What are the pros and cons of zoos?

Answer 1

The Cons of Having Zoos:

• Personally I detest zoos only because I love nature and love to see animals in their natural habitat. It saddens me to see monkeys, seals, bears, etc., caged in or dolphins in what look like fair-sized pools of water, but, when you consider the vast ocean that they belong in the pool is but a puddle. If governments of this world are environmentally conscious (and the U.S. and Canada are not) then we wouldn't have to go to zoos to see these animals. It's a far greater thrill to see the real thing in their own habitat.

• By zoo I think you mean animal prison. Besides robbing them of freedom: disease, illness, mistreatment by handlers visitors and other animals, injury, psychological distress, injury to visitors, and the worst of all death of the animals. Good zoos are fine, but there are some zoos out there which most people don't even know exist which are illegal and the species of animals kept are not well looked after.

• While I agree to a great extent to both of the previous statements I would also have to say that the one thing about zoos that is good is that there are countless people in the world that do not have the means or opportunity to see wild animals in their natural habitat and a zoo is the only way they will ever have the chance to do so. It is sad though the way some animals are treated in zoos, I personally think the board of directors of a zoo should be personally held accountable for the well fare of the animals in their keeping.

  PRO'S

  Zoos nowadays are not marketed as places of entertainment - they are places of education. Most modern zoos have their main emphasis on conservation and education - the reason that so many schools take children to zoos is to teach them about nature, the environment, endangered species, and conservation. Far from encouraging bad treatment of animals, zoos provide a direct experience of other species that will increase ecological awareness.

One of the main functions of zoos is to breed endangered animals in captivity. If natural or human factors have made a species' own habitat a threatening environment then human intervention can preserve that species where it would certainly go extinct if there were no intervention. There are certainly problems with trying to conserve endangered species in this way but it is right that we should at least try to conserve them. And as long as animals are treated well in zoos there is no reason why conservation, education, and cruelty-free entertainment should not all be combined in a zoo. There is also, of course, a valid role for breeding in different environments such as large nature.

Zoos have research programs that help expand our knowledge about animals, especially the endangered species. The information gained by these programs can help protect, and treat the species in the wild, as well as determine what affects if any climate change may have on the regions needed for the species to flourish. Many zoos also have breeding programs for all kinds of species, endangered or not, and learn even more about the species during the breeding, and rearing process. All this knowledge and information is shared with visitors, organizations, and other programs alike.

Zoos are very good for the animals and give the whole species a last chance. Conservation is one of the things that zoos do to help the animal species survive. This brings me to the five main reasons why we have zoos. They are conservation, reproduction, education, research and recreation. Conservation is breeding, rescuing, finding homes for, and preserving threatened or endangered species.

Zoos provide shelter and breeding sanctuaries for animals that are endangered. Because of habitat destruction, especially in tropical environments, many animals are illegally hunted, destroyed or pushed to the point of extinction. Zoos help save animals so that they do not get killed in the wild.

Zoos also create a wonderful learning environment for people of all ages to see exotic animals face to face and learn about their importance in the world.

It is argued that animals don't have rights. For protecting the endangered wild animals, they need to be captured. With an increase in poaching of wild species for skins, ivory and supposed medicinal purposes, zoos seem to be a safe haven for them. Animals are provided with proper diet and enough space in zoos.

Today's zoos put more emphasis on educational and conservation purpose than mere recreation. Many schools visit zoos to know more about endangered species and the ways to conserve them. Zoos are in fact, trying to make people aware of their ecology.

The zoos claim that, conservation of endangered species of animals is their prime objective. It is also argued that in today's scenario, where animals face constant threat of poaching; zoos are safe places for them. Zoo authorities don't claim to be perfect and are aware of the problems faced by zoo animals; however they also expect people to appreciate the sincere efforts they take to protect and preserve the wildlife.