why animals should not be kept in zoos articles

Animals in the wild are naturally shy to humans. On the other hand, some animals try to flirt their way to protect their nest. Zoo animals, this new narrative went, function as backup populations for wild animals under threat, as well as ambassadors for their species, teaching humans and motivating them to care about wildlife. See Related: Different Animals That Cant Jump. When theres a surplus, you can just have a plant sale. Caring for the said animals, away from their predator will give their species a chance of repopulating. The worst climate risks, mapped: In this feature, select a country, and we'll break down the climate hazards it faces. Watching these is a much healthier and more educational way to learn about wild animals than visiting a local zoo. Some surplus animals or injured animals are even fed to predators as a means of life-cycle maintenance. Step away from the selfie stick. Don't be suckered into supporting companies that offer experiences like hugging a tiger, swimming with dolphins, riding elephants, or kissing sharks. Running a successful zoo is about drawing in visitors as much as it is caring for animals. This alteration of the animals behavior will eventually do more harm than good. 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. I pointed out that we cant ask animals whether they are happy with their enclosure size. That's not a record that justifies tens of millions of wild animals kept in zoos. This is particularly true if the animal is there for entertainment. Reasons why people think keeping animals in zoos is bad for their welfare: the animal is deprived of its natural habitat; the animal may not have enough room; the animal is deprived of its natural . Today's zoos are extremely important to saving wild animals and their habitats. Private individuals with the financial means use their money to procure rare or exotic animals from zoos to add to their own private collections. Meanwhile, small changes at the officemight be one good way to cut significant emissions, writes Carlos Gamarra. Important to protect endangered species from extinction. Yes And Someone is Paying Attention, Swimming with The Seahorse: Discover Their Mystical Charisma. In many modern zoos, animals are well cared for, healthy and probably, for many species, content. Zoo owners go to great lengths to build enclosures that have a wild aesthetic and give paying visitors a taste of the wild world. All Rights are Resvered. Whats Causing Their Decline? Another time, one of the orangutans, Kumang, learned how to use sticks to ground the current in the electrical wire around her enclosure. When it comes to lethal force and animal welfare, at least, public opinion swiftly sides against zoos. Some of these animals are surplus from roadside zoos. Many zoos give children the wrong lessons about wild animals and how to protect animals. Before anyone starts sprinkling the stuff on their cornflakes, this isn't the hottest new beauty trend nor is it a natural phenomenon: Assiniboine Park Zoo's keepers use coloured glitter in the bears' feed to identify their droppings. Some zoo animals try to escape. Its said that Texas has the worlds second-largest tiger population, due to private citizens propensity for keeping these big cats as pets. If you dont have people that know how to care for them, know how to breed them successfully, know how to keep them in environments where their social and psychological needs can be met, then you wont be able to do that, he said. Its protections are minimal as well. Unlike in the wild where these endangered species have to worry about staying safe, in these breeding programs they get taken care of. There were five such states until 2017, when South Carolina passed a law banning wild and exotic animals to be kept as pets. Humans have kept wild animals for thousands of years. 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. Though the zoos business has grown from what it was over a century ago, there are still some things that can be improved. The U.S. became a signatory to CITES in 1975. Ive been to zoos and aquariums in Winnipeg, Vancouver, and Vancouver Island, not to mention those in the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. That change prompted the shift in zoo narrative from entertainment to the protection of animals. However, suffering doesnt have to be physical; boredom, confinement, and stress can cause an animal a lot of suffering. Bears, lions, and other animals languish in roadside zoos across the country. However, through education and informative motions for change, we can make change the way zoos are run. Do not reproduce without permission. 