This goes to the detriment of the animals in zoos and puts them at risk of receiving inadequate care. Theyre generally small menageries where wild and exotic animals like lions, tigers, monkeys, wolves, and others are kept in captivity, and often suffer badly. 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. The environment that these animals are kept in isnt natural to them more so the animals that are taken from the wilderness and kept in zoos. Even if the animals are being fed well, the lack of freedom can cause them to be stressed. Kings would keep hippos, baboons and large cats. ", PETA's Bekhechi adds, the aim of breeding programmes is just "to produce baby animals to attract visitors.". The sale of excess animals to traveling roadside zoos is another big problem. First and foremost, captivity can be extremely detrimental to an animal's physical and mental well-being. These experiences are often harmful to wildlife and dangerous for you. The most recent addition to the family, Willow, a cockapoo puppy, has settled straight into family life and now controls who sits where on the sofa. Ostensibly places for genteel amusement and edification, zoos expanded beyond big and fearsome animals to include reptile houses, aviaries and insectariums. In many cases, animals in captivity do not have the space or resources to roam and live as they would in their natural habitat. Breeders: How to Stop Puppy FarmsPermanently. With their apes, elephants, big cats, and other large and smart species gone, they could expand enclosures for the rest of the animals, concentrating on keeping them lavishly happy until their natural deaths. Now, Alex writes full-time, and when hes not working on an article, hes knee-deep in writing fiction. Your email address will not be published. Marine mammals are best protected by cleaning up and protecting their habitats. And this is not a definite number of victims; there is probably a good number that hasnt been documented. The daily stress and lack of stimulation often leads to abnormal and self-destructive behaviour - for example, pacing, walking in tight circles, rocking, swaying, or self-mutilation - a condition known as "zoochosis". When the caretakers are not well informed about the animals they are to be taking care of, it can be problematic. When it comes to lethal force and animal welfare, at least, public opinion swiftly sides against zoos. The Toledo Zoo has dosed zebras and wildebeest with the antipsychotic haloperidol to keep them calm and has put an orangutan on Prozac. The statistics on the number of big cats alone that have died in captivity between 1990 and 2021 is 126. Animals kept in an unsuitable environment or fed the wrong diet can suffer, and this can lead to illness or death. But that day of release never quite seems to come. Keep on reading. Help inform others by writing letters to your local newspapers and posting to social media. What Cause Extinction What Can We Do To Stop It? Some of these animals are surplus from roadside zoos. In addition, when animals are removed from their natural habitats, they are also removed from their family structure and social hierarchy. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Cleaners and feeders spend a lot of time with the animals, and understanding the situation one is getting into can be very helpful. Even though they might be getting enough food, if your animals are not okay mentally they might still not live to their full potential. A largely unregulated trend is the hybrid breeding of wild cats with house cats, with predictably disastrous consequences. 1. There are currently 421 zoological gardens and aquariums and a 2.9% business growth this year despite the pandemic. This is particularly true if the animal is there for entertainment. This is evident in killer whales' most vital body part: their teeth. However, suffering doesnt have to be physical; boredom, confinement, and stress can cause an animal a lot of suffering. Black-footed ferrets and red wolves in the United States and golden lion tamarins in Brazil all endangered, as well have been bred at zoos for reintroduction into the wild. Our EIN number is 94-2681680. Persuasive Speech: Why Animals Should Not be kept in Zoos. Elephants are particularly unhappy in zoos, given their great size, social nature and cognitive complexity. That doesnt mean there havent been criticisms. PETA isn't alone. However, few people stop and actively consider why zoos are bad. A Brief History of Zoos . In the 1980s, a group of orangutans escaped several times at the San Diego Zoo. Animals have been going extinct for as long as there has been life on earthany weakling or disadvantageous animals get wiped out. The California condor breeding program, which almost certainly saved the species from extinction, includes five zoos as active partners. Living collections were often presented in taxonomic order, with various species of the same family grouped together, for comparative study. Personally speaking, Ive been to zoos in Sydney, Australia, and all over the UK. We do know that common animals kept as pets include lions, tigers, cougars, ocelots, servals, wolves, bears, alligators, snakes and nonhuman primates like chimpanzees. Visiting a