Zoos are for good. Zoos help with conservation, and they also teach people about different animals and what they are like in the wild.
Zoos play a key role in conservation by protecting endangered species and supporting breeding programs. They also educate visitors about animals and their natural habitats, raising awareness about wildlife challenges.
Zoos serve as vital conservation facilities supporting the most endangered species. A proven track record is that 30 or more species have been brought back from the brink of extinction because of zoos.
Zoos play a crucial role in the rescue and rehabilitation of injured, orphaned, and displaced animals, providing essential medical care, shelter, and protection, while also working toward their eventual release back into the wild when possible. The zoos are contributing to species conservation and the well-being of individual animals.
Animals that live in captivity live longer than their wildlife counterparts. Under human care, their needs are taken care of and the animals are protected. With proper care, including regular meals and medical attention, they can thrive in a safer environment. This helps ensure their well-being and extends their lifespan compared to their wild counterparts.
Another thing that zoos do is conservation efforts. Most of the time, zoos have donation boxes around their facility which can go to habitat loss and research different species to learn more about them. With the donations zoos help bring back their habitat back so they are able to release the captive animal back into their natural habitat.
They also invest heavily into research with the animals’ health care to make sure all is well and they also make sure the animals have the right enrichment to make sure the animals never get bored or become lazy.
Sometimes people think that since some animals are displaced so far away from their natural habitat most critics think that the animals are miserable. Zoos have already thought about that and have made each habitat suited for each species. For example, the Bronx Zoo features a 6.5-acre space for gorillas that imitates a Congo rainforest and hosts over 15,000 tropical plants.
Zoos are essential not only for conserving endangered species but also for educating the public, conducting vital research, and promoting environmental awareness. By providing safe havens for animals, supporting scientific advancements, and inspiring action for wildlife conservation.
Zoos have always been a good location for school field trips, promoting education and learning about the environment the animals live in. The unfortunate reality is that they cause more harm than good to the animals they inhabit.
While zoos claim to preserve endangered species, like the Silverback Gorilla and the African elephant, by protecting them from the hefty bounties of the world, most zoos value their profit over animal well-being.
Zoos keep animals in enclosures smaller than their natural habitat, depriving them of space to roam around and practice their daily instincts. This leads to zoochosis, a psychological disorder and disease in which animals show pacing, bar biting, over-grooming, regurgitating and re-ingesting food. Animals, such as big cats and elephants, suffer from stress-related illnesses, shorter lifespans, and physical problems because of confinement.
Although zoos claim to support conservation, most animals that are bred in captivity never return to the wild. Limited genetic diversity and unnatural living conditions make them unfit to survive on their own.
Constant human interactions and unnatural methods of training can cause stress. If these methods do not work, they result in sedation, abuse, and even death. In 2014, the world reacted with shock and outrage when a healthy 2-year-old giraffe named Marius was killed and cut up in front of spectators at Copenhagen Zoo. His body was then fed to the lions.
Zoos often fail to meet animal’s dietary, social, and physical needs. Many species are able to thrive in complex social environments that captivity can destroy.
Zoos prioritize profit over animal welfare, causing suffering through confinement, stress, and abuse. Instead of keeping animals in captivity, we should invest in ethical alternatives that protect wildlife in their natural habitats.