lives its life in the wild has a completely different lifestyle than those who have only known the comfort of a cage for its whole life. People don’t get informed by seeing an animal walk around or sleep in a controlled environment. The only thing that is noticed is the appearance of these animals which are things already known by people. Obviously, there is not much of an informative aspect to zoos.

Another point that will be made is that zoos provide a suitable home for wildlife animals. Part of this includes the fact that they are given food everyday and would not have to worry about any predators that might prove to be a danger to them or their family. Being handed all these things and more may sound good for these wild animals, however, this comes with a price to pay. Many animals in many zoos do not have the necessary things to stay content. The things they need will and can not be provided by zoos. For example, Dennis Kelly, a founder of many animal welfare programs, has stated, “zoos cannot possibly replicate wild animals natural habitat. U.S law requires only that animals in zoos be given enough space to… Take a few steps. Animals are forced to exist in a world measured in feet” (Are Zoos Ethical). Obviously, these kind of conditions are not suitable for for these animals who are meant to be roaming free. The fact here is that with or without zoos, animals in the wild will still proceed to get their food by whatever means necessary. Getting food was never a problem for these animals to begin with. They don’t need to be fully dependent on people and be given food or safety over other wild animals. After all, these animals roam the same land together.

Not only this, but many zoos cause great damage to these animals psychologically. For example, in a study performed to observe animal behavior in captivity it was found that, “the animals were seen as having limited opportunities to interact with their natural environment and express their normal behaviors displayed in the wild… the animals reacted to harassment from the visitors and showed signs of depression… giraffe enclosures were also undersized, and the animals paced frantically” (Haque). These enclosures are not helping these animals in any way. They are only causing them great harm. Suitable living conditions does not only apply to the physical aspect but also to the mental aspect. If living somewhere causes feelings of stress or discomfort, then that place is not a suitable place to be living in. Clearly, it is easy to understand why this argument is wrong.

Another statement said about zoos is that they help rehabilitate wildlife. Often times these efforts can seem successful, however, there are many unsuccessful attempts. To be more specific, in a study performed by the university of Exeter concluded that there are low rates of survival of captive carnivores after being released into their natural habitats. Kristen Jule, lead author and University of Exeter Ph.D. student says, “Study reviewed forty-five cases, involving seventeen carnivore species, and found thirty percent of captive animals released survived… Animals in captivity do not usually have the natural behaviors needed for success in the wild” (Captive Carnivores Not Up To Wild Living). The problem here is that these animals are not shown how to live and interact in the wild. Animals are dying because of this fault and they should not be. They should not be releasing these animals who are oblivious to the wildlife. It is the human contact that is hurting these animals and hindering their ability to learn the proper skills they need to survive.

There are still many more problems with zoos. There is still the probability of being in a dangerous encounter with wild animals. There will always be those stories of animals escaping the enclosures and hurting many visitors or other animals. This can also be the other way around with people getting into animal enclosures and getting injured. Often times in both situations the result will always lead to the death of the animals involved. The animals are not to blame as, after all, they are wild animals. While it is not something that occurs frequently, it still occurs and there is no telling when and where it will take place. There should not be thoughts of worry in a place that is meant to be entertaining.

Zoos are not a good place for animals and for people to be supporting. Whether it is their small enclosures or the stress on animals, wildlife should not be exposed to these conditions that zoos create. Instead of going to these zoos perhaps people can travel to a wildlife sanctuary which benefits its animals in many ways. These wildlife sanctuaries provide care to animals that can not survive in the wild and give them a home much more similar to their natural habitat than zoos do. They do not take animals from the wild and provide great care to them all. Those animals become ambassadors for their species and, as a result, people can learn and be educated in a fun and exciting way.