zoo is a chance for many people to see exotic animals they would otherwise be unable to see. From there, it was an easy leap to protecting animal species. A day may come, he said, when we need to breed elephants or tigers or polar bears in captivity to save them from extinction. [WATCH], Armored Dinosaur Magnificently Preserved After Face, Skin, Spikes Survived Fossilization. These tours often pretend to talk about their animals natural habitat and inclinations. Privacy Policy. Another serious problem is that the chronically-understaffed USDA conducts inspections infrequently. All of these options afford you a close view of nature exactly as it was intended. He also found many examples of zoo elephants hurting or killing their keepers and evidence that zoos routinely downplayed or even lied about those incidents. There is considerable variation from state to state and among cities and counties, as to how much legal protection is offered to captive wild animals. Read on to find out why animals should not be kept in zoos. Animals are often bored and, as a result, some become aggressive and can lash out at other animals or zookeepers. Zoos also have the power to euthanize their animals when they themselves deem it permissible. Some populations in the wild are weakened by endogamy too. The Animal Legal Defense Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Increasingly, animals were presented with the distasteful fact of their imprisonment visually elided. Important to protect endangered species from extinction. Especially animals like lions that are used to roaming vast distances in the wild in search of food. See Related: Endangered Species in California. Being placed into a small tank, away from their family units, might not break existing animal protection laws. Theres also the Zoological Association of America that operates in the United States. People assume that because an animal can move great distances that they would choose to do that. If they have everything they need nearby, he argued, they would be happy with smaller territories. A peer-reviewed 2017 study in the . Many suffer from arthritis and other joint problems from standing on hard surfaces; elephants kept alone become desperately lonely; and all zoo elephants suffer mentally from being cooped up in tiny yards while their free-ranging cousins walk up to 50 miles a day. The lawsuit asserts the agency must be able to remove animals if the USDA has deemed the facility unable to provide minimum standards of care set out by the Animal Welfare Act. See Related: Most Comfortable Animals in The World. There are a few exceptions. For animals in zoos, the AWA sets low requirements as to housing, food and sanitation, and, as is commonly noted, no requirements for mental stimulation of animals other than primates. If you go on holiday to any major destination, the chances are high that there will be at least one zoo and/or one aquarium nearby. Most people arent always comfortable seeing animals that are kept in zoos. In his Animal Park, which opened in 1907 in Hamburg, he designed cages that didnt look like cages, using moats and artfully arranged rock walls to invisibly pen animals. The Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) operates an accreditation system for sanctuaries, rescue centres and rehabilitation centres. In a 2011 study, researchers quizzed visitors at the Cleveland, Bronx, Prospect Park and Central Park zoos about their level of environmental concern and what they thought about the animals. The polar bears in Winnipeg have disco poo. 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. All Rights Reserved. Even when properly fed and well housed, they can never be fully relaxed in confined spaces. At least 20 zoos in the United States have already ended their elephant exhibits in part because of ethical concerns about keeping the species captive. Top 50 Most Good-looking Nationalities: AI Shows Beautiful People From Different Countries; How Does Science Measure Beauty, Attractiveness? Zoo animals sustain both physical and psychological scars from harsh zookeepers. 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. One of the best examples of this advantage is the Przewalski's horse. Some of the captive-born animals are not capable of sustaining themselves in the wild and they could pass on these genes dooming the whole species in that region. Early in the pandemic, the Neumunster Zoo in northern Germany coolly announced an emergency plan to cope with lost revenue by feeding some animals to other animals, compressing the food chain at the zoo like an accordion, until in the worst-case scenario, only Vitus, a polar bear, would be left standing. This support of the exotic pet trade also results in a lot of preventable animal deaths. Alas, theres plenty of heartbreaking evidence that many are not. See Related: Endangered Species in Oklahoma. Profits are also gained through the selling of animals to other zoos or circuses. Eventually, the only animals on display would be a few ancient holdovers from the old menageries, animals in active conservation breeding programs and perhaps a few rescues. NASA's Hubble Space Telescope Captures Dramatic Hour-by-Hour Changes of Dart Mission Slamming on an Asteroid, Can Humanity Deflect Potentially Hazardous Asteroids? See Related: Best Books on Endangered Species. They go to get out of the house, to get their children some fresh air, to see interesting animals. However, it does not change the fundamental fact that as the world changes, we must also become more aware of the darker side of such animal sanctuaries. Their droppings look like little glitterballs. Thousands of animals are captured and put in zoos and aquariums for tourist attractions every year. For many wild animals, this is a vital part of their life, and they can struggle to redefine their footing. Zoos are home to many animals. 