Zoos, Circuses, and Aquariums: Cruel and Unjust

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Zoos, Circuses, and Aquariums:
Cruel and Unjust
Zoos, circuses, and aquariums have been around for many years. Families across the planet flock to these facilities to have an entertaining day in the great outdoors. Mothers and father show their children the beautiful, exotic animals at these places in a hope to educate them on the wonders of the world. The general public holds places like the San Diego Zoo, Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and SeaWorld in high esteem. Sadly, most are unaware of the injustices against wild animals in these facilities. Animal rights activists fight for the rights of exotic animals in an attempt to free them from zoos, circuses and aquariums. Organizations like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) publicly protest these facilities. PETA says on their website that animals thrust into the world of entertainment never chose that life. Zoos, circuses, and aquariums are cruel and unjust facilities for animals to be in, and they should be disbanded.
Zoos, circuses, and aquariums do not provide acceptable living conditions for the wild animals in their care. In 1874, the first zoo opened in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In these early zoos, animals were kept in small, uncomfortable cages, and in 1907, Carl Hagenbeck opened a zoo where the animals were exhibited on artificial islands that attempted to mimic their natural habitats (Evans). Sadly, even the best artificial habitats cannot come close to the freedom animals possess in their true homes. At some zoos, living conditions are often poor with animals limited to cramped, dirty enclosures (PETA). For example, elephants are usually kept in enclosures with an insufficient amount of space. According to In Defense of Animals (IDA), ...

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"Meet the Staff." University of New England: Marine Animals Rehabilitation Center. NOAA
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Mott, Maryann. "Wild Elephants Live Longer than their Zoo Counterparts." National Geographic. Ed.
Chris Johns. N.p., Dec. Web. 11 Dec. 2008. .
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. PETA, n.d. Web. 8 Jan. 2014. .
Schoon, Nicholas. "Animals in Zoos 'Being Driven Mad by Captivity'." The Independent. N.p., 22
Mar. 1994. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.

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