keeping animals in the zoo essay

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Pros and cons of zoos: Should animals be kept in zoos?

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Animal cruelty or protection? Learn about the pros and cons of zoos and join our debate and poll: Should there be zoos? Should animals be kept in captivity? Vote and explain your view on whether zoos are necessary or should be banned.

Should animals be kept in zoos?

Over 181 million people visit zoos and aquariums every year in the United States, and 25 million in the United Kingdom. Zoos have more visitors than the combined attendance of the four major sports leagues ( NFL , NBA , MLB and NHL ). Despite their immense popularity , zoos have become increasingly controversial institutions. An increasing number of animal rights advocates and animal protection organizations are questioning the role of zoos in modern societies. The shocking evidence of animal abuse in some circuses , dolphinariums and zoos have pushed many environmental and wildlife activist groups to campaign for the closure of many of the institutions that keep wild animals in captivity.

To the question "should animals be kept in captivity?" the initial reaction of most people is rejection. Why should animals be kept in zoos? In an ideal world that would not be necessary, wild animals would roam freely in their natural habitats and we, humans, would find ways to observe them and learn about them without disrupting their lives. However, today on Earth due to population growth and urbanization many animal species are endangered and most people have very few opportunities to observe and learn from animals.

Jane Goodall , the famous British primatologist and one of the most important experts in chimpanzees in the world, has defended the role of zoos in helping us understand and preserve the life of wild animals (see video below). On the other hand, organizations such as PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), Animal Aid and Born Free have initiated campaigns for the closure of zoos, arguing that most zoos deprive animals from their most basic needs and that animal abuse and suffering should not be a source of entertainment.

Do you think that zoos are an effective way to increase awareness about animal life? Do they really help preserve endangered species or it is more a business and a cruel source of entertainment? Is keeping animals in captivity a good way to ensure their future? Let's take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of zoos before we make up our minds.

Watch this video with Jane Goodall on the role of zoos in saving animals

Pros and cons of zoos

These are the most common arguments in favor and against zoos.

Pros of zoos

After the famous wildlife conservationist Geral Durrell opened a zoo in Jersey in 1959, zoos all over the world have embraced the mission of saving endangered species in the world. Zoos are not like the exotic animal menageries from the middle ages. They want to provide entertainment but they are greatly concerned with the protection of animals and their natural habitats. Zoos help raising awareness and funding for wildlife initiatives and research projects.
Animals are not always caged in zoos. Edinburgh was the first British zoo to follow the idea of displaying animals without bars. The Chester and Whipsnade zoological parks where the first two non-urban zoos without cages and larger enclosures. They opened in 1931. In the 1960s The drive-through safari parks became very popular. Ever since there has been an increasing public concern about animal welfare in zoos.
Zoos are monitored and follow strict regulation in most developed countries. There is less room for animal cruelty in zoos than ever before in history.
Most people working in zoos are true animal lovers. Veterinary doctors, zoologist, voluntary staff, etc. chose to work in zoos because they like animals, and wanted to work closely with them and help them thrive.
Education is another positive feature of zoos. Many children and adults in cities can only see wild animals in TV or the Internet. Zoos offer them the unique experience of contemplating real animals. They can smell them, see how they move and listen their sounds. This is a much more vivid and enriching experience than the one you can get through a screen. Thanks to zoos kids and adult develop empathy toward animals.
Zoos are key for research . Being able to observe and study animals is crucial if we want to contribute to help them and repair the ecosystems. They also help redice human-animal conflicts and better understand the needs and psychology of animals. Zoos serve as laboratories to learn more about how to fight animal diseases and develop effective animal anaesthetics and other treatments to help more animals in the future.
Another pro of zoos is their role in animal reproduction. Zoos study animal breeding and thanks to them many wild animals in captivity can reproduce. This is particularly important in the case of endangered species. Due to the low density of the population of some animals in their natural ecosystems they struggle to find partners. Some populations in the wild are weakened by endogamy too. In zoos vets and biologist help to prevent inbreeding.

