Animal Welfare In Zoos

One of the most fun, visually amazing functions to visit are zoo's. Growing up as a kid going to the zoo was so much fun and basically guaranteed a great day out. People have been complaining and questioning the role of zoo's for a long time now. Some claim that it actually kills the animals off faster. Others claim that zoo's actually help protect and preserve the lives of these animals. Only one can make a reasonable argument by studying sources, and finding out statistics. Based off of the articles, "The Stripes Will Survive", "The Zoos Go Wild", and "Our Beautiful Macaws and Why They Need Enrichment", we can truly get in-depth analysis about the role zoo's play.

As the animal rights movement has developed and grown substantially in recent years, there has been an increased focused on the welfare of captive animals. A popular institution that has received much attention for keeping animals captive is the zoo. Because of this focus, zoos have responded by publicizing their positive benefits for existence in order to justify keeping these animals on display. Since the term “zoo” can have a wide variety of meaning and characteristics, it is important to define what constitutes a zoo in this essay. Zoos are defined as a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and

Some people go to zoos to see the wild animals, but that’s not all that they are for. People in groups such as PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) may think that zoos cannot provide the needs to wild animals as the wild can. Zoos help animals. They have improved, helping to repopulate species and save animals in the wild.

Zoos may seem fun to visit and exciting to see the animals; but what you don’t see is the suffering and depression that lies in these helpless creatures. There are many arguments whether or not zoos are good or bad, and if they should be removed or kept. Several think that zoos should be abolished or at least very much improved, due to animal cruelty. While, others want zoos to stay because it is beneficial for the animals and people. I strongly believe that zoos aren’t good for both the public and animals for numerous reasons.

There have been a lot of problems with animals in zoos. It has gotten to the point where zoos are hated and looked upon as a places of animal torture. Are zoos really that bad? Turns out, they are. They do not have enough space, they do not allow the animals to communicate with each other, and they sell the animals to cruel circuses.

You have three texts to read relating to the issue: "Zoos: Myth and Reality", "Zoos connect us to the natural world", and "Danish Zoo Kills Healthy Giraffe, Feeds Body to Lions".

Secondly, animals in zoos get mental problems which makes zoos not ethical. According to an article about Animal Rights, it states, "They are bored, unhappy, powerless, and a long way from home,"(Animal Rights Web Site). This is significant because it shows how an animal can feel depressed, which can lead to mental problems. According to "Animal Rights Web Site", animals in zoos get bored (Animal Rights Web Site). This proves that mental problems can be partially blamed for boredom, which animals feel when they are not stimulated enough. This is important because when animals become mentally deranged, problems arise and zoos become un-ethical.

Zoos often claim they are modern day arks, providing a safe, comfortable environment; making animals happy and content; educating the world about wildlife; and saving species from the brink of extinction while at the same time providing vital research into the lives of animals. There is a moral presumption against keeping wild, defenseless animals in captivity. The zoo is a prison for animals who have been sentenced without a trial. Either we have duties to animals or we do not. I feel that we have a duty and responsibility to animals and need to provide them with respect not neglect.

A family is enjoying a trip to their local zoo when they stop to look at the tigers. The child sprints over to exhibit with excitement; he notices a red sign stuck the glass of the enclosure which reads, Endangered. “Daddy, if the zoo is keeping the tigers in a cage in order to save them, when will they let them back into the wild to live free?” Based on statistics from public zoos across America, the unfortunate answer to this question is a resounding ‘”Never.” It has become noticeably evident that zoos are not a current resource for the protection of rare and endangered species. Animals should not be kept in zoos, because they fail at the conservation of animal species, provide little or no education about habitat and the behavior of animals, and harm the animals physically and mentally.

These days there are several different animal breeds in zoos for people to look at. They are all over the world, some are in good conditions and the animals are treated well, but then there ´s the ones that are opposite of that. Are these zoos really necessary for the well being of the animals, or is it just cruel capturing them and closing them in much smaller places than what they should have and letting them be abused?

Zoos have been proven to be essential towards the safety and recovery of many animals rescued from the wild. All around the world there are zoos that house these different species in safe and natural-like environments, they are considered to be safe havens. For example, by being housed in zoos, "animals do not suffer from the stress of threats or being potentially hunted by their common predators" (Agnew 1). The animals are able to live in their habitat at the zoo sometimes along with other animals of their species. Each animal has a safe enclosure that suits them and their lifestyle. The enclosures are not only safe

Whether it was long ago in the glorious days of childhood or if it was a recent trip, the majority of us have gone to a zoo at least once. As a child, no one seems to challenge the ethical dilemmas zoos put forth, but as one matures they may start to call into question the ethics of zoos. Do zoos treat animals humanely? Some questions one should think about are the zoo’s breeding and conservation strategies that go on and the exhibits. Do they support the necessities that animals require?

Have you ever had fun at a zoo, but wondered if it is right to keep so many wild animals away from the wild? Many people have had these questions going through their head because other people believe that zoos should be made illegal. They assume that they are keeping the animals as hostage for people entertainment and money. However, that’s not the case. Zoos have become homes to the animals because they are made sure they are all feed and cleaned. Zoos are not just made for people’s entertainment. They are meant to prevent animals from being extinct, is an essential childhood experience, and zoos can be educational.

Many people enjoy the zoo for the previous reasons mentioned, but some see a deeper meaning for them. The majority of zoos are here to serve for conservation of certain species. They take care of the animals while they observe and research which environments help the animals reproduce. They also make sure that the animals get proper nutrition. Some organizations do not agree with this. PETA representatives say, “Zoos claim to educate people and preserve species, but they frequently fall short on both counts. Most zoo enclosures are quite small, and labels provide little more information than the species' name, diet, and natural range. The animals' normal behavior is seldom discussed, much less observed, because their natural needs are seldom met” (Zoos: Pitiful Prisons). This idea is

The main aim of zoos is to protect and conserve global biodiversity and wildlife. To do this they have four roles to play which are; research, conservation, education and welfare.