When a toddler fell into an enclosure at Cincinnati Zoo in 2016 there was a worldwide outcry that Harambe, the gorilla whose enclosure the toddler fell into, was shot and killed. They can put the animals lives in danger due to their stupidity or lack of care. Zoo visitors often don’t act responsibly.Not only is this dangerous for people and native wildlife, but the animals are often killed rather than tranquilised. Wildlife encounters at zoos might be an unforgettable experience for children or adults but they are stressful and can be harmful to the animals.Sanctuaries take in injured wildlife, unwanted exotic pets or surplus animals from zoos. If you can’t afford to see animals in their natural habitat visit a wildlife sanctuary that does not buy, sell or breed animals.Watching a captive dolphin performing tricks at Sea World in no way compares to seeing a wild dolphin in the ocean. If you want to see wild animals behaving normally they should be seen in the wild.The wild populations of different endangered species may become less genetically diverse due to the removal of individuals from the wild, causing them to become even more endangered.Bonds between animals are broken when they are sold to alternative facilities which exploit animals, causing further stress to them.‘Young giraffe unsuitable for breeding was shot, dissected in public and then fed to lions despite offers of a new home.’ The Guardian You might remember back in 2014 when the Copenhagen Zoo in Denmark killed Marius the giraffe. Surplus animals can be sold on to other zoos (or safari parks, circuses etc) but many are just killed. Baby animals bring the public in in droves, but this often leads to zoos having too many animals.There are more tigers in American backyards than there are in the wild! More often than not they become part of a never-ending chain of zoos, safari parks, circuses, canned hunting facilities and even the exotic pet trade. Most captive breeding programmes don’t release animals into the wild.What gives humans the right to capture, confine or breed other species? If an animal is endangered does that justify us removing its freedom?.Captivity can in no way compare to being free in the wild. Like the polar bear that’s haunted me for over 35 years, animals in captivity often suffer from boredom and stress.Just like there are quite a few arguments for the existence of zoos, whether you agree with them or not, there are also a lot, if not many more, arguments against zoos. “BIAZA contributes approximately £24 million to conservation projects a year.” Should zoos still exist to help save endangered species? Why Zoos Shouldn’t Exist We have over 100 zoo and aquarium members who pride themselves on their excellent animal welfare, education and conservation work.” “ BIAZA is the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums the professional body representing the best zoos and aquariums in Britain and Ireland. Zoos are a traditional family activity.A few zoos take in abandoned exotic pets and rehabilitate wildlife.For example, BIAZA ‘members are dedicated to achieving the highest standards of animal care, conserving the natural world through research and conservation, and educating and inspiring their visitors.’
Visiting an accredited zoo is better than visiting one which isn’t. Good zoos have high standards of welfare for their animals.
They might put 2 and 2 together and realise the orangutan they saw is in jeopardy due to the products they buy.
Keeping animals in climates that are not suited to them seems even more cruel. Many zoos now provide more space for their wild animals but it could hardly be described as equivalent to what they have in the wild. The memory of a polar bear pacing back and forth in a very small enclosure in a Yorkshire zoo has stuck with me. I’ve disliked zoos since I was a small child. My main reason for being against zoos is because I don’t agree with caging animals for our entertainment. I’ll start by saying that personally I’m fundamentally against zoos but I do understand some of the arguments why they should exist.