Cons of zoos

Animal cruelty in zoos continues to be extremely common. There are continuous cases of animals abused by visitors and zoo workers. Many of them are reported every week in the media, however, the large majority are kept secret and those responsible are never held accountable or punished.
Animals in captivity are deprived of many things that are important to them, as a result they become lonely and bored. Many of them suffer from "zoochosis" , a psychological condition characterized by repetitive and obsessive behaviors including vomiting, excessive grooming, coprophagia and self-mutilation.
Most animals in zoos still live in small enclosures and cages . There are Safari Parks and large zoos in which animals have more space and live in an enviroment slightly more similar to their natural habitat .however, the large majority of zoos in the world are much smaller and have less economic means than the big zoos we often see in the media such as the San Diego Zoo, the Berlin Zoological Garden, the San Louis Zoo, etc.
In zoos many animals sicken and die because they contract diseases from other animals and species. Zoos usually group animals from many different parts of the world with very distinct immunological systems. People also have been sickened from diseases contracted from animals in zoos.
Many zoos do little for research or animal protection. They are simply businesses run with the sole purpose of making money . Their concern for animals is secondary. Cost efficiency often means they move animal welfare down in the list of priorities.
Zoos and aquariums have incentivized the illegal hunt of animals . Historically poachers have hunted and sold wild animals for zoos all over the world. Although this practice is increasingly prosecuted in most countries, there are still small zoos and aquariums which acquire their animals without paying much attention to their origin.
From an ethical point of view zoos are also questionable. Zoos are a typical form of family entertainment, but associating leisure and fun with the contemplation of animals in captivity can send the wrong signals to our children. Zoos can be construed as a sadistic pleasure .

Do you think zoos are necessary? Do the cons of zoos outweight their benefits? Should we boycott or ban zoos? Vote and join our debate (see below)

Watch this video on "zoochosis" and the living conditions of animals in captivity

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Should Animals Be Kept in Zoos? Essay

Cover letter, works cited.

This essay explores the dilemma of keeping animals in zoos. In this essence, the legitimacy of restricting the animals is investigated.

Moreover, the essay seeks to establish harmony between advocacy for abolition of zoos and the need to preserve some species of animals. In addition, there is the necessity to control the interaction between animals and human beings.

I have observed that there is no solution to such dilemmas. Any observer has to establish a middle ground and maintain balance between the arguments. This is because it is not possible to take a radical action on the issue at hand.

I had an experience of arguing over the issue, which has two equal sides while writing the paper. I was able to examine both sides of the argument and analyze the arguments.

While it seemed appropriate to me that people should keep animals in the zoos prior to this assignment, my perception changed after analyzing both sides of the argument. I had to take a middle ground and analyze the perceptions as a neutral observer.

When writing the arguments in the paper, it became difficult to make an objective analysis of the arguments due to the influence of personal opinion. It is difficult to establish a middle ground that does not favor either side.

The topic of the essay generates significant interest in me because most people assume that animals have their specific places in the ecosystem, which are subject to manipulation by human beings at will.

On the other hand, liberal people advocate that fair competition can exist between animals and people naturally. This article proves that neither case is entirely true.

Throughout the history of humanity, interaction with animals has been inevitable. Superiority of human beings has made them highly competitive. Other living things have to adapt to new environments or leave their natural habitat to create space for human beings and their activities.

The human population is evenly distributed around the world. On the other hand, animal population is partially distributed, with different species occupying different parts of the world. Since animals have always fascinated people, there has always been the urge to observe animals and their behavior.

In addition, all living organisms on earth survive through competition for resources with each other (McKinley & Shepard 65). This has led to endangerment of some species of animals. Generally, animals are considered important to human beings, regardless of the material value of each species.

Gradually, it has become important to protect animal species that are facing the danger of extinction, either due to encroachment of their immediate space in the ecosystem, or due to competition with other organisms whose lives depend on common resources.