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. Below are a dozen reasons why zoos can be bad for animals: 1. On top of that, the animals dont have much freedom even in these tiny spaces that they are forced to live in. All Rights Reserved. "We engage huge audiences with wildlife, inspiring the conservationists of tomorrow," argues zoological director of ZSL London and Whipsnade Zoos, Professor David Field. You can see exotic animals without the need for traveling. This relocation alone can come as a large shock and wreak havoc on the animals mental health. In fact, while animals will have almost unlimited space in the wild, they are often caged in rather confined areas in zoos. Many suffer from arthritis and other joint problems from standing on hard surfaces; elephants kept alone become desperately lonely; and all zoo elephants suffer mentally from being cooped up in tiny yards while their free-ranging cousins walk up to 50 miles a day. For example, Charles Harvey and Kurt House argue that subsidies for climate capture technologywill ultimately be a waste. She could then climb the wire without being shocked. With their apes, elephants, big cats, and other large and smart species gone, they could expand enclosures for the rest of the animals, concentrating on keeping them lavishly happy until their natural deaths. I dont see any problem with holding animals for display, Mr. Ashe told me. Help inform others by writing letters to your local newspapers and posting to social media. Sign up for our free newsletter for the Latest coverage! These refuge-zoos could become places where animals live. Zoos accredited by the A.Z.A. ", PETA's Bekhechi adds, the aim of breeding programmes is just "to produce baby animals to attract visitors.". Being placed into a small tank, away from their family units, might not break existing animal protection laws. If an animal cannot be given sufficient space or is suffering from stress and not behaving as expected, the zoo is within its right to kill the animal s. Existing refuges often do allow visitors, but their facilities are really arranged for the animals, not for the people. Here are some tips. Anyone can read what you share. says that its members host more than 50 reintroduction programs for species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Nevertheless, a vast majority of zoo animals (there are 800,000 animals of 6,000 species in the A.Z.A.s zoos alone) will spend their whole lives in captivity, either dying of old age after a lifetime of display or by being culled as surplus.. 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.. The Animal Legal Defense Fund is rated four-stars by Charity Navigator, is a Platinum Level GuideStar Exchange participant, a Better Business Bureau Accredited Charity, and an Independent Charity Seal of Excellence awardee, ensuring that we meet the highest standards of accountability, efficiency, and impact. For privacy policy and ad & cookie policy information, visit our Privacy Policy pages. Here they are relatively safe . Fighting is a sign that they are threatened, especially when an animal has no way of getting away quickly. There are 39 animal species currently listed by the IUCN as Extinct in the Wild. 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. One of the best examples of this advantage is the Przewalski's horse. In the 1980s, a group of orangutans escaped several times at the San Diego Zoo. 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. When it rains, the topsoil gets washed away leaving the land more exposed. Also, removing a certain species from the ecosystem can destroy the whole ecosystem. Deforestation will be the next problem when animals such as moose, elks, and deer start eating everything even young trees. This becomes a major blow to the biodiversity of the affected region. In many cases, animals in captivity do not have the space or resources to roam and live as they would in their natural habitat. The truth is that zoos are a prison for animals. Thousands of animals are captured and put in zoos and aquariums for tourist attractions every year. When a female gorilla named Johari kept fighting off the male she was placed with, the zoo dosed her with Prozac until she allowed him to mate with her. Photographs by Peter Fisher. Once an animal has served its purpose, many zoos will either sell them or euthanize them. The same applies to elephants. Trading in Wild Animals: Every year, thousands of animals enter the captive wild animal trade. Captive tigers pace back and forth, and in a 2014 study, researchers found that the time devoted to pacing by a species in captivity is best predicted by the daily distances traveled in nature by the wild specimens. It is almost as if they feel driven to patrol their territory, to hunt, to move, to walk a certain number of steps, as if they have a Fitbit in their brains. Its protections are minimal as well. Ms. Marris is an environmental writer and the author of the forthcoming book Wild Souls: Freedom and Flourishing in the Non-Human World.. Zoos have been around for thousands of yearsas far back as 3500 BC in Egypt. 