Zoo is the place where wild animals are collected for tourist attraction, as there are several endanger species animals protected from extinction by zookeepers. Moreover, these smaller, unregulated organizations sometimes possess animals procured through illegal trafficking channels, a serious global problem. When that possibility is no longer a choice, then this option might be the next best thing. 3. ], [Editors Note: The MLA citation style requires double spacing within entries. National Geographic notes that elephants can live for up to 70 years when they live in protected areas of the wild in Africa or Asia, while those kept in zoos is just 17 years for African elephants born into captivity. 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. 3. However, if staff members dont have proper qualifications, chances are that some animals are treated quite poorly and many of them may also suffer from serious neglect over time. So, some animal activists maintain that a total ban on zoos is the only fix. Our whole ecosystem is also the life cycle of every living A gorilla named Madame Ningo, the firstgorillato arrive in the United States in 1911 who was to live at theBronx Zoo, was fed hot dinners and cooked meat despite gorillas beingherbivores, for example. Zoos can also be a great destination for field trips. Largely modeled after the London Zoo in Regents Park, these zoos were intended for genteel amusement and edification, according to Emma Marris, environmental writer and Institute Fellow at the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. Furthermore, zoos often harbor non-native species unacclimatized to the local environment. Specific programs at the zoological grounds encourage visitors to interact with the animals in unique ways. Zoos Do Not Offer Sufficient Space A tiger locked in its cage When ecological conservation emerged as a matter of public interest in the 1970s, zoosbegan to engage in conservation programs. Zoos pose several risks that particularly affect animals. In many zoos, there are also some animal shows and it may be indeed questionable whether treating animals in these ways can be justifiable. Thus, going to the zoo can give you a great time and can be a nice way to unplug from your stressful daily life. However, despite good intentions and considerable financial effort, the concept of zoos is nonetheless seriously problematic. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'environmental_conscience_com-box-4','ezslot_15',142,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-box-4-0');Zoos not only give us the opportunity to see many different animals, they are also important from an educational perspective. Animals in captivity often develop dangerous and destructive habits due to the stress of living in such restricted spaces. Consequently, going to the zoo can be a great way to spend your time in a completely different environment, which can also be helpful if you are currently rather bored with your daily life. Whenever visitors like animals and birds and pay more to visit them, they get luxurious food and habitat. Thus, it is crucial that we protect those animals from poachers in order to assure a viable future for them. 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. Source: This image was created for netivist.org. This issue is indirectly related to environmental problems and is the source of heated debates taking place the world over. Vote to see result and collect 1 XP. protect many animals from endangerment or even from extinction, Personal Brand vs. Corporate Brand: 24 Key Pros & Cons, 24 Key Pros & Cons Of Investing In (Retro) Video Games, 34 Major Pros & Cons Of Investing In Comic Books, Gold Bars vs. Gold Coins: 23 Precious Pros & Cons, 31 Cool Pros & Cons Of Owning A Classic Car, 24 Key Pros & Cons Of Unemployment Benefits, 32 Key Pros & Cons Of Investing In Trading Cards, 30 Precious Pros & Cons Of Investing In Art, Zoos can help to protect endangered species, Zoos do not provide natural living conditions, Zoos can raise awareness on global problems, Zoos are problematic from an ethical view, Takes away the need to travel to see animals, Not possible to return animals to the wild. Of 77 elephants in 13 zoos, 71 were overweight and spent 83% of their time indoors, contributing to early death. Some species have been poached to near extinction because of this market. 6. No matter how closely programs like Planet Earth depict animals, nothing will match the bond of seeing them in real life. In fact, many animals are kept in an unnatural manner and also dont get sufficient other animals from their species. When you visit the Memphis Zoo, then you can see an Okapi. Here, we dive into what fair trade is,. 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. 2. Many of them are reported every week in the media, however, the large majority are kept secret and those responsible are never held accountable or punished. This might take a few seconds, please wait. One strong argument for why zoos should be banned is it is intrinsically wrong to place animals in captivity. These roadside zoos are consistently reported for neglect and severe animal mistreatment. The zoos attract over 181 million visitors annually, which is more than the approximately 131 million yearly spectators of the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB combined. 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. 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. Over 180 million people visit zoos in the United States each year. 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. The indirect spending that zoos provide for their communities are significant as well, adding another 62,000 jobs across the United States to support visitors. [40], Carl Hegenbeck, a German exotic animal importer, introduced the modern model of more natural habitats for animals instead of obvious cages at his Animal Park in Hamburg in 1907. Romesh Ranganathan, a British comedian, stated, It still slightly surprises me that anybody thinks that we should have zoos at all. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'environmental_conscience_com-leader-1','ezslot_18',149,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-leader-1-0');Hence, if you just want to see many animals but dont want to travel to other countries due to various reasons, zoos can also provide you with a great opportunity in this regard. Consider how you felt about the issue before reading this article. Zoo confinement is psychologically damaging to animals. Please try again. In fact, especially in regions with weak economies, people often rely on income from zoos to make a living. There are thousands of them around the world, with every continent except Antarctica hosting at least one. Proponents say zoos educate the public about animals. Especially if you have children, it can be quite nice to go to the zoo and to see many different animals. Zoos save species from extinction and other dangers. 