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. The researchers divided the odd behaviors of captive animals into two categories: impulsive/compulsive behaviors, including coprophagy (eating feces), regurgitation, self-biting and mutilation, exaggerated aggressiveness and infanticide, and stereotypies, which are endlessly repeated movements. This is how animals get physical and psychological scars from abuse. Grizzly Bear vs Black Bear: Whats the Difference. 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 . Sadly, most of these associations end up protecting the interests of their members, and not the animals they should be protecting. They are removed from their natural habitats and confined to small limited spaces and often forced to perform tricks or entertain visitors. His father works for a large national Cat charity in the UK, and Alex has regularly taken part in fundraising events for them through the years. Below are a dozen reasons why zoos can be bad for animals: No matter how dedicated a zoo is, it cant meet the space requirements for most of its animals. Most states have no laws governing captive wild animals. Many zoos create attractive enclosures to attract visitors. Zoos are built as a source of income for some. So when they face a threat, wild animals believe that they should survive by fleeing, fighting, flirting, or freezing. Ms. Marris is an environmental writer and the author of the forthcoming book Wild Souls: Freedom and Flourishing in the Non-Human World.. More tigers live in cages in this country, than exist in all the wild. An animals worth is only equal to the attraction it offers to visitors. However, there are some disadvantages of zoos to the environment ranging from overpopulation of a species to global warming. The ESA outlines procedures for federal agencies to follow regarding listed species, as well as criminal and civil penalties for violations. But many animals clearly show us that they do not enjoy captivity. Big cats, such as lions and tigers, used in circuses are forced to live in tiny cages that are transported across the country. 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. Whats Causing Their Decline? Gus, a polar bear at the Central Park Zoo, was given Prozac as part of an attempt to stop him from swimming endless figure-eight laps in his tiny pool. The worst climate risks, mapped: In this feature, select a country, and we'll break down the climate hazards it faces. In contrast, those nesting animals or cornered ones will try to defend themselves if being approached to protect their young. The surpluses are then sold off to zoos, aquariums, or even circuses. A zoological park is defined as an establishment designed for conservation, study, and public display. For example, the typical enclosure designed for a polar bear is about a million times smaller than its natural roaming grounds. WorldAnimalFoundation.org, Today's Deal: $300 Discount on Halo 2+ GPS Dog Collar. Animal Behavior: Resources for Applied Ethology, Man in Uganda Beats Lion With Bare Hands In Bloody Battle Before Feasting on the Beast for Dinner, Dolphin Attacks Trainer in Front of Horrified Families in Miami Seaquarium: How Often Do These Sea Creatures Attack Humans? We say zoos are bad because animals are forced to live in unnatural, stressful, boring environments, leading to a lack of mental and physical stimulation. In addition, a costlier but more educational option is to make arrangements to view animals in the wild. at the time estimated that between 3,000 and 5,000 animals are euthanized in European zoos each year. Once again, a change of this magnitude can cause captive animals to exhibit changing behaviors, which include self-destructive acts and unrelenting restlessness. They learned from their parents to be mistrustful because they have no way of knowing whether people could be good or do them harm. In normalizing captivity zoos, and teaching animals to perform tricks for human entertainment, zoos and animal sanctuaries are spreading the message that animal captivity to normal, healthy, and fully acceptable. Many zoos and aquariums offer behind-the-scenes tours and informative talks on animal welfare. The Arabian oryx, an antelope native to the Arabian Peninsula, went extinct in the wild in the 1970s and then was reintroduced into the wild from zoo populations. There were five such states until 2017, when South Carolina passed a law banning wild and exotic animals to be kept as pets. In the past five years, the number of zoos has been gradually going up. The real question is, how can