For this reason, zoos have been built, and animals are kept inside for the sole purpose of preservation of animal life or for entertainment (Norton 42). It is true that the zoos protect a small number of animals from the competition that exists in their natural habitat.

In this way, they protect the species from extinction, and satisfy human being’s curiosity as people go for sightseeing at zoos as a recreational activity (Norton 21).

Most zoos keep wild animals, and majority of the animal population at the zoos is made up of animals that are rarely seen by human beings in their immediate environment. These animals are used to roaming in the jungle and forests.

Others are used to swimming freely in the seas and rivers. However, due to limited space, zoos keep the animals in a much smaller and controlled environment. Obviously, there is restriction of freedom for the animals in order to contain them in the zoo.

For most of their lives, the animals in the zoo do not lead a normal life like other wild animals. They are protected from the competition in the ecosystem due to their perceived importance to human beings. However, this is a serious impediment to their freedom too.

Animals are not allowed to roam freely during the day or night, as they would have done in a free environment. On the other hand, the rigors of competing with other wild animals are eliminated from their lives.

Moreover, the animals receive special treatment as they are provided with veterinary care, a service that other animals in the jungle and sea do not normally get (Robinson 53).

It is arguable that the setting of a zoo is analogous to a prison were felons are incarcerated to protect the society from their potentially harmful tendencies.

One might easily conclude that the animals in the zoo are in some kind of psychological distress due to disruption of their normal course of life and their detainment.

This view assumes that animals, like human beings, have the ability to discern the importance of freedom. Furthermore, the notion argues that animals have thoughts and feelings just like human beings.

It is difficult to establish these arguments as facts due to the limited emotional interaction between animals in the zoo and their keepers.

Thus, the idea that animals perceive physical freedom in a similar way as human beings is subject to debate (Mullan & Marvin 75).

Zoos are not primarily intended to curtail the freedom of an animal, but are designed to protect the animal from harsh environment. Normally, there are efforts to create an environment similar to the particular animal’s habitat in the zoo.

It is also difficult to assess whether the artificial environment created by zookeepers is identical to the natural habitat suitable for the animals.

This observation means that it is not entirely true that the zoos are aimed at curtailing the freedom of the animals (Brooman & Legge 85). Consequently, the animals may be better off at the zoo.

Moreover, it is not true that zoos completely change the normal course of life for the animals within it since there is an effort to simulate their natural habitat.

Some people are of the opinion that animals are inferior to human beings. This suggests that zoos are meant to restrict the animals within the zoo environment to protect human beings’ interest.

Some animals are dangerous to human life, while others compete against human being for resources. This is an obvious observation that has been under scientific study.

On the other hand, animals could be perceived to be equal to human beings. This means that the animals can compete for resources fairly against human beings.

Some people use this perspective to argue against establishment of zoos, which in their perspective, are the making of an unfair competition between animals and human beings.

The highlighted perceptions and observations present the dilemma of the existence of zoos. In a critical analysis of all radical perceptions, no single argument is proved entirely appropriate for the issue of zoos.

If zoos were to be eliminated as a way of protecting and preserving animal life, there would be dire consequences for humans and the animals themselves (Acampora 45).

It is an obvious observation that some animals would become extinct due to predation and competition from other animals in the natural habitat. People could also be affected by the interactions and conflicts between the animals and human beings.

While some animals would pose direct danger to human beings, others would affect the creations of human beings such as organized agriculture. It is thus obvious that a conflict will result from the freedom of animals.

However, this presents another question for argument since there is fairness in sharing of natural resources by living organisms in such a situation.

Although a relatively small number of animals are kept in the zoo, majority of animals are free and live in the wilderness. This brings up the issue of the scale of restriction of animals within zoos.

Keeping all animals in the zoo and eliminating them from their natural environment is an extreme action. This kind of an action would present a situation of extreme interference with nature. It is only logical that a balance between freedom of animals and existence of zoos has to be established.

