Pros and Cons of Zoos

Muaadh Ba Salama

5/24/2017

         Today's world is facing an extinction of many different kinds of species every day due to the excessive poaching or human destruction of their natural habitat. Humans are not the only cause for extinction of species. There are other natural factors that threaten endangered species. But because humans consider the main cause for species extinction, the awareness level of conserving endangered species has increased. As a result, zoos are established to minimize risks of species extension. However, zoos have become a huge controversy. Many people believe that zoos are safe havens for animals. And zoos are the best way to minimize the extinction. While others have such a strong conviction that zoos are selfish and animals should not be kept in captivity. Because they are meant to be in their own habitats. Are zoos able to preserve endangered species? Should animals be kept in zoos to preserve them? Or should they turn loose into the wild?

         The purpose of zoos in the past was for mere amusement and business. While modern zoos have improved notably in the last few years because of Gerald Durrell's approach which is to make zoos center for education and conservation.

         There are several positive aspects that make zoos a safe havens for species. People who argue that animals must live in their habitats might not recognize the hazards of poaching and how many animals are killed every year because of poachers. Zoos are safe havens for these animals that protect them from poachers. In fact, modern zoos today attempt to simulate the actual environmental conditions of the natural habitats for every species. Zookeepers now are fully aware of the innate behaviors of animals and their daily activities. They provide programs that focus on making animals forage and work for food, solve puzzles for treats, or even hunt prey, letting them practice their natural behaviors and stay sharp. In addition, the method of capturing animals has also improved. Modern zoos carry out a captive breeding program that aim to restrict and increase the population number of existing species and allow them to reintroduce into the wild. For example, according to Jennifer Horton "Successful breeding programs brought the Pere David's deer back from extinction. Though this Asian deer ceased to exist in the wild, Chinese and European zoo programs enabled four of the deer to be released back into the wild in 1985, where they're now self-sustaining.”

         Moreover, zoos are an important resource for education and researches. Zoos help school to deliver a clear picture and detailed information about every animal. Students and almost everyone today are able to get to see different kinds of animals for real and touch them if possible. Seeing animals for real and observing how they react towards the surrounding environment make humans mindful of the importance of conserving animals. 


         To look at the issue from a different perspective, zoos have some negative aspects. Animals and all creatures are part of the ecosystem. If they were taken out of their natural habitats, that would ruin the ecosystem and might make them invasive species and harmful to the environment. Furthermore, keeping animals confined to one place will affect them over the time. These animals will have psychological fears, boredom, depression etc. by the time these animals especially predators will miss practicing their natural instincts such as chasing and hunting prey. Although zoos provide good food for predators and treat them well, one day they might explode and be dangerous to other animals or even humans. According to Natalie Wolchover "Do they vaguely sense that they're missing out on the real thing? Who knows? One thing is for sure, though: no matter how many cardboard dummies a lion plays with, it retains its killer instinct. In 2009, a wild deer accidentally hopped into the lion exhibit at the National Zoo. The startled lions quickly took an interest, and chased and swatted at the deer. It escaped, but was so seriously injured that zoo veterinarians had to put it down." 

         Even though zoos are trying to resemble animals' natural habitats, Zoos will never be the exact same as natural habitats. For example, elephants travel around 50 km (30 miles) a day in a large family group called the herd which consist of at least 10 individuals. Whereas in zoos, it's impossible to provide these conditions. According to Jennifer Horton "For evidence of some zoo cons, you need look no further than Maggie the elephant Until the Alaska Zoo finally caved in to public pressure in 2007, Maggie was forced to spend days on end in a small indoor enclosure because of the frigid outside temperatures. Perhaps as a form of protest, she refused to use the elephant-sized treadmill the zoo brought in to encourage her to exercise" 

         Next, many people don't consider zoos as an educational place. Even though zoos provide detailed information about animals, most people just go to zoos for recreational purposes and don't care about the animals and even mistreat them. That will extremely damage their self-confidence.


         In summary, although zoos have some negative aspects that affect animals negatively, zoos have numerous aspects that minimize poaching and species extinction. Zoos also help increase the population number of endangered species and restore threatened species. Which obviously make zoos I save havens for species.