we change things? Jason Hribals 2010 book, Fear of the Animal Planet, chronicles dozens of attempts. Some animals are quite intelligent so keeping them in captivity should never be an option. By designing these enclosures so that many animals could be seen at once, without any bars or walls in the visitors lines of sight, he created an immersive panorama, in which the fact of captivity was supplanted by the illusion of being in nature. These are highly intelligent animals with complex social constructs that scientists have studied for . This relocation alone can come as a large shock and wreak havoc on the animals mental health. These associations ensure that members are treating their animals with a high standard of care and following any guidelines they provide. Sanctuaries occupy a "gray area," says Tanya Espinosa, a . Animals are forced to live in artificial habitats that arent anywhere close to their former homes (the wild). Though the zoos business has grown from what it was over a century ago, there are still some things that can be improved. The common negative effects of zoos on animals are listed below. Watching these is a much healthier and more educational way to learn about wild animals than visiting a local zoo. Sadly, once the small animals outgrow their cute phase, the zoo has to get rid of them since feeding and housing them all can get expensive. Kept in barren cages rarely larger than 20 by 20 feet, bears in roadside zoos spend their days pacing, sleeping abnormally long periods of time, and bobbing their head all indications of extreme psychological distress. When zoos find themselves with surplus animals, they need to find ways to reduce their numbers. Animals in captivity can struggle to adapt to their new environment. Some surplus animals or injured animals are even fed to predators as a means of life-cycle maintenance. YES. The truth is that zoos are a prison for animals. 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. Giant Insect From Jurassic Era Found in Walmart Opens Deeper Ecological Questions, 3,500-Year-old Perfectly Preserved, Mummified Bear Might Lead to 'Breakthrough in Ancient Animal Study', Presumed Extinct Funji-eating Fairy Lantern Plant Found Emerging Again in Japan, How Did Missing Argentinian Man's Remains Get Into a Shark's Stomach? Animals live in cruel conditions, confined to small cages without the enrichment they need to lead full, happy lives. There are a number of reasons why animals should not be kept in captivity. ViewResources. Keeping endangered animals in zoos infringes on those individuals' rights to freedom. Zoos also say that they save the endangered animals, but all they really care about is how much crowd the animal draws. In fact, while animals will have almost unlimited space in the wild, they are often caged in rather confined areas in zoos. Zoological gardens have been working to help ensure that any endangered species are given another chance to thrive again over time. Once an animal has served its purpose, many zoos will either sell them or euthanize them. The first zoos housed animals behind metal bars in spartan cages. The Link Between Fasting And Mental Health: Can It Improve Mood And Cognition? Going to the zoo is often quite affordable. Just as we humans are free to do whatever we want so long as we follow the law, then it shouldn't be different for animals. An example of these associations is the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) which represents over 240 businesses across the globe. With increased awareness about the cruelty involved with keeping wild animals in captivity, more and more jurisdictions are enacting legal protections. When theres a surplus, you can just have a plant sale. Healthy animals in zoos are killed because they are not needed. Its said that Texas has the worlds second-largest tiger population, due to private citizens propensity for keeping these big cats as pets. This can make the animals neurotic, causing them to start biting bars, pacing repetitively, and swaying. Before anyone starts sprinkling the stuff on their cornflakes, this isn't the hottest new beauty trend nor is it a natural phenomenon: Assiniboine Park Zoo's keepers use coloured glitter in the bears' feed to identify their droppings. I remember well the awe and joy on their faces, 15 years later. Such a transformation might free up some space. State And Local Laws: Strong state laws and even local laws have historically been a useful way to protect exotic and wild animals. If you dont have people that know how to care for them, know how to breed them successfully, know how to keep them in environments where their social and psychological needs can be met, then you wont be able to do that, he said. The Dark Truth behind Bear Bile Uses: Hidden Costs of Traditional Medicine, The Untold Story of Factory-farmed Cows the Consequences for Animal and Human Health, Are Giraffes Endangered? They could either bite, peck, scratch, kick, or flap their wings. There are zoological park associations that were formed to keep zoo owners on their toes. Having seen a majestic leopard in the zoo, the visitor becomes more willing to pay for its conservation or vote for policies that will preserve it in the wild.