Zoos save endangered species by bringing them into a safe environment, where they are protected from poachers, habitat loss, starvation, and predators. Unlike their natural habitats where they can freely roam, these establishments keep them confined. There are many problems that come with keeping animals in zoos. Zoos CON Zoos don't educate the public enough to justify keeping animals captive. Our whole ecosystem is also the life cycle of every living Should zoos be banned pros and cons Zoo Should Be Banned Should zoos be banned Although not everyone can afford a visit to their local zoo, there are still plenty of ways to learn more about the various animals who share this planet with us. 32 Important Pros & Cons Of Zoos There are many problems that come with keeping animals in zoos. All the Reasons Why Zoos Should Be Banned I'm no big animal-rights campaigner, but I do trust facts delivered by experts, and the facts tell me that zoos are just a really terrible idea. Ten Days That Vanished: The Switch to the Gregorian Calendar, https://www.britannica.com/story/pro-and-con-zoos. 6. That change prompted the shift in zoo narrative from entertainment to the protection of animals. [11], Robin Ganzert, PhD, President and CEO of American Humane, stated, zoos provide people, especially impressionable children, with the opportunity to see these remarkable animals up close. 21 Pros and Cons of Zoos zoos should be banned Zoos save species from extinction and other dangers. These facilities can provide an educational resource to their community. This can not only save you plenty of money but also significant amounts of time. Specific programs at the zoological grounds encourage visitors to interact with the animals in unique ways. The Roman Empire was founded in 27 BC, and many Roman emperors kept private zoo collections. [35] [36][36]. Share it! Careful supervision of policies and procedures allows for trainers, visitors, and the animals to maintain a higher level of safety in every facet of care. WebZoos have been around for 4,000 years, for many years people have gone to zoos to see wild animals up close. A study of 35 species of carnivores, including brown bears, cheetahs, and lions, found that zoo enclosures were too small for the animals to carry out their normal routines, which led to problems such as pacing and more infant deaths. Although these efforts do not entirely replicate migration or hunting, it does reduce the amount of boredom that occurs during their stay in the zoo. Please try again. Ota Benga was part of an exhibit in the Bronx and in St. Louis, purchased by a Christian missionary who wanted to put African people into an exhibition. Because poaching activities qualify as criminal conduct, most attempts are thwarted. While some zoos are quite profitable and make good money, other zoos rely on donations and government subsidies in order to survive. To access extended pro and con arguments, sources, and discussion questions about whether zoos should exist, go to ProCon.org. [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. Because poaching activities qualify as criminal conduct, most attempts are thwarted. Even those prices are not enough to keep the zoo financially solid. By 2018, breeding programs at zoos increased the number to 2,400 horses, and 800 were reintroduced to the wild. Especially if you have children, going to the zoo can also be a quite nice family activity. WebReasons Why Zoos Should Be Banned Therefore, zoos should be banned because they are very cruel to animals. Thus, especially in countries with lax regulations related to zoos, animals will often be treated quite poorly and in those countries, governments should introduce stricter regulations in order to protect these animals. WebZoos have been around for 4,000 years, for many years people have gone to zoos to see wild animals up close. According to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the US had 230 accredited zoos and aquariums as of 2020. Source: This image was created for netivist.org. It changes the behavior of the animal. Zoos educate the public about animals and conservation efforts. Should we boycott or ban zoos? According to organizations like the World Society for the Protection of Animals and The Humane Society of the United States, restrictive cages and enclosures affect normal animal behavior and sometimes lead to shorter lifespans. [3] [4]. 9 Reasons Not to Visit Zoos 2022-11-17 Should zoos be banned facts Rating: 4,9/10 1414 reviews "Sab Din Hot Na Ek Saman" (meaning "Every day is the same" in English) is a common phrase that reflects the monotony and repetitive nature of daily life. 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. Pros and Cons of Owning an Exotic Animal Animal Adovocacy Organizations to Partner With In fact, due to the poor overall living conditions and the unnatural treatment of animals in many zoos around the world, zoos may indeed be rather questionable from an ethical standpoint. 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. Some establishments have worked hard to adapt their enclosures to better suit the needs of the animals they hold. Yes, there are several reasons why zoos are bad. The best natural habitat enclosures are a poor substitute for the real thing. For every $1 million spent by zoos on their operational outlays, there were nearly 30 jobs supported. As such, reptile houses, aviaries, and insectariums were added with animals grouped taxonomically, to move zoos beyond the spectacle of big, scary animals. ProCon.org. Would you like to create a debate and share it with the netivist community? Instead of keeping them in small cages, there is an effort to replicate the natural habitat to accommodate the natural instincts of each animal. Zoos have existed in some form since at least 2500 BCE in Egypt and Mesopotamia, where records indicate giraffes, bears, dolphins, and other animals were kept by aristocrats. See also how much gasoline is in a barrel of oil Are zoos good or bad for animals pros and cons? It changes the lifespan of the animals held in captivity. At the time, these institutions accommodated nearly 800,000 animals and 6,000 species, with around 1,000 on the endangered species list. Even the best zoos can have animals develop severe health problems. Smaller zoos dont always have the money to hire well-trained zoological staff or expand their breeding programs and facilities to maintain the ethos of conservation. 