When asked what makes a person human, it is not long before someone broaches emotions. Makes sense right? We know how to love, feel the sting of jealousy, and recognize the bitterness of sadness. But this is not what sets humans apart from animals. The most intelligent of animals have the same emotional complexity. However, one difference is that people pay to see these animals enslaved against their will for entertainment. A change needs to occur in the policy of holding non-human persons in captivity where their species suffers more often than benefits.
Until the 20th century, people believed that only humans were capable of sentience, which means capable of emotions and self-awareness. Although animals were commonly thought to have some level of emotional complexity, it took a while for scientist to prove. Recently the well-being of animals have become a public concern. After all, the smartest of these animals have intelligence levels akin to some humans. These animals are known as non-human persons (Whiting 2). So far there are three groups of non-human persons: elephants, great apes, and cetaceans. These animals possess remarkable thought processes, problem solving skills, and social complexity (Gorman 3). Chimpanzees, who are our closest living relatives, have advanced hunting techniques making use of ranks, planning, cooperation, and self-made weapons. Chimps have also been known to use symbols, deception numerical sequences and sign language (Whiting 3). Cetaceans which include dolphins and whales are the smartest creatures in the
Davis 2 ocean. Dolphins give each other unique names to identify themselves and herd to trap prey. Finally, elephants have excellent memory and even mourn the death of loved ones. So how come ...
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...nd integrity (Whiting 3). This case has had chimps moved to safe sanctuaries. Many places have made Killer Whale shows illegal (“Killer” 3). Even India has legally recognized non-human persons and given them basic bodily rights. To experience animals and wildlife without supporting zoos one can visit sanctuaries, go hiking, and watch documentaries (Lin 1). The overall view on animals have changed. People who don’t believe humans have any duty to animals, know that they do not deserve to be mistreated (Whiting 6).
With all the changes and acts going into protecting these animals it is important to remember that every one can help. Non-human persons have emotions and physical needs that can not be met behind bars and walls. Captivity is not for the best interest of these creatures and it is time we stop exploiting them and find alternatives to zoos and marine parks.
Have you ever wondered how animals interact and work together to get a job done? Many times, animals put their minds together to complete a task. But what many people do not realize is that animals interact with one another just as humans would. In many instances, people don’t realize the amount of intelligence and common sense that animals, such as the elephant, possess. The study of elephant’s thoughts and thinking were explained and backed up through three different mediums. This information was explained through articles, videos, and passages. Combined, these pieces of work clarified what the experiment was, what it was testing, the purpose behind it, and how the different pieces were
Suppose you were kidnapped from your family as a child by an alien species while your family watched in despair, crying out helplessly for your kidnappers to not rip you away from them. Now imagine then being strapped down and transported to a place unknown and once you arrive, you see that some of the other children that were also kidnapped have died. You then witness something that will forever remain engraved into your mind; you witness those monsters that took you hostage cut the children open, fill their bodies up with rocks, tie an anchor onto their feet and throw them into the ocean. The monsters then throw you into a tiny cage; you learn that you will not only never see your family again and die in that confinement but you will also work for these monsters and perform as a source of entertainment for them. You spend every night locked away into an even smaller steel cage that gives no freedom of movement at all and aren’t fed if you displease your new masters. Although this sounds like an outline for a horror movie, it is not. It is happening in real life and in our world. It is horrific, not only unethical but inhumane. This depicts the capturing process and life in captivity for public display of Orcinus Orcas, popularly known as Killer Whales since 1961. Although some laws regarding the capturing of whales have changed, whales are still being treated unethically. Just as inhumane as it is for this to be done to humans, it is equally inhumane for it to be done to animals. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, inhumanity is “the quality or stage of being cruel to other people or to animals” (dictionary.com) and that is what their captivity is...
Since the recent event with a gorilla in the Cincinnati Zoo, people have questioned ethics. The author wrote this argument to explain why the safety of animals, as well as their survival in the future, depends on these enclosures. Some readers would accept that zoos and aquariums conduct a lot of research, but for those who are skeptical, the argument discusses that the “Zoological Society of London, for instance, is developing innovative methods to assess the risks of animals contracting disease when they are reintroduced into the wild” (2016, p. 2, para. 7). The effective evidence Ganzert brings in shows readers the benefits of zoos and aquariums in order to appeal to the value of the animals being well contained and protected while they are in the enclosures. Another strong example of Ganzert’s appeal to an audience that wants the facts is “The Phoenix Zoo helped lead the ensuing breeding and reintroduction programs, which ultimately birthed more than 200 calves from just nine individuals. Now between Oman and Jordan, there are about 1,000 Arabian Oryx living in the wild” (2016, p. 2, para. 4). In result, the audience receives information about an existing program as well as what has happened due to the creation of this program at the Phoenix Zoo.
over 1,800 cases of animal cruelty in the past year because of the lack of animals having rights revealed in the media, with 64.5% involving dogs, 18% involving cats and the other 25% involving other animals. They should have rights because they have feelings, they are valuable, and they mean a lot to some families to the point where they’re considered to be a part of the family. Most importantly, humans are also animals, So think about how you would feel if someone had full control over you or someone you loved and did things to you that you didn’t enjoy or like. You have to think about their world from their standpoint. Yes, they are animals but they should not be less valued just because they are different from humans.
"Do We Need Zoos?" : An All Creatures Animal Rights Article. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 May 2015.
