why animals should not be kept in zoos articles

In some environments, we believe it's best not to keep certain wild animals at all, as their needs simply can't be met. Earlier this month, footage of a dolphin attacking its trainer in Miami Seaquarium went viral. For the unlucky ones that end up in the circuses, they are always in for a wide awakening. Unlike in the wild where these endangered species have to worry about staying safe, in these breeding programs they get taken care of. Some zoo animals try to escape. One way that is rarely documented is the sale of other animals into the exotic pet trade. The monotonous, confined life of animals in captivity is a mere shadow of what life was like for them in the wild. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. These associations ensure that members are treating their animals with a high standard of care and following any guidelines they provide. In 1898, the reason was cited by the New York Zoological Society when it resolved to inform the public of the continued decline in animal populations, to stimulate sentiment in favor of animal protection, and to cooperate with scientific organizations to ensure the preservation of species. 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. The Convention On International Trade In Endangered Species Of Wild Fauna And Flora (CITES): CITES is an international treaty that regulates the trade of wildlife for nations that are signatories to the treaty. People are always attracted to exotic animals such as grizzlies, lions, wolves, tigers, and alligators among others. Visit animal sanctuaries instead of zoos, marine parks or circuses. However, critics say this doesn't justify their existence. In 1982, only 22 condors existed in the wild. Breeding programs in zoos eventually lead to some animals being sold off to other zoos or worse circuses. zoos is usually not more than 200 animals per year, the organization said.) Animals also lose their genetic diversity especially due to inbreeding. They are just some of the millions of wild animals living in captivity across the United States. Others are captured from their native habitats, or come from backyard breeders or the black market. William Randolph Hearst created his own private zoo with lions, tigers, leopards and more at Hearst Castle. In most cases, animals in zoos lead very unhappy lives. Slow animals with minimal to zero predators such as elephants have brief life spans in captivity. Wild dolphins swim up to 40 miles day with the other members of their pod, while captive dolphins are forced to swim in tiny pools with unfamiliar dolphins day after day. In 2020, facilities accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums contributed more than $230 million to conservation efforts. All Rights are Resvered. There is always that element of choice that gets removed from them in a captive environment. Keeping animals in captivity can prevent their extinction. All of these animals are well studied and have a plethora of documentaries and video footage of them in the wild. Once the ground has been left with no coverage, soil erosion will be the next step. They normally find themselves locked in cages, and only released into an artificial habitat when there are visitors at the zoo. A 2000 survey of U.S. and Canadian zoos found that nearly half of respondents were giving their gorillas Haldol, Valium or another psychopharmaceutical drug. Living collections were often presented in taxonomic order, with various species of the same family grouped together, for comparative study. Alex shares his life with his wife (to-be), children and stepchildren, a herd of guinea pigs, and numerous tropical fish, frogs and snails. So when they face a threat, wild animals believe that they should survive by fleeing, fighting, flirting, or freezing. However, suffering doesnt have to be physical; boredom, confinement, and stress can cause an animal a lot of suffering. Though the zoos business has grown from what it was over a century ago, there are still some things that can be improved. According toAnimal Behavior: Resources for Applied Ethology, fleeing or running away is the most popular reaction of animals towards humans. A peer-reviewed 2017 study in the . More tigers live in cages in this country, than exist in all the wild. Personally speaking, Ive been to zoos in Sydney, Australia, and all over the UK. 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. For example, the typical enclosure designed for a polar bear is about a million times smaller than its natural roaming grounds. The surpluses are then sold off to zoos, aquariums, or even circuses. 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. Ive heard and read some of their stories. Crustacean Chronicles: A Deep Dive into the Fascinating World of the Crab, Pet Food Manufacturers and Who Rules the Roost in a Growing Market. This is only one of the Act's limitations. The AWA only applies to some captive wild animals. The shooting of Harambe the gorilla spawned the most-shared meme of 2016 and caused a hounded Cincinnati Zoo to suspend its social media accounts. Properly curated and interpreted, a well-run garden can be a site for a rewarding outing with friends or family, a source of education for the 27 percent of people who read signs and a point of civic pride. The animals too have rights and they shouldnt be subjected to half the things they undergo. Life expectancy for animals in captivity depends on a couple of things, such as their way of life, among other factors. Learn More. This goes to the detriment of the animals in zoos and puts them at risk of receiving inadequate care. Wildlife experts remind people that these animals do not know people's intentions, so they will try to protect themselves no matter what. In addition, when animals are removed from their natural habitats, they are also removed from their family structure and social hierarchy. Even without a consciousness (that we know of) animals are alive and should be treated as such. Read on to find out why animals should not be kept in zoos. Some are in aquariums, circuses, theme parks and zoos, others live caged at private homes. 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. An increase in the populations of herbivorous animals such as deer and buffalos isnt a good thing, especially not for the vegetation and ground cover. Here is an example of just how harsh it can get when an animal is being trained to perform tricks. 