To update your payment information, visit our Member Center. The better alternatives to zoos are the options that dont result in animals being held in conditions that are unsuitable and forced to live in natural environments. It is these boastful collections of animals, these autocratic menageries, from which the modern zoo, with its didactic plaques and $15 hot dogs, springs. Sanctuaries promise to take in and care for any animals that have been abused, neglected, or abandoned and to keep them for life. 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. In several cases, animals held in poor conditions at roadside zoos have been transferred to sanctuaries, after the Animal Legal Defense Fund brought lawsuits under the Endangered Species Act. Why Animals Should Not be Kept in Zoos These animals oftentimes live in inhumane conditions, and pose a serious threat to public safety. Lets get into the nitty-gritty details of why keeping animals in zoos is bad: Wild animals often suffer in captivity because they were meant to be free. Tigers, lions, elephants, bears and nonhuman primates are all included in this law. But it's clear, say welfare specialists, that captivity can compromise orcas' health. For example, Orcas are migratory animals with a vast range. When factoring in the number of zoos breeding animals and the risk posed to baby animals, the change of disease skyrockets further. For privacy policy and ad & cookie policy information, visit our Privacy Policy pages. Sadly, most of these associations end up protecting the interests of their members, and not the animals they should be protecting. But is there a reason why animals should not be kept in zoos? A 2014 study by the Society for Conservation Biology found that of over 2,800 children surveyed following visits to London Zoo, 62% showed no positive learning outcomes. The United Kingdom, for example, has announced a plan to phase out all circuses featuring wild animal performances by 2020. Jason Hribals 2010 book, Fear of the Animal Planet, chronicles dozens of attempts. (This law does not affect zoos or circuses.). Here are my eight reasons why zoos are critical to conservation: 1. However, the truth is that no enclosure can come close to matching the vastness of an animals natural environment. And Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo has an on-site Wildlife Hospital to save sick and injured native species. People dont go to zoos to learn about the biodiversity crisis or how they can help. When an animal is not on the endangered list, capturing it doesnt serve any purpose to the animal. Caring for animals on a full-time basis requires someone who is both informed and cares about them. This gives the poor pets a home and creates a revenue stream for the zoos. Why? WHY ANIMALS SHOULD NOT BE KEPT IN CAPTIVITY By "Phillip" Hungry, depressed, and unable to connect. Their natural habitat extends far beyond anything captivity zoos could provide. For the unlucky ones that end up in the circuses, they are always in for a wide awakening. Though some zoos plan on reintroducing the animals into the wild after a while, living in zoos makes it impossible for some animals. While zoos can definitely be exciting places for families to visit, the fact remains that they are bad for animals. Some 5,800 species of animals are covered by the treaty (along with 30,000 species of plants). In 1982, only 22 condors existed in the wild. The Animal Legal Defense Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Some, however, argue that children benefit from zoos. The first modern one was opened in Paris, France in 1793. Display would be incidental. Ive been to zoos and aquariums in Winnipeg, Vancouver, and Vancouver Island, not to mention those in the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. This isnt always guaranteed since the breeding practices could be insufficient or even produce animals that are not suitable for survival in the wild. Mr. Fisher is a photographer based in New York. Lack of trees to rain will then lead to less and less vegetation and eventually draught in the area which will force the surviving animals to migrate to areas with better conditions. Due to the low density of the population of some animals in their natural ecosystems they struggle to find partners. In 2014, the director of the E.A.Z.A. Zoological gardens have been working to help ensure that any endangered species are given another chance to thrive again over time. For example, the law does not restrict the display or private ownership of captive wild animals or prohibit the use of controversial bullhooks, whips, electrical shock or other devices commonly used in circuses. They found that only 27 percent of people bothered to read the signs at exhibits. However, in a zoo, the boundaries between the wild and captivity are rearranged. 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. It gets even worse for the animal if the trainer is impatient, the poor beast will have to endure beatings over commands they dont understand. Some roadside zoos declaw tiger and lion cubs a serious surgical procedure in which a cats toes are amputated at the last joint. 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. Zookeepers are not mustache-twirling villains. Animals in the wild are naturally shy to humans. More than 6,000 comments made by the visitors were recorded, nearly half of which were purely descriptive statements that asserted a fact about the exhibit or the animal. The researchers wrote, In all the statements collected, no one volunteered information that would lead us to believe that they had an intention to advocate for protection of the animal or an intention to change their own behavior.. Even the best zoological park cannot fully capture the wild, and many smaller zoos fail to take effective measures to ensure the health and well-being of their animals. It is expensive and difficult to keep wild animals in captivity. A common criticism is that the inspectors are often inadequately trained to look for sign of problems such as abuse and neglect. In contrast, those nesting animals or cornered ones will try to defend themselves if being approached to protect their young. 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. In the 1980s, a group of orangutans escaped several times at the San Diego Zoo. This goes to the detriment of the animals in zoos and puts them at risk of receiving inadequate care. But, for every story that casts zoos in a bad light from Vince the rhino's poaching at Paris' Thoiry Zoo in March; Cincinnati Zoo shooting endangered gorilla, Harambe, last year after a child fell into his enclosure; or Copenhagen Zoo killing and publicly dissecting Marius, a two-year-old giraffe in 2014 there are heart-warming tales too. worldanimalfoundation.org is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and Other Programs, an affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to the Partners. However, the truth remains that zoos often have insufficient knowledge of the animals they are housing. A quick google search reveals that a zoo is an establishment that maintains a collection of wild animals, typically in a park or gardens, for study, conservation, or display to the public. However, I feel there are certain species that should never be held in captivity unless they are candidates for breeding programs or rehabilitation. Check out more news and information on Wild Animalsin Science Times. As humans, we have no right to hunt and lock up animals for our enjoyment. The monotonous, confined life of animals in captivity is a mere shadow of what life was like for them in the wild. He also found many examples of zoo elephants hurting or killing their keepers and evidence that zoos routinely downplayed or even lied about those incidents. An example of these associations is the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) which represents over 240 businesses across the globe. Since most countries dont have any regulations on how to handle animals in zoos, these business people can do whatever it takes to make the most profits possible. There is considerable variation from state to state and among cities and counties, as to how much legal protection is offered to captive wild animals. I pointed out that we cant ask animals whether they are happy with their enclosure size. Going to the zoo is sort of a short vacation for many people. Kept in barren cages rarely larger than 20 by 20 feet, bears in roadside zoos spend their days pacing, sleeping abnormally long periods of time, and bobbing their head all indications of extreme psychological distress. Profits are also gained through the selling of animals to other zoos or circuses. 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. The idea of conserving animals that are at risk of going extinct is a great one; the problem is that not most zoos live up to it. I do not doubt that some people had their passion for a particular species, or wildlife in general, sparked by zoo experiences. The Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) operates an accreditation system for sanctuaries, rescue centres and rehabilitation centres. Reintroduced animals have a hard time coping with life in the wild after long periods away. Zoos are expensive to run, often have a very tight budget, and cannot afford to maintain and support animals that do not pull their weight in terms of attraction. The Brutal Truth About Seal Clubbing: Because Everyone Needs Dead Seal Pups (Not)! They could either bite, peck, scratch, kick, or flap their wings. Some surplus animals or injured animals are even fed to predators as a means of life-cycle maintenance. See Related: Different Animals That Cant Jump. Theres also the Zoological Association of America that operates in the United States.