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. Many people also go to the zoo in order to relax and to see something completely different compared to their normal daily life. Zoos save species from extinction and other dangers. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'environmental_conscience_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_17',146,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-large-leaderboard-2-0');In fact, many small children love going to the zoo and to see the different animals. 8. As of Apr. (Foto: CC0 / Pixabay / aknourkova) Pros: When ecological conservation emerged as a matter of public interest in the 1970s, zoos began to engage in conservation programs. Controversy has historically surrounded zoos, from debates over displaying exotic humans in exhibits to zookeepers not knowing what to feed animals. 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. ", ProCon.org. Unlike their natural habitats where they can freely roam, these establishments keep them confined. Pros and Cons of Owning an Exotic Animal Animal Adovocacy Organizations to Partner With Whenever visitors like animals and birds and pay more to visit them, they get luxurious food and habitat. This disadvantage occurs because there is no longer a need to hunt for their survival. Live feeding, often touted as positive since it encourages normal predatory behaviors, has a notable downside. However, many people claim that taxpayers money that is spent on zoos could be much better spent on other important infrastructure projects. Lets try to understand the pros and cons of zoos through the following arguments. Pros And Cons Zoos are detrimental to animals' physical health. While there are many advantages of zoos, opponents of zoos often claim that zoos only offer unnatural environments for animals. Zoos save endangered species by bringing them into a safe environment, where they are protected from poachers, habitat loss, starvation, and predators. Zoos are a typical form of family entertainment, but associating leisure and fun with the contemplation of animals in captivity can send the wrong signals to our children. 2. We are having trouble saving your comment. In the US, California More Animal Pros and Cons; Should zoos exist? This can lead to boredom, frustration, and mental health problems. The contemporary debate about zoos tends to focus on animal welfare on both sides, whether zoos protect animals or imprison them. 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. Zoo advocates maintain that their efforts make a difference in wildlife conservation and will continue to have a positive environmental impact well into the future. Another significant downside of zoos is that animals can often not be returned to the wild after they had been kept in captivity. [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. 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. Often animals in such zoos are trained to perform tricks. "Zoos are prisons for animals, camouflaging their cruelty with conservation claims," Mimi Bekhechi, director of international programmes at PETA, explains. What people do not know is animals don't have the best interest in being in a zoo. Zoos should be banned worldwide because the animals are living in an unnatural habitat, the zoos kill or sell surplus animals, and zoos are not educational. The oldest still operating zoo in the world, Tiergarten Schnbrunn in Vienna, opened in 1752. Since the overall living conditions for animals are often quite poor in zoos, opponents of zoos also often claim that most zoos are cruel and should be closed. In fact, the USDA states that allowing visitors to handle animals like baby tigers or lions violates the Animal Welfare Act. Because poaching activities qualify as criminal conduct, most attempts are thwarted. 10 Reasons Why Zoos Are Bad and Should Be Banned Also, one of the biggest reasons zoos exist is not for helping animals in danger, but in fact breeding them for human enjoyment. the Reasons Why Zoos Should Be Banned WebShould Zoos Be Banned Essay. 17, 2019), Association of Zoos & Aquariums, Pollinator Conservation, aza.org (accessed Apr. Zoos This article was published on August 13, 2021, at Britannicas ProCon.org, a nonpartisan issue-information source. Zoos Especially in poor developing countries, many regions rely on zoos to make additional income in order to improve the living conditions of the general public. Just look at a childs eyes at the zoo when he or she encounters a tiger or similarly majestic animal. [12], 228 accredited zoos published 5,175 peer-reviewed manuscripts between 1993 and 2013. CON Zoos don't educate the public enough to justify keeping animals captive. Thus, in order to protect those animals from mental issues as best as possible, zoos should try to improve the overall living conditions of those animals and provide them with sufficient space so that those animals can live as naturally as possible. Every year, farm animal rescue takes place all across the United States. WebZoos may also be problematic from an ethical perspective Lack of regulation of zoos in many countries Often not possible to return animals to the wild Some zoos are quite crowded Opponents claim that zoos are just for human amusement Shorter life expectancy of animals in zoos Some wild animals have to be caught to bring them to the zoo Zoos provide 200,000 jobs with an annual budget of $230 million set aside for wildlife conservation. This article was published on August 13, 2021, at Britannicas ProCon.org, a nonpartisan issue-information source. The behavior of animals will change when they encounter long periods of captivity. Should zoos be banned zoos should be banned In an ideal