Should we or should we not have zoos?

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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Not only can zoos help protect, breed, and reintroduce animals, but we can learn about them to help create a better world for them. At the Children's Nature Retreat, many of our animals have been acquired from owners who could no longer keep or care for them.

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In a report from World Animal Protection, three-fourths of zoos include human-animal interactions, many of which can be very stressful or physically harmful for animals. In some extreme cases, visitors rode on the backs of animals (causing injury) or encroached on the animals' enclosure (causing stress).

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What Are Some Pros and Cons of Zoos?
  • Animals Often Only Have Quite Limited Space. ...
  • Zoos Are Crowded. ...
  • Animals Are Trapped in Unnatural Environments. ...
  • Confinement May Alter the Behavior of Animals. ...
  • 'Surplus' Animals Can Be Killed. ...
  • Animals Are Often Mistreated. ...
  • Animals Don't Like Being Visited. ...
  • Animals Struggle to Form Connections.


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MYTH 4: Animals in Zoos are happy. Animals in captivity across the globe have been documented displaying signs of anxiety and depression. In fact, psychological distress in zoo animals is so common that it has its own name: Zoochosis.

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Zoos can be educational institutions, providing valuable information about animals from all over the world; they can also be conservation centers, helping to protect endangered species and promote breeding programs that increase the population of threatened animals; and zoos can be entertainment venues, offering a fun ...

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AZA and AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums frequently partner with other organizations, including government agencies, to protect endangered species and their environments. Zoos and aquariums are an essential part of the recovery program for many endangered species listed under the Endangered Species Act.

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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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Wildlife Facilities Increase Carbon Footprint Zoos are big polluters. The increased energy use at zoos contributes to climate change and creates a carbon footprint. They're not sustainable institutions because they require high levels of resources such as food and water.

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By being able to study animal behavior and explore the best methods for preserving threatened species, zoo research can provide the insight needed to save species and their habitats. Zoos offer threatened and endangered animals an environment safe from poachers and developers.

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A field trip to the zoo provides children with the opportunity to see different animals in their natural environment. This also helps children understand that animals are living beings and they also have certain needs to survive. This understanding leads children to develop compassion and empathy for them.

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Today most modern zoos have four main objectives: Conservation, Education, Research and Recreation.

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In conclusion, wild animals have the opportunity to develop survival skills, greater genetic diversity, autonomy and independence, and the opportunity to interact with a diverse population of their own species while captive animals may not have the same opportunities and are dependent on human care.

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Animals brought from the wild into captivity, on the other hand, may suffer from chronic stress even if their basic physical needs are met. In part, this may be because wild animals perceive captive environments as threatening in and of themselves.

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Visit a sanctuary. There are numerous farmed animal, equine and wildlife sanctuaries throughout North America and many of them have visitor days. Be careful however, because there are substandard zoos and wildlife exhibits that call themselves sanctuaries, but are not.

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Interviewing more than 3,000 children between 7 and 14, the largest study of its kind found that just over half of the kids (53 percent) showed improvement in at least one of three areas: conservation-related knowledge, concern for endangered species, or desire to participate in conservation efforts.

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Captivity strips animals of their natural habitats, families, and daily activities. Dolphins, for example, are forced to live in containment 200,000 times smaller than their natural habitats. Elephants, who usually walk up to 20 km in the wild, are unable to do anything other than pace around in their enclosures.

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