Animals could be kept in an open environment that is similar to their natural habitat as much as possible. This would eliminated the problem of having animals in a zoo were cages similar to prison cells are used to contain the animals.

On the issue of competition, it would be unfair to let animals live free and compete against human beings in the natural environment. People would eliminate animals from the ecosystem due to their superiority in terms of logical reasoning.

This makes it necessary to provide some kind of protection for the animals. In this essence, zoos can neither be justified nor completely denounced.

Acampora, Ralph R.. Metamorphoses of the zoo: animal encounter after Noah . Lanham, Md.: Lexington Books, 2010. Print.

Brooman, Simon, and Debbie Legge. Law relating to animals . London: Cavendish, 1997. Print.

Mullan, Bob, and Garry Marvin. Zoo culture . 2nd ed. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1999. Print.

Norton, Bryan G.. Ethics on the ark: zoos, animal welfare, and wildlife conservation . Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1995. Print.

Robinson, Phillip T.. Life at the zoo: behind the scenes with the animal doctors . New York: Columbia University Press, 2004. Print.

Shepard, Paul, and Daniel McKinley. The subversive science; essays toward an ecology of man, . Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1969. Print.

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IvyPanda. (2023, November 30). Should Animals Be Kept in Zoos? https://ivypanda.com/essays/should-animals-be-kept-in-zoos/

"Should Animals Be Kept in Zoos?" IvyPanda , 30 Nov. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/should-animals-be-kept-in-zoos/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'Should Animals Be Kept in Zoos'. 30 November.

IvyPanda . 2023. "Should Animals Be Kept in Zoos?" November 30, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/should-animals-be-kept-in-zoos/.

1. IvyPanda . "Should Animals Be Kept in Zoos?" November 30, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/should-animals-be-kept-in-zoos/.

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Sample Essays

In this IELTS Zoo Essay you have to discuss whether you think zoos are cruel and should be shut down or whether they are useful as they protect some wild animals.

Essays on zoos have appeared in the IELTS test before and this was a question that was recently in the test.

Some people think that zoos are all cruel and should be closed down. Others however believe that zoos can be useful in protecting wild animals.

Discuss both opinions and give your own opinion.

Understanding the Question

You must always read the question carefully and note if there is anything restricting the topic.

You have to discuss both sides of the argument and with this zoo essay question it would be very easy to read it and then simply write about the benefits and drawbacks of zoos.

But look at this bit carefully:

Others however believe that zoos can be useful in protecting wild animals .

One of the arguments is specifically about protecting animals. So when you discuss the second argument you must be careful not to just write generally about the advantage of zoos.

You have to focus on how they may protect wild animals . So when you brainstorm your ideas for the zoo essay, you should be thinking about:

why animals need protecting and
how zoos can help with this

And in your other body paragraph you would need to explain why they are also seen as cruel.

And of course you must remember to give your own opinion. In this essay, the author makes it clear at the beginning that they support the closing down of zoos.

The opinion you decide on though is of course your choice.

Zoo Essay Sample

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge.

Write at least 250 words.

Zoo Essay Model Answer

Zoos remain popular places for people to visit for entertainment and to learn about wild animals. Although some people are of the opinion that zoos can provide a sanctuary for endangered animals and so should be kept open, I believe that the cruelty that animals suffer outweighs this benefit, and that they should be shut down.

These days, animals are under threat from humans in many ways, seen for example in the way that their habitats are being destroyed through the cutting down of rain forests, or through poaching. Following on from this, the argument is that zoos can protect some of these animals that are under threat. The reason is that they are in a safe environment managed by trained staff who can ensure the animals are looked after and can produce offspring. There are examples of successes in this respect, such as with Pandas, which have been endangered for many years but have been protected.

However, there are more convincing arguments for why zoos should be shut down. Firstly, even though some species are under threat, there are lots of animals which do not fall into this category and who are there just for the entertainment of visitors. While it may be fun and educational to see them, animals are not meant to be caged, and their distress can often be seen in the way many of them pace back and forwards all day. Not only this, if the prime reason of zoos is to protect animals, this could be done in other environments such as wild life parks where the animals have more freedom.