world that would not be necessary, wild animals would roam freely in their natural habitats and we, humans, would find ways to observe them and learn about them without disrupting their lives. People working at zoos paid little attention to the concept of wildlife conservation or expanding our scientific understanding of the animal kingdom. The animals experience these issues due to smaller enclosures, changes in diet and activities, and the introduction of things not seen in the wild, such as medical exams and people with cameras. Most of us referred to these parks as a zoo. Should zoos be banned facts. About 15 out of the 5 million animals currently alive are believed to have this rare condition that changes the color of their skin. WebCons of zoos Animal cruelty in zoos continues to be extremely common. Our whole ecosystem is also the life cycle of every living 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. Some people say zoos are safe to place for animals to live because they do not have to seek for food to survive. WebUltimately, the decision of whether or not to keep animals in zoos comes down to a balancing of the pros and cons. What Does Afforestation Mean and Why Is It Important? If they dont follow the rules, they essentially go out of business. See also how much gasoline is in a barrel of oil Are zoos good or bad for animals pros and cons? The Red Panda can be found in St. Louis, and there are fewer than 10,000 of them in the world today. In fact, many zoos are rather free regarding how they want to treat their animals and in some countries, animals are even just considered as property instead of living organisms that need proper regulatory protection. Should Zoos be Banned 17, 2019), Michela Pacifici, et al., Species Traits Influenced Their Response to Recent Climate Change, nature.com, 2017, Association of Zoos & Aquariums, Conservation Success Stories in AZA-Accredited Zoos and Aquariums, aza.org, Apr. Vote and explain your view on whether zoos are necessary or should be banned. 17, 2019), Association of Zoos & Aquariums, Marine Mammal Conservation, aza.org (accessed Apr. Consider how you felt about the issue before reading this article. Should zoos be banned, or do they serve a positive purpose? 3. This image was created for netivist.org. Animals receive care from specialized trainers in zoos. Most zoos use veterinarians and work with professionals from degree programs. 9 Reasons Not to Visit Zoos Ever since there has been an increasing public concern about animal welfare in zoos. Zoos are an unsuitable environment for wild animals and should be abolished. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Why Zoos Should Not Be Banned 23, 2019), Krista Langlois, Something Mysterious Is Killing Captive Gorillas, theatlantic.com, Mar. On the other hand, organizations such as PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), Animal Aid and Born Free have initiated campaigns for the closure of zoos, arguing that most zoos deprive animals from their most basic needs and that animal abuse and suffering should not bea source of entertainment. Zoos pose several risks that particularly affect animals. The most urgent issue is arguably the lack of uniform regulation. WebZoos may also be problematic from an ethical perspective Lack of regulation of zoos in many countries Often not possible to return animals to the wild Some zoos are quite crowded Opponents claim that zoos are just for human amusement Shorter life expectancy of animals in zoos Some wild animals have to be caught to bring them to the zoo Zoos can do an excellent job at conservation if they make the effort, but far too often profit is the primary motivation. Web1030 Words5 Pages. Consider the pros and cons with a video from Above the Noise. If you change your mind, you can change your vote simply by clicking on another option. Zoos The shocking evidence of animal abuse in some circuses, dolphinariums and zoos have pushed many environmental and wildlife activist groupsto campaign for the closure of many of the institutions that keep wild animals in captivity. Animal products like elephant tusks or shark fins create a financial market where the health and welfare of a species is secondary to the profits which are possible. This issue is indirectly related to environmental problems and is the source of heated debates taking place the world over. Zoos are an unsuitable environment for wild animals and should be abolished. To the question "should animals be kept in captivity?" Your vote is anonymous. 2. Animal cruelty or protection? Zoos Well, we have always seen animals inside the jungle with joy and grow as big and furious wild animals most of the time. Follow us on Instagram or Twitter! Consequently, zoos may not protect our animal species from extinction at all, especially if those animals are kept under rather poor conditions and are therefore not willing to reproduce in a sufficient manner. That problem will not go away no matter how many generations remain in captivity. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. 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. Most zoos struggle to survive, which means the animals kept in those facilities are also at risk. Should animals be kept in captivity? A zoo cannot provide the perfect environment for every type of animal. [21][22] [23], Przewalskis horses, the last wild horses, were declared extinct in the wild in the 1960s when about 12 lived in zoos. From time to time, wild animals have to be caught and sent to zoos in order to sustain the populations of animals in zoos. Another unique set of problems arises from the live feeding of certain species, particularly big cats. WebWhy Zoos Should Be Banned Zoos should be banned because they are cruel to animals. Pro and Con: Zoos Already have an account on netivist? the initial reaction of most people is rejection. Please note that all the information I provide on this website is to my best knowledge. In this article, well take a look at. Zoos Do Not Offer Sufficient Space A tiger locked in its cage 32 Important Pros & Cons Of Zoos