Whereas the monkeys that did not pass the MSR test, failed to show evidence of having the inner sense of self based on social strategies. Because the monkeys have no ability of considering what other individuals think due to lack of empathy (Cheney & Seyfarth, 1990). Another unique non-primate animal that shows foundations of empathy is the elephant. Plotnik and colleagues (2006) already proved that elephants are highly social animals that can recognize themselves as being separate from their environment. Their new study conducted to examine the elephants’ mental abilities on a cooperative task (Plotnik et al., 2011). The elephants were tested their understanding of cooperation with their complex empathy and sociality. The test showed that a pair of elephants coordinated with their partner by pulling the same rope simultaneously to get a reward. They even waited up to 45 seconds for a partner if the partner was delayed. Also, if the partner could not reach the rope, the elephants realized that they have to pull the rope. These social behaviors are based on helping, empathy, and compassion that requires flexibility in the behavior (Plotnik et al.,
The impact a wild animal has on a community is severe. In 2009, Sandra Herold, the owner of a 200 pound chimpanzee, called her friend for help. Sandra needed assistance from Charla Nash to get her money back into its cage. Unexpectedly, the chimpanzee mauled Charla. In a 911 call Sandra frantically told the dispatcher what was happening, “He ripped her apart. Shoot him, shoot him”(Copeland 1).
Cavalieri, Paola. "Are Human Rights Human?" The Animal Ethics Reader. By Susan Jean Armstrong and Richard George Botzler. London ;New York, NY: Routledge, 2008. 30-35. Print.
It is said that in order to protect the wildlife, we need to be educated about the wildlife that inhabits our planet. As humans, and the superior species on Earth, we put exotic animals, aquatic and terrestrial, in zoos or aquariums where people can go to see them to learn more about them in order to protect them. It just so happens that by putting these animals into captivity, we are causing more damage to them, just as damage is occurring in the wild and more species are becoming extinct. Animals should not be held in captivity; it does not save them from going extinct, but helps kill them off.
Trunk,” the passage from “Elephants Know When They Need a Helping Trunk in a Cooperative Task,” and the video “Elephants Show Cooperation” it is clear that elephants are among some of the highest socially cognitive animals.
Zoos display fascinating animals from all over the world for human entertainment, research, conservation, and education. Many scientists conduct studies on animals in captivity that they may not have been able to in the wild. Zoos educate all the visitors that come; they let people know everything that they know about the animals on display. We do learn a lot from these animals, but not all of the animals in the zoo are behaving like they normally would in the wild. Larger animals, such as elephants and orcas (commonly known as killer whales), have trouble with being confined in such a small area. However, many smaller animals benefit from zoos because they provide protection from predators, natural disasters, and poachers. They also benefit from conservation efforts; the babies being born get all the care they could ever need. Some animal rights activists are concerned that the conservation efforts are limiting the gene pool of the species. They argue that the small number of animals able to breed in captivity limits biodiversity and leads to weaknesses in the species overall. Zoos are wonderful places to study and learn about animals, but we need to improve the living standards for animals that struggle with captivity.
The human emotions are some of the most powerful tools given to any human being. Sometimes in life our emotions tend to overrule what is logical and it sometimes turns out to be a horrible decision on one 's behalf. The older we all get we should get better at managing our emotions in different settings of our lives and for the different people that are in our lives. Many people find managing their emotions difficult, due to life changing and traumatic experiences. Many people suffer relationship hurt, friendship hurt, emotional abuse and sometime physical abuse, these things craft and sometime harden our emotions later on in life. However I am a firm believer that there is a blessing in every lesson, no matter what the experience there is
Wild animals are known as “wild” animals for a purpose. If wild animals were intended to be kept shut up in a jail, also known as a zoo, then what exactly is the point of contacting them wild animals anymore? Zoo authorities use many justifications to back up their place that having wild animals in captivity is necessary, but those justifications are neither moral nor necessary enough reasons to deny animals of their organic right to independence. Even under the best of conditions at the best of zoos, captivity cannot even begin to evaluate up to wild animals’ organic settings. At zoos, animals are often avoided from doing most of the things that are organic and essential to them. Zoos educate individuals that it is appropriate to intervene with animals and keep them shut up in captivity, where they are tired, crowded, alone, restricted of all management over their lifestyles, and far from their organic houses. Wild animals were created to be 100 % free, and 100 % free is what they should be.
The reasons that animals are held in captivity could favor some people and others not. Animals in captivity are usually held for entertainment, education, research, and conservation purposes. The other major reason they are held in captive is the process of rehabilitation. The article, Ethical Issues, defines rehabilitation as the treatment of wild animals found injured or ill, taken into captivity until restored to full health and then returned to the wild. Then when the animal is released they are then able to live freely in their own habitat. Although this may lead to suffering and stress or even death for the animal. The animal is so dependent on their caretaker that once they are put into the wild they do poorly (1).
At some point in our lives, many of us have had the chance to visit a zoo, aquarium, animal park or even petting zoo. These are among the most popular places to visit for young children. We may go with our schools as an educational field trip to learn about animals. There are plenty of parents that have season passes to these places to get outside with their children. We may even visit as adults because they are largely tourist attractions or we may even go as artists to draw the animals. These captive environments where we have had the chance to witness animals that we may never see in our lifetimes because we do not share similar habitats are widely controversial. There are those very much opposed to having any animal in captivity because we can never exactly duplicate their natural environment on the scale that they are used to. There is also the point made that animals are mistreated in these faux environments. On the other hand many scientists and researchers believe