In conclusion, animals should be protected but this does not have to be in zoos. Zoos are cruel to animals, not similar enough to their natural habitat, and they should be closed down.

(299 Words)

Band scores are given for task response, coherence and cohesion, lexis (vocabulary) and grammatical range and accuracy.

This zoo essay would get a good score for task response as it fully answers the question by discussing both opinions and giving a personal opinion. Ideas are also well explained, extended and supported.

It would get a good score for coherence and cohesion as it is organised coherently and logically and is easy to follow. The introduction introduces the topic then there is a thesis statement.

One body paragraph discusses one side of the argument, and the other discusses the other side. The second body paragraph is also the writers opinion, and this is summarised again in the conclusion

.There is some interesting vocabulary and phrases. For example:

sanctuary for endangered animals
under threat from humans
habitats are being destroyed
produce offspring
successes in this respect
not meant to be caged
natural habitat

There are also some good complex grammatical constructions and the grammar is precise. For example, the red words show that some of these are adverbial clauses , noun clauses and relative clauses :

Although some people are of the opinion that zoos can provide a sanctuary for endangered animals...
...seen for example in the way that their habitats are being destroyed...
...the argument is that zoos can protect some of these animals who are under threat.
...trained staff who can ensure the animals are looked after...
Pandas who have been endangered...
... even though some species are under threat...
... While it may be fun and educational...

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Essay on Zoo for Students and Children

500 words essay on zoo.

The world is a huge place to see. It consists of so many living organisms that it is impossible to see each and every one of them. Especially for human beings, who are fascinated very much by animals. For the same reasons, zoos were created so that humans can interact better with animals.

In other words, a zoo is a facility that has animals, birds, and reptiles of all kinds. They are confined to space where they are given food and medical facilities. The government has given strict guidelines to maintain a zoo. This is done keeping in mind the animal’s safety. In addition, zoos are made breeding grounds for animals to protect their species.

Benefits of Zoo

Zoos were made to bring wildlife closer to humans. It gave humans a better and up-close view of them. This allows various researchers and scientists to note the behavioral pattern of the animals. It helps them in their studies and discover new things.

In addition, zoos are a great source of entertainment for kids. They love visiting zoos and interacting with animals. This helps them learn practical knowledge about the animal. It also gives them exposure to wildlife and widens their knowledge.

Furthermore, zoos give us easy access to rare animals. Had it not been for zoos, we would have never been able to see what some animals looked like. We enjoy their behavior and it also creates awareness about the extinction of the rare species.

Similarly, zoos are a safe breeding ground for animals. They ensure the animal breeds so they never go extinct. This helps in creating a good balance. Moreover, the zoos ensure the animals get all the nutrition in their bodies to lead a healthy life. This is beneficial as the animal may not get guaranteed meals in the forests.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Disadvantages of Zoo

While the zoo is a great place for entertainment, it is also very exploitive. It takes advantage of the poor animals to make a profit off them. The zoos keep animals in very bad conditions. It takes unethical methods just to create revenue.

Furthermore, zoos are very unfair to animals. They take the animals out of their natural habitats just for the sake of human entertainment. Why would the animals be put into cages as humans want them to? They are voiceless creatures who are being forced to live in poor conditions. Imagine putting humans into cages so animals could come to see them. It sounds inhumane the other way around but not when we do the same to animals.

Most importantly, zoos do not take proper care of exotic animals. They bring them over in their facility despite knowing that they cannot survive in that climate. Some zoos do not take enough precautionary measures to keep the animals safe. This has resulted in so many deaths of animals that it seems cruel.

In short, though zoos are very helpful to humans and animals to an extent. They must be monitored constantly to ensure the animals are safe. The unethical zoos must be shut down at once to prevent any further loss of animals.