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. Trading in Wild Animals: Every year, thousands of animals enter the captive wild animal trade. Likewise, consuming sustainable seafood provides a valuable source of food for people and helps promote sustainable jobs. On the other hand, the researchers reported, there were no significant differences in survey responses before entering an exhibit compared with those obtained as visitors were exiting., A 2008 study of 206 zoo visitors by some members of the same team showed that while 42 percent said that the main purpose of the zoo was to teach visitors about animals and conservation, 66 percent said that their primary reason for going was to have an outing with friends or family, and just 12 percent said their intention was to learn about animals., The researchers also spied on hundreds of visitors conversations at the Bronx Zoo, the Brookfield Zoo outside Chicago and the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. ", Published in the June 2017 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK), What to do in the Forest of Bowland, Lancashire, How to plan and book an Indian rail odyssey, Four of the best luxury sleeper trains in India, How Miami is re-embracing its modernist architecture, Where to eat in Clitheroe, the Ribble Valley's culinary hotspot, Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic Society. Polar bears have one million times less space. Unfortunately using real animals for these purposes involves tremendous cruelty. The incident in Miami Seaquarium is proof that animals do not belong in captivity. Regardless of the merits or ethics of zoos, one thing's for certain: they're going to be around for some years yet. The other argument zoos commonly make is that they educate the public about animals and develop in people a conservation ethic. However, few people stop and actively consider why zoos are bad. However, through education and informative motions for change, we can make change the way zoos are run. Many animals in zoos are not used to confinement. Most animals are taught to perform tricks and go against the grain of nature purely for human entertainment. Healthy animals in zoos are killed because they are not needed. Tigers, lions, elephants, bears and nonhuman primates are all included in this law. Wildlife experts said that the incident was just another proof that wild animals should not be kept captive because it would not happen had the dolphin was only in the wild. T he video above shows the tragic reality of how animals in captivity are mistreated and never get to experience freedom, or live how they were . Infringing the rights of individuals because it benefits the species is wrong because a species is not an. Animals have been going extinct for as long as there has been life on earthany weakling or disadvantageous animals get wiped out. Once again, a change of this magnitude can cause captive animals to exhibit changing behaviors, which include self-destructive acts and unrelenting restlessness. 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. Cleaners and feeders spend a lot of time with the animals, and understanding the situation one is getting into can be very helpful. Declawing is extremely painful and causes permanent disability. See Related: War and the Effect on Wildlife. Animals need physical stimulation and a level of interaction with nature that we, as humans, cannot understand, let alone interpret and recreate. See Related: Animals With the Best Sense of Smell. 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. A species protected in captivity provides a reservoir population against a population crash or extinction in the wild. This is particularly true if the animal is there for entertainment. India bans the keeping of elephants in circuses and zoos. However, they are really just teaching children about caring for animals in captivity. Animals are forced to live in artificial habitats that arent anywhere close to their former homes (the wild). Local laws are often most effective in governing the private possession of exotic animals. For them, the best option is to fight back. In a study done on 40 chimpanzees in six different zoos, all of the chimps exhibited behavior their counterparts in nature did not. Running a successful zoo is about drawing in visitors as much as it is caring for animals. Another similar behavior of flirting is freezing, in which an animal does not move when there is no way of escape, like being caught in a trap or net even though they are terrified. Why Animals Should Not be Kept in Zoos These animals oftentimes live in inhumane conditions, and pose a serious threat to public safety. For privacy policy and ad & cookie policy information, visit our Privacy Policy pages. The polar bears in Winnipeg have disco poo. It is always best to stay away from wild animals to prevent disastrous interactions. WorldAnimalFoundation.org is reader-supported. Tell lawmakers you support animal-friendly legislation and local bans on using animals in entertainment. All of these options afford you a close view of nature exactly as it was intended. But is there a reason why animals should not be kept in zoos? "Animals in zoos suffer tremendously, both physically and mentally. A gorilla named Togo at the Toledo Zoo used his incredible strength to bend the bars of his cage. Animals are removed from their natural habitats. The owners of such zoos are focused on maximizing profits even at the animals expense. The fewer than two dozen non-participants include North Korea, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Turkmenistan. 525 East Cotati Avenue,Cotati, CA 94931 Taking an animal say a big cat, into an enclosed habitat when she cant hunt for herself can be detrimental to her life skills. Writing at the end of 2020, Al Gore, the 45th vice president of the United States. As we snap a selfie by the sea lions for the first time in so long, it seems worth asking, after our collective ordeal, whether our pleasure in seeing wild animals up close is worth the price of their captivity. Animals are not able to bear living in small, unsuited environments. Zoos also say that they save the endangered animals, but all they really care about is how much crowd the animal draws. 2. When a female gorilla named Johari kept fighting off the male she was placed with, the zoo dosed her with Prozac until she allowed him to mate with her. CITES does not directly address living conditions for captive animals. Zoos often have insufficient knowledge of animals. Exotic animals have become very popular, but they are also dangerous in so many ways. Zoos can be productive when it comes to reviving an animal species on the brink of extinction. A study by Bristol University found that many British zoos fail to provide animals with the required minimum standard of care. 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. A 2019 report by World Animal Protection found that captive animals exhibitedabnormal levels of aggression, indicating that the attack in Miami Seaquarium was a direct result of captivity, despite claims that it is an isolated incident and is uncommon. For example, if the number of lions is drastically reduced in an area, their prey will thrive. When zoos find themselves with surplus animals, they need to find ways to reduce their numbers. This gives the poor pets a home and creates a revenue stream for the zoos.

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