Do zookeepers abuse animals?

Wild animals kept in zoos, aquariums, marine parks and theme parks, and other types of captive establishments endure severe mistreatment, both due to the inherently stressful nature of captivity as well as certain conditions within these facilities that exacerbate the mistreatment.



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One of the most common forms of mistreatment is inadequate and limited living conditions. For example, tigers and lions have about 18,000 times less space in their captive enclosures than what they would have in the wild, and polar bears have one million times less space.

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According to National Geographic, an estimate of 80 per cent of zoo animals experience zoochosis.

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Polar bears are the animals that do worst in captivity. Carnivores such as polar bears, tigers, cheetahs, and lions are especially poorly suited for life in a zoo, according to a new study. The more an animal roams in the wild, the researchers found, the worse it fares in captivity.

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What we do know so far is that evidence suggests wild animals can be as happy in captivity as they are in nature, assuming they are treated well. Confinement alone doesn't mean an animal is automatically worse off.

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Most zoo keepers have a deep and lifelong love for animals and really enjoy providing for their day-to-day care.

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“Elephants are known to cause more injuries and deaths to keepers than any other animal, by far.”

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Do zoos help or harm animals? While some suggest that zoos exploit captive animals and that wild animals should be wild, these facilities also present wildlife conservation attempts and learning opportunities as well. Zoos may introduce trauma to animals, but they are also taken care of in zoos.

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While zoo advocates and conservationists argue that zoos save endangered species and educate the public, many animal rights activists believe the cost of confining animals outweighs the benefits, and that the violation of the rights of individual animals—even in efforts to fend off extinction—cannot be justified.

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On average, captive animals (especially mammals) live longer than wild animals. This may be due to the fact that zoos provide refuge against diseases, competition with others of the same species and predators.

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