FAQs on Zoo

Q.1 List the advantages of Zoo

A.1 Zoos bring the wildlife close to humans. It helps researchers study them closely and discover new things. It protects rare species and provides a safe breeding ground for them as well.

Q.2 How are zoos harmful to animals?

A.2 Zoos are very harmful to animals. They take them out of their natural habitat for human entertainment. They make them stay in poor conditions due to which they also lose their life and get infections.

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Should Animals Be Kept In Zoos (Argumentative Essay)

Should animals be kept in zoos.

The debate of whether or not confining of animals is right in zoos is a popular one that attracts both opponents and proponents. The increased interests in science and natural history saw the introduction of zoos in 1763, which facilitated up close animal studies and would provide a chance for entertaining and educating the public. Nevertheless, confining the animals into small spaces in unnatural habitats, the constant staring from people and loss of their freedom makes zoos the worst homes for animals.

Zoos provide unnatural habitats for the animals. Animals are naturally born and bred to live and die in wilderness habitats. However, despite the numerous efforts and good intentions by zoo management, it is impossible to provide the perfect environment for various animals. For instance, animals like the wilder beasts live in groups that migrate over long distances while elephants on average walk for over 50 km a day in packs. However, zoos can only provide minimal acres of land for the animals to walk about thereby making the environments unnatural and uncomfortable for the animals.

Zoos are a premise of captivity for animals that makes them crazy. Imprisoning of animals in small cages housed in poorly managed zoos that fail to meet the necessary standards, averts them from behaving naturally. As a result, suffer from zoochosis condition, which elicits stress, strange behavior of hurting themselves due to frustration and boredom; they become inactive and increasingly pace around. Moreover, the animals adopt aggressive behavior that results in them lashing out and injuring or killing people.

Zoos are not educational. Zoos operate on the premise that they provide an opportunity for the public to learn about animals. However, this is untrue, as keeping animals in confined and unnatural environments tend to alter their natural behavior, character, and responses. Thus, persons visiting the zoos observe the altered behavior marred by boredom, stress, and loneliness. Moreover, keeping animals in zoos teach people that it is okay to lock up and make animals miserable for their personal gain. Therefore, by gaining pleasure and entertainment from making animals suffer is a horrible lesson to learn.

Proponents of keeping animals in zoos argue that zoos offer the best forms of protection for animals. According to them, animals receive protection from poaching and predators that are out to kill them. Additionally, by engaging in breeding programs, zoos believe they protect various species from becoming extinct, therefore, making them positive institutions to exist. However, this is untrue as some zoos keep the animals in deplorable environments whey they lack food and adequate medical care. Moreover, based on research, endangered animals living in zoos are only about five species and only a few species undergo breeding.

Proponents also believe that zoos provide the opportunity for people to see a wide array of animals while benefiting children with lessons about the environment and animals. Nevertheless, this is not the case as zoos only house few species of animals as compared to those an individual can observe in the wild. Also, zoos expose animals to neglect and stress that alter their behavior hence impeding true learning for children.

In conclusion, animals just as humans enjoy rights to freedom, protection from abuse, stress, neglect and lack of privacy. There is no denying that zoo violates all these rights by introducing them to unnatural habitats and caging the animals. Hence, in promoting health and happiness of the animals, animals should not be kept in zoos.

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Keeping Animals in Zoos is Cruel?

This essay will debate the ethical considerations of keeping animals in zoos. It will discuss arguments regarding animal welfare, conservation efforts, and educational value versus issues of confinement, natural behavior inhibition, and the moral implications of captivity. The piece will explore the evolving role of zoos and modern standards for animal care. You can also find more related free essay samples at PapersOwl about Animals.

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How would you feel if you had bars surrounding you, faces peering in every minute of the day, and being taken out of your natural habitat? Having animals in a zoo is simply cruel to the animal. Most people get entertained by watching animals in zoos and knowing more about their behaviors. However, others believe that it is not right to keep animals trapped in zoos because that is not where they belong.

One argument in favor of keeping animals in zoos is that zoos can conserve endangered species.

