Do you think animals's should be kept in zoos?

Question

I'm working on a school debate on whether or not animals should be kept in zoos. Please tell me if there are any statistics that you know about zoos without licenses. Thank you:)

Answer 1

It depends very much on the purpose of the zoo.

Zoos were originally just for entertainment purposes, but decent modern zoos aim to conserve species. They do not capture animals from the wild, they breed within their premises with the aim of keeping animals in the most naturalistic environment possibly so that they may be released into the wild in the future, conserving the species.

Here is a link to the Zoo Licensing Act: (sorry it's only the British laws)
http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/gwd/zoo.htm

Any zoo not conforming to these rules and guidelines is 'unlicensed' and could potentially be closed down. There is no excuse for zoos that keep animals in cages for people to stare at. In this day and age I think it's more generally recognised that it is our duty to try to help species that we have, for the most part, been responsible for destroying. It is also recognised that most people in the western world prefer to see happy animals in natural surroundings rather than miserable, pacing animals on concrete floors.

Wikipedia has a useful article on zoos:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoo This also contains info about zoo regulation in America.

Are you on the for or against side in your debate? If against you need to focus on all the misuses of zoos, i.e. those that are unlicensed like you said. You should also argue that animals are better off in their natural environment without human interference (although the other side will argue it's human interference that endangered animals in the first place). If you're on the for side, focus on the 'good' zoos whose primary aim is conservation. You can also say that those unlicensed zoos are becoming fewer and fewer - here is the list of recognised zoos in theh USA:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_zoos#North_America

Sorry I couldn't find any specific statistics about how many unlicensed zoos are around - I don't think there will be any statistics like this because if such zoos were well known to the regulatory authorities they wouldn't be around for long!

Chalice

Answer 2

Wouldn't it be nice if a zoo was just a long term recovery retreat for sick animals?

they get sick in the wild. YOu bring them in to get better and then when they're all healed up you set them free again. Keeping a revolving door or exotic animals to look at. And at the same time keeping them wild, and healthy. Instead of detaining a few animals until they go crazy.

I remember seeing this Kodiak Bear at our zoo when I was little. Now that I look back at the whole situation...I didn't learn anything from the zoo about this creature other then it would ram it's body into the thick glass window out of frustration at us only inches away on the other side. I learned more from watching "Wild America" on TV then I ever did at a zoo.

Of course for the whole animal sanctuary recovery thing to happen, you'd have to remake the zoo so that the animals can't see or hear you. So they can rest in peace while they recover.

Why would you keep a zoo now a days?

Answer 3

I consider zoos to be a necessary evil. By this I mean that I would rather that the animals kept in them be able to live freely in the wild on their own, as nature intended them to do. But at the same time, I also recognize that because of habitat destruction and other enviornmental pressures ( such as human overpopulation, urban sprawl, climate change, and the like) that this ideal situation is not always possible. Zoos do perform an important function in helping to protect and conserve endangered animals. There are some spieces of animals that are extinct in the wild and do not exist outside of zoos anymore- and the zoos are their last hope and refuge in a very unforgiving world. Most of the zoos I have been to treat their animals very humanely, and do all that they can to ensure an enviornment that is as natural as possible. I have not heard of any unlicensed zoos- most of these are usually shut down as soon as they are discovered by the authorities. I would say that while I wish it wasn't necessary to confine animals in zoos, I also know that this is better than losing most if not all of our animals because of human interference. We need to be good stewards of the Earth, especially in this age when climate change is becoming such huge threat, and zoos play their own role in helping us to do this.

Answer 4

I think that the more the zoos know how to treat the animals they harbor such as type of living arrangement and foods etc and they give them enough space, like the Bush Gardens in Florida I believe it would probably benefit most of the animals that are being pushed out of their natural habitats.

but to be squashed in an 8x8 foot cement square with bars and a couple of balls to play with is just inhumane. That is not what I call a zoo. and I know even in the better zoos there are still animals stuck in these types of cages. I hope they will be in better facilities as time goes by.

Answer 5

Most animals kept in zoos have been rescued and are not able to go back out into the wild. Not because we're being mean, but because they have lost natural instinct and abilities to survive in the wild. It's actually a good thing even though it can be sad. If they had been put back out into the wild, they would most likely be dead now. Think of it that way!

Answer 6

maximum Zoos at the instant have very reliable breeding courses, and have succeeded in breeding some animals that are on the severely endangered lists. Zoos additionally serve a purpose for animals that have been injured interior the wild, and have been rehabilitated, yet no longer able to return to the wild, the zoo has been a shelter for those animals. maximum Zoos even have the suitable centers and vets obtainable in case of emergencies. i think of at the instant Zoo's have become plenty greater powerful places for an excellent variety of animals, as there are additionally so plenty greater regulations for them to stick to, in contrast to years in the past, the place Zoo's have been seen as merciless, and housed animals in cramped cages etc.. at the instant the animals have greater freedom, and likewise lots of the bigger zoo' s have replicated the animals habitats.

Answer 7

I think most zoos are helpful because they provide a high quality of life for their animals while helping the public learn about other species and, most importantly, learn firsthand to appreciate them.
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Answer 8

yes