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. They are removed from their natural habitats and confined to small limited spaces and often forced to perform tricks or entertain visitors. Read more: Should I worry about chemtrails? Young chimpanzees on movie sets are trained through regular beatings and then discarded around age 8 when they become too large to control. The real question is, how can we change things? The first zoos housed animals behind metal bars in spartan cages. What could these zoos do with it, besides enlarging enclosures? https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/11/opinion/zoos-animal-cruelty.html, Photographs by Peter Fisher for The New York Times. Elephants, lions, tigers, rhinos, and such. Private Possession: Many wild animals may be kept captive in private homes as pets. For the unlucky ones that end up in the circuses, they are always in for a wide awakening. Persuasive Speech: Why Animals Should Not be kept in Zoos. Captive animals are forced to spend their lives swimming endlessly and aimlessly instead of traveling up to 100 miles a day at fast speeds in the wild. There are zoological park associations that were formed to keep zoo owners on their toes. Though some zoos plan on reintroducing the animals into the wild after a while, living in zoos makes it impossible for some animals. As we snap a selfie by the sea lions for the first time in so long, it seems worth asking, after our collective ordeal, whether our pleasure in seeing wild animals up close is worth the price of their captivity. Animals in zoos are easier to get various kinds of diseases because there are thousands of people around the animal every day. In this way, they could lead the predator away from their nest. Zoos across the US can take credit for reviving the wild Arabian oryx, golden lion tamarin and Californian condor populations, among many others. Instead, they will hire generalists with a degree of knowledge specificity and run with that. CITES does not directly address living conditions for captive animals. See Related: Best Books on Endangered Species. RELATED ARTICLE: Dolphin Attacks Trainer in Front of Horrified Families in Miami Seaquarium: How Often Do These Sea Creatures Attack Humans? This is due to the inhumane conditions that these animals are forced to endure. And this is not a definite number of victims; there is probably a good number that hasnt been documented. Though the idea of breeding endangered animals to help increase their numbers back in the wild is great, there are problems that come with it. First and foremost, captivity can be extremely detrimental to an animal's physical and mental well-being. Most people visit the zoo to see the big draw animals. There have also been reported cases of zoos not properly disposing of dead bodies when animals die on their premises. A criticism is that protections are less robust for species that are economically valuable, and that CITES is not as transparent in its decision-making or enforcement as would be ideal. What if zoos stopped breeding all their animals, with the possible exception of any endangered species with a real chance of being released back into the wild? This could cause problems for the animal. NASA's Hubble Space Telescope Captures Dramatic Hour-by-Hour Changes of Dart Mission Slamming on an Asteroid, Can Humanity Deflect Potentially Hazardous Asteroids? Animals such as lions, elephants, and tigers dont get even close to one percent of the area they roam in the wild. There is more to natural environments than just looks. People are always attracted to exotic animals such as grizzlies, lions, wolves, tigers, and alligators among others. While zoos can definitely be exciting places for families to visit, the fact remains that they are bad for animals. In a study done on 40 chimpanzees in six different zoos, all of the chimps exhibited behavior their counterparts in nature did not. Many animals in zoos are not used to confinement. Apes are known for picking locks and keeping a beady eye on their captors, waiting for the day someone forgets to lock the door. I have written before about the importance of zoos and the role they have to play in the world for conservation . Visit animal sanctuaries instead of zoos, marine parks or circuses. A small exhibit is never going to truly capture the vastness of the open world. All of these animals are well studied and have a plethora of documentaries and video footage of them in the wild. Climate change has become a very real threat for the next and even current generations. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. And Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo has an on-site Wildlife Hospital to save sick and injured native species. The Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) operates an accreditation system for sanctuaries, rescue centres and rehabilitation centres. Zoos protect against a species going extinct. The window to the world of. An orangutan at the Omaha Zoo kept wire for lock-picking hidden in his mouth. Crustacean Chronicles: A Deep Dive into the Fascinating World of the Crab, Pet Food Manufacturers and Who Rules the Roost in a Growing Market. Animal Legal Defense Fund v. Claws N Paws, Looking for case and legal resources? Zoos provide opportunities for nice family trips. This is evident in killer whales' most vital body part: their teeth. In 1982, only 22 condors existed in the wild. 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. Zoos are a part of culture across the world. 