A zoo is a secure place for endangered species to live. Therefore, they can be guarded from predators and hunters. For example, one of the most endangered species on this planet Javan Rhinoceros are being protected in high qualified zoos to save them from annihilation.

Another advantage is that keeping animals in zoos can educate the public. The public can know more about animal behavior by understanding the ways animals react and move. Furthermore, they can receive knowledge about animal features by easily observing them. For example, some zoos also have briefing sections where there is almost like a poster board about the animal being shown and gives the public a little bit of background about the animal.

Some people believe that animals in zoos are very well bred. Zoos provide medical treatments, nutritional food and clean water to animals. As a result, animals do not have to hunt for their own food as they do in the wild. Besides, animals have a suitable environment to live in. For instance, animals like dolphins and sharks can have clean fresh water to live in as well.

The most important disadvantage of keeping animals in zoos is that animals cannot stand being held in compact areas. It is like keeping animals in prison and now allowing them to be where they can actually belong. For this reason, animals have a chance of undergoing stress, frustration, and boredom, which can cause to react in very unusual ways, such as making loud noises, running around or even hitting the metal cage bars almost making them to go crazy.

Another disadvantage is that the animals will lack mental stimulation and survival skills. Animals in zoos rely on humans for food and other resources almost like a dog or cat. They do not have to hunt for food on their own and protect themselves from dangers as they do in the wild. This can seriously danger the animals released into the wild, since they barely have any survival skills they cannot defend themselves if they were under attack.

Another point against this issue is that visitors will not be able to see the true beauty or behavior of the animals in zoos. The small compact cages avoid animals from moving freely from place to place, causing them to behave in an unnatural way as they would in the wild. Furthermore, since animals are given food by the people in charge in zoos, we will not be able to see how they react when hunting for prey. For example, birds in cages or pens are not able to fly as they would in open air, limiting us from knowing about their flying styles or gestures.

It is simply inhumane to be keeping these animals in zoos, there are more unique ways for humans to be able to connect with the animals other than zoos. It is truly sad how so many people are blind to how these animals have to live and how ill-treated they are.

It has been proven several times that elephants born and raised in zoos live less than half as long as those living in their natural habitats. Ros Clubb, a wildlife scientific officer, studied the lifespan of elephants kept in captive and elephants from 1960 to 2005. Elephants travel with 30-40 other elephants, but in the zoo elephants are lucky if they have more than two other elephants walking with them. Asian elephants born in captivity lived less than half as long as those not kept captive. African elephants in zoos lived less than three times as long as those in the wild.

Removing animals from their habitat causes them to have serious health issues. Suffering from health problems leads to younger death. Animals do not know how to cope with living where they absolutely do not belong. This causes stress, boredom, depression, and anxiety. In 1922, Bill Travers came up with the term “”zoochosis”” to categorize these problems. There are many signs of unhealthy animals due to being kept captive such as, pacing, biting on bars, rocking and swaying, aggressive behavior, vomiting, and so many more. Animals are physically and mentally healthier where they belong, in the wild. Taking away the animals freedom from being able to run, climb, and hunt is causing obesity. These wild animals are meant to eat natural foods, not the artificial foods they are fed at the zoo. It is disappointing how early these behaviors were recognized yet animals are still being removed from their habitat and unnaturally breed, for entertainment and money purposes.

If people are so concerned about seeing wild animals in real life, there are other ways to do this. People can get educated and view wildlife in a sanctuary. Sanctuaries maintain each animal until their natural death. Real wildlife sanctuaries respect the feelings for each individual providing a healthy, safe, and unique environment. They do not buy, sell, breed, or slaughter animals but they take unwanted exotic pets, injured wildlife that would no longer survive in the wild and surplus animals for zoos.

Some zookeepers and animal advocates have the perspective that animals should be placed in zoos. They claim that zoos are places that help protect and reproduce endangered species. However, this is not true. When zoos try to bring new animals to exhibits, the process involves a ton of funding. Also taking the animals from their wild habitat destroys their native home. These funds that are being put into creating a “”fake”” natural habitat for these animals in zoos should be put to making their natural wild life habitat that they have lived in their whole life better instead of taking them away from what they have always been used to.

