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The importance of zoos
Are zoos hurting the ecosystem
The importance of zoos
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“Only if we understand, will we care. Only if we care, will we help. Only if we help shall all be saved,” said by Jane Goodall. Throughout the whole entire world there is over ten thousand zoos, filled with over 6,130 species, with over 1,050 endangered species. Hundreds of thousands of people visits zoos annually. Those people are not only having a fun experience but they are also helping out the animals. Many zoos have a small fee to get in, but most zoos donate this money to conservation programs and use it to make sure that their animals live in a good environment. One of Iowa’s own zoos, the Blank Park Zoo, in Des Moines is a proud organization committed to conservation programs. The question that stands is whether or not conservation …show more content…
People come to see the cute baby animals, and most zoos have a fee to get in, so, more babies more money. However, the more zoos breed the better chance we have to save the endangered animals, and to repopulate decreases populations. For example, according to Scientific America.com, the text states, “To wit, dozens of zoos across North America participate in the Association of Zoos and Aquarium’s (AZA’s) Species Survival Plan (SSP) Program, which aims to manage the breeding of specific endangered species in order to help maintain healthy and self-sustaining populations that are both genetically diverse and demographically stable.” Many zoos participate in that program, which is helping the zoos repopulate many different species. The more zoos that participate in this program, means more species being saved, which also means not as many animals on the endangered species list. According to one of Iowa’s own zoos, The Blank Park Zoo, in Des Moines follows the AZA species survival plan. In their website they list many different focuses of this plan and really how they help to repopulate endangered species. The main focus of this plan is to ensure the survival of selected endangered species like the Snow Leopard, Amur Tiger, Red Panda, and the Ring-tailed lemurs. A few different focuses or strategies for this plan would be to tran …show more content…
The more research that is being down is the more chance that we have to save the animals. Although some people may argue that even though many zoos donate they don’t donate enough that makes a difference. However, considering that there are over ten thousand zoos the amount is not too big of a deal because if most zoos donate then the numbers will add up quickly. For example, according to The Blank Park zoo.com, it states that, many zoos participate in a multitude of charities and foundations that work with conservation. This zoo and many others have created their own projects such as, annual giving, planned giving, and also memorial and honorary gifts. Projects such as those are small ways that people can donate to the zoos to help with conservation research. They can donate every year, a annual donation,and have money left for them after they pass, they can set it aside in their will. Many others zoos have small donation bins around their zoo as well. Next, according to KQED.org, it states that, Zoos are one of the biggest supporters of field conservation for many different habitats and animals all around the world. Zoos also help to support conservation in many different ways they raise and donate financial support, they send medical, educational, and operational supplies to projects. They raise awareness through lectures, classes, and animal demonstrations that teach and raise
From a Ted Talk said by Gabriela Mastromonaco from the Toronto Zoo, she says “That zoos serve and important purpose beyond from this entertainment and are vital to the future of the animal world.” She tells us how the zoos today save many endangered species. “1. We care for and breed animals that have been wiped from the wild, or reduced to very small numbers. 2. We store genetic material, such as sperm and eggs, that can be used in the future to breed offspring.” She concludes by telling us how zoos save many species every year and how they can save a whole group of animals.
Have you ever seen an animal sitting in a cage all alone with nothing to do. Well, zoos are trying to change that fact. They will allow the animals to live in an environment that is like their home. Many people don't realize this, but zoo are keeping and breeding these animals because they would not survive in the wild alone. In the three passages, ¨The Stripes Will Survive,¨ ¨The Zood Go Wild from No More Dodos,¨ ¨Our Beautiful Macaws and Why They Need Enrichment.¨ All of these articles present one claim, that is that the role of zoos is no longer to keep animal, but to protect them.
They keep them safe from poachers and hunters. In the wild they would be hunted for their fur,meat, tusks and sometimes just for fun. According to ‘In Defense of Animals’, over 200 million animals are reported killed by hunters in the United States every year.40 million animals are killed every year worldwide just for their fur and 84 rhinos were killed in 2008 just in Zimbabwe. In zoos animals are protected against poachers and hunters, by keeping poacher and hunters out, there fore letting their population be able to grow.
The debate on storing animals in zoos became controversial, and I came to the final decision that animals do not deserve to live in zoos. Animals are meant to live in their natural habitat, just as humans thrive in their naturally industrialized environment. Living in captivity can also cause the animal’s lifespan to decrease, and it may be due to the failure to satisfy their emotional needs. Human interaction to wildlife and its animals is every expanding, and this probably makes manmade disasters the main cause of the transaction of wild animals from the wild to zoos. On the other hand, zoos have the potential to raise awareness and the support from public donations to fund animal conservation projects, but people do not need to physically see an animal provide their support. Since there are many solutions to this debate, there is no direct answer. From a wild animal’s point of view, humans may be seen as immoral beings with countless evil intentions. What they do not realize is that we have the potential to do good and make big, positive
Even though zoos try to imitate the natural habitat of each animal, the area for the zoo might not be able to support the animals needed environment. When visiting a zoo many people fail to notice that the animals have living areas measuring an acre or smaller. “Their enclosures are often small, barren, and without shade or privacy” (Laws). “Animals also need to endure dirty living conditions, stagnant water, and hard floors to sleep on at night” (Laws). It’s obvious that in the wild any animal has almost unlimited space to live in. They catch and forage for food naturally and mate naturally.
