Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Are zoos beneficial to you
Views on animal captivity
Animals being kept in zoos
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Are zoos beneficial to you
Zoos have been around for centuries. In the past zoos were a simple collection of animals in cages. Many animals in the early 200’s were diseased and treated poorly. Zoos today are very different modern zoos were diseased and treated poorly. Modern zoos pride themselves as centers for scientific studies and research. They focus on animal welfare and on a mission to educate people about animals and protect animals in the wild. Although animals in zoos live longer than animals in the wild. They are well fed, protected from predators, and treated by veterinarians. Seeing majestic animals in a controlled environment creates a sense of wonder. A study published by the National science foundation actually shows that visiting a zoo changes a person's
He states that “Animals in zoos and aquariums can live longer, healthier, and richer lives than their forbearers ever did in the wild.” Studies have proven again and again that for most animals a caged life was a short and unhappy one. To begin with, for many species, a stare is received as a threat. With the public constantly staring at the animals, many of them become depressed. Scared and depressed animals might fill the hours with repetitive behaviors known as stereotypy: masturbating to a danger point, pacing their paws raw, or swaying endlessly from side to side (Cokal 492).
Peoples Trust has provided me with an extreme amount of information on why zoos are beneficial through their “Zoos & Conservation article.” Peoples Trust has pointed out that not every zoo mistreats their animals, but never took into consideration how the animals themselves may undergo, and what is being taken away from them.
One of the many disadvantages animals have is being locked in cages of zoos, is to enjoy the quality of freedom and independence. The animals can’t enjoy the satisfaction of catching their own prey, or the relief of living in their own natural habitat. Plus, the size of the zoo provides for the animals is too small, so the animals don’t get the proper exercise like they would in the wild. Studies have shown tigers and lions have around 18,000 times less space in zoos then they would in their natural habitat. In fact , Woburn Safari Parks was keeping its lion...
Zoo birds cages do not offer freedom to interact with their same species. Some animals develop neurotic behavior because they are being trapped in theses small closed spaces when compared to the vast ground and land in their natural environment. This condition is known as zoochosis, it occurs when the animals have become so lonely and unhappy from everything being deprived away from their natural habitat. Symptoms of zoochosis in animals are when animals are rocking, swaying back and forth and in some cases animals abusing themselves and eating their own limbs are an result from this condition. A polar bear named Gus at the Central park Zoo had to live in an enclose that was 0.00009 percent of the size of his natural environment/ habitat ( Smith 1).
Dr. Dave Hone (2014) proudly honors the title of being in the pro-zoo camp. Hone was a volunteer for a number of years at two different zoos and is able to identify zoos as being more than just a collection of animals (Hone, 2014, para. 2) He firsthand witnessed the importance of how conservation assists with preventing species from going extinct, the role education plays to inform many children and adults along with the guidance research shares to help better understand wildlife (Hone, 2014). In order to ensure that wild animals receive maximum care it is crucial to gain beneficial knowledge from research. In addition to understanding animal breeding through research, zoo officials are able to learn how to prevent and cure a variety of animal diseases. Education is another positive resource that zoos have to offer. There is always the option to learn about wild animals through animal documentaries, however many people enjoy a prominent up-close personal
Also the fact that almost every zoo around world needs to be improved in certain way, supports the second perspective best. Although, both two perspectives are true in different ways people should not be biased in one idea. The only main goal is to improve the animals living environment, and to prevent any possibility that could lead to an extinction of any animal species, and protect their rights as a living individual like a human. Certain requirement must be placed upon every zoo all over the world. Immediate action should be taken from now, otherwise it may be too late to do anything.
In all, zoos save countless lives every time you visit.
150 million people visit 500 zoos every year and I am one of them. It’s awesome to we have zoos are else we couldn’t see some rare and endangered animals like when I saw a panda or a Siberian white tiger. Some people think that zoo are safe for animals others think that zoos aren’t safe for animals I think that zoos are one of the safest places for animals because zoos are educational because of all of the animals, also because zoos have breeding and research centers which zoo keeper can breed endangered and rare animals. In my opinion animals are losing their habitats so that makes zoo are better for all these animals better and they can call their new habitat a home. Also the first known zoo Menagerie- Hierakonpolis 3500 BCE and the first modern zoo-
Zoos have been around for quite some time; however not all the animals are being treated with the care they deserve. They should not be taken from their friends and family in the wild and be forced to live in cement cages for the rest of their lives. Some zoos in the world do go above and beyond to make sure their animals are satisfied, but something needs to change with those zoos who are only meeting the governmental requirements. There are animals around the world living in captivity that are starving, suffering, spending their days pacing, and all alone. Zoos that do not reach the space, care and social requirements for animals are not ethical and should not be allowed to continue forcing these animals to suffer.
Going to the zoo for the first time is very memorizing for many people, the weird animals , big animals that gather the most attention; all help create a premature interest in the animal kingdom for kids. Recently zoos have been put through more scrutiny for supposedly treating animals like prison mates. Despite the negative psychological effects on animals in zoos, zoos should still exist as they help bolster conservation efforts and educate the public, thus having a net benefit towards the animal kingdom. Zoos have helped restoration efforts of critically endangered species through their sophisticated breeding programs thus producing net good for animals.
What really happens to the animals after lights turn out, and the visitors leave? Maybe zoos are not that horrible, and it is in only some cases. The controversy surrounding the lives of zoo animals, is that not many care to learn about the reality these animals face after they leave the zoo and go home. Some say that they are just animals and do not need to be accommodated for their basic needs. According to National Geographic an elephant born in captivity has its lifespan cut down by 39 years compared to those living in their native habitat.
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.
Have you ever been to your local Zoo? If so have you ever wondered how did they get there, how they are treated, if they get enough attention, whether or not they have enough space. I have read a significant amount of articles from trusted sources to let you have some kind of idea of what's it like inside a Zoo. Nowadays, zoos do not simply cater to the recreational desires of site visitors, but additionally indulge into research and conservation of wild animals.
The well being of animals are not well cared for in zoos. Some may argue that zoos attempt to accommodate the animals to the most natural environment possible. Despite some improvements many animals in traditional zoos still encounter health issues and stereotypical behaviours due to the small enclosures (See figure 1). The lack of room zoos encounter is insufficient and keeping animals isolated in a not so large area is detrimental to the health of the animals. “Studies have found that lions in zoos spend 48% of their time pacing and 40% of elephants performed stereotypic behaviours” (Sad eyes & empty lives). These anim...
Furthermore, zoo animals are often exposed to chemicals, solvents and other toxic substances. Finally, it is common for visitors to tease and provoke caged animals. In conclusion, therefore, it is not true to say that zoos are educational or they help to protect endangered species.