15, 2018, Association of Zoos & Aquariums, Research and Science, aza.org (accessed May 7, 2019), C. Robinette, L. Saffran, A. Ruple, and S.L. In fact, those people often work in demanding office jobs for long hours and dont spend time in nature anymore. Should zoos be banned facts. Largely modeled after the London Zoo in Regents Park, these zoos were intended for genteel amusement and edification, according to Emma Marris, environmental writer and Institute Fellow at the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. In turn, those animals will lose part of their natural instincts and will no longer be able to survive in the wild due to that. 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. Watch this video with Jane Goodall on the role of zoos in saving animals. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'environmental_conscience_com-banner-1','ezslot_16',144,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-banner-1-0');Zoos can also play a crucial role to protect many animals from endangerment or even from extinction. However, many people claim that taxpayers money that is spent on zoos could be much better spent on other important infrastructure projects. (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. The Smithsonian Zoo is one example of many that works with local institutions to build programs at every post-graduate level to ensure the future safety of animals. 7, 2019), NBA, NBA Breaks All-Time Attendance Record for Fourth Straight Year, nba.com, Apr. As unbelievable as this sounds, it is happening, and something should be done to stop such actions in the future. Thus, if you are an animal lover and want to see as many animals as possible in a rather short period of time, chances are that zoos will be quite helpful for you. Some people say zoos are safe to place for animals to live because they do not have to seek for food to survive. Zoo confinement is psychologically damaging to animals. (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. However, critics say this doesn't justify their existence. There are continuous cases of animals abused by visitors and zoo workers. In fact, psyche plays a major role for the life expectancy of many animals and if those animals get tired of their lives in zoos, chances are that their overall life expectancy drops as well. Let's take a look at the pros and cons and whether zoos should be allowed to stay in business. It places enormous pressure on the mental health of many species, causing them to live much shorter lives than they would in the wild. Abnormal animal behavior also puts zoo workers at greater risk for injury and death. Given that the destruction of wildlife habitats worldwide continues unabated and species like elephants, big cats, birds, primates, rhinos, reptiles, and many others are at real of extinction, zoos have stepped in with the hopes of stopping or at least slowing the decline of these endangered species. WebShould Zoos Be Banned Essay. 20, 2017, US Fish & Wildlife Service, California Condor Population Information, fws.gov, May 7, 2018, Jan Flemr, Long Way Home as Przewalskis Horses Fly to Mongolia, phys.org, July 19, 2018, Jane Palmer, The Worlds Last Truly Wild Horse, bbc.com, Nov. 11, 2015, Lori Marino, et al., Do Zoos and Aquariums Promote Attitude Change in Visitors? Additional rare animals which receive protection in U.S. zoos include the Addax, Amur tiger, Borneo elephant, and the Pacific walrus. A zoo cannot provide the perfect environment for every type of animal. Here are the proper bibliographic citations for this page according to four style manuals (in alphabetical order): [Editor's Note: The APA citation style requires double spacing within entries. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. WebShould Zoos Be Banned Essay. WebThey dont have to worry about safety in zoos as they are well taken care of. Zooshave 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. ProCon.org. Even when you take into consideration the educational benefits that come with a zoo, the fact is that most wild animals do not adapt well to confined circumstances. Most zoos got their start because local scientists wanted to get to know wild and exotic species better. Where Do Mosquitoes Go in Winter and Why? As unbelievable as this sounds, it is happening, and something should be done to stop such actions in the future. A zoo can provide a protected environment for rare and endangered species. 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. Polar bears, for example, had an infant mortality rate of 65% due to small enclosures. 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. Many zoos conduct such studies, and also run captive breeding programmes for endangered species. While there are many advantages of zoos, opponents of zoos often claim that zoos only offer unnatural environments for animals. Banning smaller, less established zoos with little funding could be a practical first step to reducing harm to wildlife. Another significant upside of zoos is that they can protect animals from poaching. Banning zoos could go a long way toward halting this practice or at the very least reducing its impact on the natural world. From this time on, I wanted to make a contribution to ensure a livable future for the next generations in every part of our beautiful planet. There are more humane and effective ways to conserve and educate about animals, and it is our responsibility to consider the welfare of all beings on this planet. Zoos don't educate the public enough to justify keeping animals captive. 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. As an associate, I may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon or other programs. 1 Nonprofit in Published Research by Top Zoos and Aquariums, mote.org, Apr. [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. One of them is the confined spaces where the animals are forced to live in. Our whole ecosystem is also the life cycle of every living If we want to save those species from extinction, we have to let them breed in safe environments like in zoos in order to protect them from other predator species. Zoos are an unsuitable environment for wild animals and should be abolished. [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.