Are Zoo as bad as they say it is?

Question

I love animals all kind wild and domesticated too. I read that they said all Zoo are bad and should not keep any wild animals in the zoo.
1: All wild animals should be free and not be in the zoo.
2: Zoo keepers do not really care about wild animals they just want to make money.
3: Adult wild animals like lions, zebra, elephants etc are sold to private ranches so people will get money to killed the wild adult exotic animals for trophy and canned meat etc.
These informations is what I read from PETA etc.
Will anyone help me out here so I am not confuse. Is all those informations are true?

Answer 1

That would all depend on which zoo you were talking about. Sure there are bad people who keep terrible zoos. But world-class zoos are run by people who have devoted their entire lives to the welfare of animals, and it would be difficult to say that a rescued elephant that had been born in a circus was better off being released into the wild. Quite often the animals have reasons why they can't be rehabilitated and released.

Using poached wild animals for canned meat sounds very far-fetched to me because it would never pass the inspection for human consumption, and pet food companies buy their meat from slaughterhouse scraps unfit for human consumption -- it would be incredibly expensive to pay hunters to poach meat for pet food, there's no money to be made in that.

You need to keep your eye out when you're taking in information from radical or cultish groups like PETA who certainly can't be said to have a balanced view. If what they say interests you, then you have lots of opportunity to do your own research, ask your zoo where they got their animals, and so on. Very likely if you say you're working on a project a zoo keeper will make some time to talk to you one on one, and you can judge their motives for yourself.

Answer 2

Zoos in North America are accredited with the AZA. This organization dictates how animals should be treated, which kind of exhibits the should be housed in, all kinds of things, even how food should be stored.
You can read more about this on their website: http://www.aza.org/
(They AZA passed stricter habitat guidelines for Elephants, and some zoos sending their elephants to other zoos.)

Zoos have vetrinary staff, and nutricianists, to help with the health of the animals.
Zoos generally do not give animals to any organization that is not AZA accredited. Zoos will occasionally purchase or acquire animals from outside the AZA, but those animals go through a strict quarantine process.
Zoo Keepers are underpaid, but do their jobs well because they care about the animals.

While PETA has their hearts in the right place, they would do better not to spread false information. It would be better that they spread the truth about testing of products on animals by corporations, then bashing our fine zoos.

I hope this information helps.

Answer 3

compared to the wild Zoos are always bad
but so much of the wild is in trouble
and is being destroyed by expanding humanity
or swallowed up by droughts ,

maybe Zoos may be the only places where we can see some species that have become extinct elsewhere
so for the sake of the kids and education ,they serve a purpose

but you are right there are unscrupulous people ,on private ranches,who make big money to have an American business man bravely kill a pre- doped lion ,for thousands of dollars ,with a high powered rifle
we should set them amonst a pride of lions that are awake ,with a spear ,that would be more entertaining

these people are not popular with the lovers of wild life ,be sure of that ,but too many exist

Answer 4

Nowadays, zoos play an important role in endangered species breeding programs, and soon zoos may be the ONLY place left in the world for wild animals to be bred and live since we are destroying their habitats worldwide. Zoos also may a major role in education. Zookeepers get paid very poorly....there is NO money to make by working in a zoo. If not for zoos, the California Condor would now be extinct! The Los Angeles Zoo and the San Diego Zoo both contributed to the breeding program to release condors back into the wild. Zoos are now the ONLY hope for several other endangered species to survive, such as Pandas, several rhino species, etc. Zoos may have operated like you described a century ago...but not anymore.

Answer 5

You describe zoos of a hundred years ago. Modern zoos protect animals by studying their behavior, learning how to help them reproduce and survive in the wild. They have brought back Prezwalski's horse from the edge of extinction as well as the California Condor to name just two. The condors were down to no mating pairs in the wild, thanks to zoos there are now a couple thousand pairs in the wild. PETA is a radical organization, take what they say with a grain of salt. The money you pay to visit a zoo goes to help animals. Support your local zoological society and you are supporting animal survival more than PETA could ever dream.

Answer 6

never trust PETA.
zoos play a huge roll in conservation. as someone already mentioned they have played a role in breeding endangered species, some of which get released. They care for orphaned wildlife (think of the polar bear cub disscussions going on now). They try to raise public awareness to conserve species and care for the envrionment. ZOO KEEPERS DO NOT MAKE ALOT OF MONEY. It is dangerous work and filthy --so you have to really like your job to do it. Exotic animals do not go into canned meat. Many zoos are very poor. It is not all about money.
As far as animals being sold to private poeple, i have heard nothing about this. But if you are wealthy enough you can have your own exotic animals mported.

Answer 7

I don't hate the zoo because I love the animals. But in Romania many zoo's look like a trash can. :((

Answer 8

personally i hate the zoo

Answer 9

JUST SAY NO TO ZOOs!