The Guardian’s article by Dave Hone titled “Why Zoos Are Good” states that zoos help keep endangered species from going extinct by having breeding programs for those animals. This would ensure that endangered animals would be kept alive at least in captivity. The Association of Zoos & Aquariums argues that zoos promote education about the animals which in turn promotes conservation efforts for the animals in the wild. Lucy Siegle's article “How Ethical is it to Visit the Zoo” brings up the point that zoos are ethical because many zoos fund research or participate in programs that helps protect animals. many zoos donate a portion NPR’s article by Melissa Block defends zoos by stating that zoos foster the public’s, especially young children interest in exotic animals which will create a new generation that will be more lenient towards conservation efforts in the
Captive breeding programs are what make zoos ethical, but several problems need to be confronted. Zoos operate captive breeding programs in which they take animals from the wildlife and breed then in a scientifically controlled environment. They have saved several species from extinction such as the Red Wolf and the Przewalski Horse, and are aiding many others such as the blue-crowned laughing thrush. Before the breeding program saved the Red Wolves from extinction, there were only 14 pure breed Red Wolves remaining. When a species gets endangered it goes on the Species Survival Plan program. There are two issues that I came across during my research. Firstly, some zoos are taking advantage of several species to generate revenue. Cohn said that “to get more white tigers, zoo managers in India and the United States in the 1950s mated fathers with daughters, granddaughters, and even, on occasion, great granddaughters. (Cohn 654)” The question is whether this is ethical? After reading this I felt...
What about zoos in other regions of the world? This question is a good one; as it applies to regional views. Zoos all over the world have different rules; for visitors and their animals, depending on who and where they are located. China has a main focus on saving their giant pandas from extinction; note they are vulnerable, but can end up endangered once more. Some zoos run on donations; Cheyenne Mountain zoo and Dartmoor zoo, while others are federally paid; Denver zoo. Each zoo has a mascot to be the main view; Cheyenne mountain has a giraffe, Denver has a lion, Australia zoo has a crocodile, but under that mascot are other animals branched out. This means that no zoo is a like; they may have the same animals, but their rules and lifestyle are entirely different.
On one hand, people see zoos as a place for endangered and neglected animals that need assistance to survive. It has been a tradition for decades to visit a zoo and spend time with family and friends. By visiting a zoo, the public is educated and can personally see the beauty of nature, unlike a documentary. Visitors may then be encouraged to donate money to conserve and research wildlife. Not only do zoos benefit mankind, but they also work for the welfare of the animals. Take into consideration the story of orphan Leo, a snow leopard cub from Pakistan. Although once abandoned, Leo is now alive and well, thanks to the Bronx Zoo. Many endangered species have be...
Some supporters even acknowledge the ethical problems zoos face, but choose to ignore them for what they believe is the overall positive impact on society. In “Why zoos are good” Dr. Dave Hone highlights education as one of the main reasons he supports zoos, mentioning how many people who live in cities may never get to experience wild animals if it weren’t for zoos. Hone states educational videos and documentaries are an option, but they “pale next to seeing a living creature in the flesh, hearing it, smelling it, watching what it does and having the time to absorb details” (Hone). Not only do zoos provide interactive learning opportunities and a direct opportunity to experience how animals behave in the flesh, Hones notes zoos can be educational elsewhere, as a significant amount of work is being sent to conservatives to help educate others on how to improve conditions for the animals.
They produce a safe place for dwindling species to thrive and reproduce. Dozens of zoos all over the country take part in a special program to help animals. The program is called species survival plans. This program has to do with the reproduction of many endangered species. The program helps keep a very healthy and self sustaining species. This program is very important in the fact that some animals become sick and have a very hard time reproducing. When you genetically breed the animals yourself it makes it like a new branch in the species. Then the animals are genetically unique and they are stable only to their own demographic area. The Species Survival Plan’s ultimate goal is to try to reintroduce some of the worlds endangered species back into the wild. When the Species Survival Plan is done the animals they reintroduce will all be in their native areas.
For hundreds of years, eager visitors have journeyed to see animals from various parts of the Earth. Zoological institutions have been provided a place where both wild animals and humans can convene in a controlled manor. A zoo’s purpose is to conserve wild animals’ lives, educate visitors, and provide a site where wild life research can readily take place (Demartoto). Many hold a positive view on zoos. Some believe that zoological institutions provide a safe environment for animals and provide the animals with the best care. However, many find zoos to be guilty of stealing animals’ freedom and dignity. Animal welfare has become a major issue within zoological institutions. The question of whether or not zoos are actually
Of the 321 elephant deaths for which The Times had complete records, half were by age 23, more than a quarter before their expected life spans of 50 to 60 years. For every elephant born in a zoo, on average two die. At that rate, the 288 elephants inside the 78 U.S. zoos could be “demographically extinct” within the next 50 years because there’ll be too few fertile females left to breed, according to zoo industry research (Berens 4). Most people think that zoos protect animals, but it can clearly be seen in the records provided by the Times that the zoos are doing the exact opposite of protecting animals. The American zoos, including the accredited ones, have led to the near demise of elephants.
Supporters of zoos argue that they help to conserve endangered species, but in fact they are not very good at this. Even the world famous panda-breeding programme has been very costly and unsuccessful. Also, zoo life does not prepare animals for the challenges of life in the wild. For example, two rare lynxes released into the wild in Colorado died from starvation even though the area was full of hares, which are a lynx’s natural prey.
Some zoos, on the other hand, manipulate the animals to acquire as much revenue as possible rather than being concerned with the welfare of each animal. In “The White Heron” the heron was protected from the hunter by a girl. The girl could represent a zoo, while the young hunter could represent people who exploit animals for personal reasons, such as money. Zoos promote the awareness of animals that are going extinct. This would allow people to help fund the repopulation of those animals.