One of the most famous stories that America knows of that the pieces are still not fully put together of why this animal died is Shamu. Shamu being the first ever orca show at SeaWorld in 1965. What SeaWorld never disclosed to the public was that Shamu was kidnapped from her mother, and during her capture her mother was shot with a harpoon and killed right in front of her. Not only is this the first horrible thing to happen at SeaWorld that was never disclosed, but in 1978 SeaWorld captured two sharks from the ocean and put them in an enclosed cage. Within three days, these sharks were running into the walls so much that they sunk to the bottom and died. All we ever hear about in the public news is the good things to happen at these large public places but we never hear about the negative effects of trapping these animals in cages they can barely even move in. Some may think that SeaWorld is a great show for the community and young ones but are not thinking about the long term effects of these animals causing that species to possibly go extinct.

Animals are pushed around, bullied, by the so-called “”caring”” workers. Zoo management states that they are keeping their animal’s safe, but when chains and bullhooks are used for training and punishment, aching cries can be heard from these helpless animals. When giving

tours to their consumers, tour guides only talk about how the animals act out in wild. The main reason customers come out to the zoo is to see the animals. Disabled animals aren’t pleasant to see, hence their kept away from the crowd, given worse treatment and neglected more often. The truth is that workers don’t truly care about the animals they care about themselves.

So what can we do to help? Many countries around the world have no laws when it comes to protecting captive animals. In the US, surprisingly the US Department of Agriculture is supposed to enforce the Federal Animal Welfare Act. Although this is going to be put into place, anyone that fills out an application and sends in a fee will be able to keep animals captive aka zoos will most likely be taking charge right away. If we can start to tell our family members and peers that us buying tickets to the zoo Is only contributing to more and more animals being held captive, if we can get a stop to people buying zoo tickets that will limit the contributions to local zoos.

After taking everything into account, there are a number of advantages for this issue, such as animal conservation, public education and breeding programs. However, there are still some drawbacks, like limited spaces for animals, shortage of survival skills and animal behavior cannot be truly observed. Although, some people believe that keeping animals in zoos is can be an advantage for animals, my disadvantages outweigh my advantage’s and I disagree that animals should be kept in zoos.

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Home / Essay Samples / Science / Zoo / Keeping Animals in Zoos: Contemplating Ethics

Keeping Animals in Zoos: Contemplating Ethics

Category: Social Issues , Science

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Introduction

The positive aspects of zoos.

Education and Awareness: Zoos serve as valuable educational tools, providing the public with the opportunity to observe and learn about various animal species. They offer insights into animal behavior, habitat, and conservation efforts, fostering a sense of appreciation and understanding for the natural world.
Conservation Efforts: Many modern zoos are actively engaged in conservation efforts, aiming to protect endangered species from extinction. By breeding and maintaining endangered animals, zoos contribute to global conservation initiatives and safeguard genetic diversity.
Research and Science: Zoos provide researchers with access to study animals up close, offering valuable insights into their biology, behavior, and physiology. This knowledge aids scientific understanding and contributes to conservation efforts both within and outside zoo settings.
Animal Welfare: Critics argue that captivity in zoos may compromise the physical and psychological well-being of animals. Limited space, unnatural environments, and restricted movement can lead to stress, anxiety, and behavioral abnormalities.
Loss of Freedom: Zoos restrict animals from experiencing the natural behaviors they would exhibit in the wild. Some animal rights activists argue that keeping animals in captivity denies them the opportunity to roam freely, forage for food, and socialize in their natural social structures.
Educational Limitations: While zoos aim to educate the public about animals, the limited space and artificial settings may not provide a comprehensive understanding of wild animals' natural behaviors and habitats. This can perpetuate misconceptions about the true lives of animals in their natural environments.

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