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. Polar bears have one million times less space. WorldAnimalFoundation.org, Today's Deal: $300 Discount on Halo 2+ GPS Dog Collar. Unfortunately using real animals for these purposes involves tremendous cruelty. Many zoos use Prozac and other psychoactive drugs on at least some of their animals to deal with the mental effects of captivity. Others are captured from their native habitats, or come from backyard breeders or the black market. In the case of America, our maps, developed with experts, show where extreme heat is causing the most deaths. I remember well the awe and joy on their faces, 15 years later. When wild animals shouldn't be in captivity. Animal Legal Defense Fund petition for rulemaking spurs reporting improvements: Forms will be revised to ensure AWA licensees maintain complete records of all animal deaths. Zoo animals sustain both physical and psychological scars from harsh zookeepers. Animals in captivity can struggle to adapt to their new environment. Zoo keepers are often trained and specialize in a particular breed or species. Some sad facts about zoos are that at times, the people hired to take care of and protect these animals arent very qualified. Animals in zoos can sense this, and over time their confinement can lead to worrying behavioral changes. To many people, a trip to the zoo is a fun day out for the family. State And Local Laws: Strong state laws and even local laws have historically been a useful way to protect exotic and wild animals. Jason Hribals 2010 book, Fear of the Animal Planet, chronicles dozens of attempts. What if they sent all the animals that need really large areas or lots of freedom and socialization to refuges? From there, it was an easy leap to protecting animal species. For many wild animals, this is a vital part of their life, and they can struggle to redefine their footing. Look out for the GFAS seal of approval. Cleaners and feeders spend a lot of time with the animals, and understanding the situation one is getting into can be very helpful. An example of these associations is the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) which represents over 240 businesses across the globe. This is how animals get physical and psychological scars from abuse. For example, the typical enclosure designed for a polar bear is about a million times smaller than its natural roaming grounds. However, in a zoo, the boundaries between the wild and captivity are rearranged. The Los Angeles Zoo has used Celexa, an antidepressant, to control aggression in one of its chimps. Animals need physical stimulation and a level of interaction with nature that we, as humans, cannot understand, let alone interpret and recreate. Their natural habitat extends far beyond anything captivity zoos could provide. Fewer and fewer states are allowing residents to keep captive wild animals without a permit. Infringing the rights of individuals because it benefits the species is wrong because a species is not an. Lack of learning valuable animal life skills such as hunting and social structures eventually leads to the alteration of the said animals behavior. It's the first travel company to publicly make such a move. Animals have been going extinct for as long as there has been life on earthany weakling or disadvantageous animals get wiped out. The law, adopted by Congress in 1966, protects so-called warm-blooded animals who are bred for commercial sale, used in research, transported commercially or publicly exhibited, like in a zoo or circus. Visiting a zoo is a chance for many people to see exotic animals they would otherwise be unable to see. Climate change around the world: In Postcards From a World on Fire, 193 stories from individual countries show how climate change is reshaping reality everywhere, from dying coral reefs in Fiji to disappearing oases in Morocco and far, far beyond. Bears and cats pace. Depressed monkey Forests Under Threat: A Comprehensive Look at the Latest Deforestation Statistics, Puppy Mills vs. The problem is that these large predators control the population of herbivorous animals in their domain. Display would be incidental. Why Are Puppy Mills Bad: The Numerous Reasons Why They Must Be Stopped And How You, yes you, Can Help! The Link Between Fasting And Mental Health: Can It Improve Mood And Cognition? Zoological gardens have been working to help ensure that any endangered species are given another chance to thrive again over time. 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. It is not possible to have zookeepers versed in a detailed understanding of every single species. The first efforts to keep wild and exotic animals for non-utilitarian uses began about 2500 BCE, when rulers in . The incident in Miami Seaquarium is proof that animals do not belong in captivity. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Zookeepers also often may neglect their healthcare needs. Id like to think these kids, now in their early 20s, are working for a conservation organization somewhere. Once the ground has been left with no coverage, soil erosion will be the next step. The A.Z.A.s policies allow for the euthanasia of animals, but the president of the association, Dan Ashe, told me, its very rarely employed by his member institutions. The Convention On International Trade In Endangered Species Of Wild Fauna And Flora (CITES): CITES is an international treaty that regulates the trade of wildlife for nations that are signatories to the treaty. The AWA only applies to some captive wild animals. Animals are forced to sleep, eat, and defecate in the same small area. This can make the animals neurotic, causing them to start biting bars, pacing repetitively, and swaying. So when they face a threat, wild animals believe that they should survive by fleeing, fighting, flirting, or freezing. When it works out, breeding endangered animals has positive results that can be felt even in the human kingdom. 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. The California condor breeding program, which almost certainly saved the species from extinction, includes five zoos as active partners. An example of this is a snake that will bite whatever is threatening them since they are not as good at running away as other animals. For example, if the number of lions is drastically reduced in an area, their prey will thrive. We do know that common animals kept as pets include lions, tigers, cougars, ocelots, servals, wolves, bears, alligators, snakes and nonhuman primates like chimpanzees. There are dozens of other countries around the world with similar prohibitions, including Austria, Greece, Israel, Mexico, Peru and Singapore. The allure of baby animals and the crowds they pull can lead a zoological garden director to increase them to keep attracting customers. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram. Learn More. However, the truth is that no enclosure can come close to matching the vastness of an animals natural environment. 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. Fish and Wildlife Service, suggested that learning how to breed animals contributes to conservation in the long term, even if very few animals are being released now. Apes are excellent at escaping. This paper is going to discuss why animals should not be kept in captivity. A Brief History of Zoos . Ive heard and read some of their stories. However, I feel there are certain species that should never be held in captivity unless they are candidates for breeding programs or rehabilitation. Your voice is needed, so that captive wild animals in the United States, and elsewhere, are better protected. Writing at the end of 2020, Al Gore, the 45th vice president of the United States. A species protected in captivity provides a reservoir population against a population crash or extinction in the wild. Here's What Experts Think. When in their natural environments, wild animals are not used to being confronted by humans. However, there are some disadvantages of zoos to the environment ranging from overpopulation of a species to global warming. The California condor shows what zoos can accomplish. In addition, baby animals that are deemed excess to requirements find their way into black market sales. They go for the same reason people went to zoos in the 19th century: to be entertained. Wildlife experts remind people that these animals do not know people's intentions, so they will try to protect themselves no matter what. Black-footed ferrets and red wolves in the United States and golden lion tamarins in Brazil all endangered, as well have been bred at zoos for reintroduction into the wild. State laws vary considerably, with some states banning the ownership of wild and exotic animals while others have virtually no regulation whatsoever. But whether recent events have triggered a profound shift in public consciousness is harder to . This treaty is credited with helping foster international cooperation to protect some endangered and vulnerable species. Regardless of the merits or ethics of zoos, one thing's for certain: they're going to be around for some years yet. Breeding programs in zoos eventually lead to some animals being sold off to other zoos or worse circuses. (The culling of mammals specifically in E.A.Z.A. The researchers divided the odd behaviors of captive animals into two categories: impulsive/compulsive behaviors, including coprophagy (eating feces), regurgitation, self-biting and mutilation, exaggerated aggressiveness and infanticide, and stereotypies, which are endlessly repeated movements. Exotic animals have become very popular, but they are also dangerous in so many ways. According to an article inPlant Based News, marine parks and aquariums are a billion-dollar industry that exists to entertain the public by catching fish and sea mammals from the wild and using them as live exhibits. The others ran, and she pursued them, ignoring all other humans in her path. This is the image of the zoo I grew up with: the unambiguously good civic institution that lovingly cared for animals both on its grounds and, somehow, vaguely, in their wild habitats.

Ashley Fink On Mark Salling Death, Why Was The Vietnam War Memorial So Controversial?, Effect Of Verified Complaint California, Rta Red Line Eastbound Schedule, Articles W