These facilities provide critical care to injured and cold-stunned manatees and assist partners in their release. Wall carvings found in Egypt and Mesopotamia are evidence that rulers and aristocrats created menageries as early as 2500 BCE. Some domesticated animals have an extended lifespan when living in captivity, but that result is more of the exception than the rule. Zoos, aquariums, water parks, and other facilities can help to maintain the viability of endangered species when humanity does not do a good enough job of protecting the animals in the wild. In the zoo, people can observe a variety of animals from all over the world. Here is an example of just how harsh it can get when an animal is being trained to perform tricks. We are having trouble saving your comment. Hear opposing thoughts from a field biologist atthe University of York and the president of the Born Free Foundation about keeping animals in zoos for conservation purposes. As a result of the 2013 documentary Blackfish, which exposed the psychological damage done to orcas by SeaWorld, California outlawed captive orca breeding. 4, 2018, Zoo Atlanta, Representative Research, zooatlanta.org (accessed May 8, 2019), Bronx Zoo, Bridging the Gap, bronxzoo.com (accessed May 8, 2019), Emma Marris, "Modern Zoos Are Not Worth the Moral Cost,: nytimes.com, June 11, 2021, Association of Zoos and Aquariums, "Currently Accredited Zoos and Aquariums," aza.org, Apr. This could cause problems for the animal. YES. Explore conservationist Damian Aspinalls opinion that zoos are outdated and cruel.. For example, the typical enclosure designed for a polar bear is about a million times smaller than its natural roaming grounds. Animals are forced to live in artificial habitats that arent anywhere close to their former homes (the wild). Genes evolved over time to help the animal adjust to a man-made habitat can be a downside to the populations of the species in the wild. Zoological gardens have been working to help ensure that any endangered species are given another chance to thrive again over time. Orangutans are threatened by habitat loss due to unsustainably grown palm oil. We destroy homes by polluting habitats and routine logging and burning of forests. 2. [17] [18] [19] [20], 23% of birds and 47% of small mammals (weighing less than about 2.2 pounds) are negatively impacted by climate change. But is there a reason why animals should not be kept in zoos? Conservation success stories like this and many others are only possible with the help of zoos and aquariums. Why Animals Should Be Kept in Zoos - EDUZAURUS A Passionate Call to Leave Animals Alone and Zoos Behind [4], Captive elephants live about half as long as wild elephants: 18.9 years v. 41.7 years for Asian elephants and 16.9 years v. 35.8 years for African elephants. 2021, there are 241 accredited zoos in the United States. Breeding programs in zoos eventually lead to some animals being sold off to other zoos or worse circuses. Over 181 million people visit zoos and aquariums every year in the United States,and 25 million in the United Kingdom. AZA members have access to diverse animal populations and research their behaviors and their biological, physiological, and psychological needs. Zoos provide an educational resource. Older menageries existed as far back as 2500 BCE, in Mesopotamia. An orca in the wild may live up to 100 years in the wild, but the average age at a captive orca is less than 30 years and its 17 years for a male orca. The statistics on the number of big cats alone that have died in captivity between 1990 and 2021 is 126. They often display neurotic behaviour, like repetitive pacing, swaying, and bar biting. This might take a few seconds, please wait. Established zoos cater to this attitude and justify it because they need to have funds to further the research or preservation efforts that are taking place. Life expectancy is controlled by both the mental and physical health of most animals. To the question "should animals be kept in captivity?" Each specie is different with a different . On top of that, the animals dont have much freedom even in these tiny spaces that they are forced to live in. The allure of baby animals and the crowds they pull can lead a zoological garden director to increase them to keep attracting customers. See Related: What Is The Hunters Role in Wildlife Conservation? 1. One of the most magical ways you can connect with animals is organically seeing them when youre in nature. Holding any animal in captivity has questionable ethics. 32 Important Pros Cons Of Zoos - Environmental Conscience Pros : clean website created by an expert Cons : Inconclusive Rate: 3 (10734 reviews) 8 Reasons that Zoos are Critically Important for Conservation 1. Keeping animals in captivity can prevent their extinction. Deem, Zoos and Public Health: A Partnership on the One Health Frontier,One Health, Nov. 23, 2016, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, 10 Endangered Species Saved from Extinction by Zoos, medium.com, May 18, 2017, Association of Zoos & Aquariums, AZA and Animal Program Conservation Initiatives, aza.org (accessed Apr. Not surprising, perhaps, considering the typical polar bear enclosure is one million times smaller than the area they would naturally roam." PETA isn't alone. In order to reintroduce animals into the wild and repair the ecosystem, we need to understand how certain animals live and act. Should animals be kept in captivity debate. 10 Reasons Why Animals Of 77 elephants in 13 zoos, 71 were overweight and spent 83% of their time indoors, contributing to early death. Zoo animals sustain both physical and psychological scars from harsh zookeepers. Zoos can be productive when it comes to reviving an animal species on the brink of extinction. So when they. Consider the pros and cons with a video from Above the Noise. But the only difference is that when it comes to animals' humans can be the cause of it. An increase in the populations of herbivorous animals such as deer and buffalos isnt a good thing, especially not for the vegetation and ground cover. Together, these two disciplines comprised nearly two-thirds of the AZA communitys research. As people became more interested in science and natural history, zoos served as a way to display and study animals. AZA SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction, the Associations flagship conservation program, brings AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums together to focus their collective expertise and leverage their massive audiences to save species like sea turtles and American red wolves. Do you think animals should be kept in zoos? To ease them into new habitats, an agitated tiger was given Valium, and anxious zebras and wildebeests were given Haldol. That's why animals should not be kept in the zoo. 13, 2017, Edna Francisco, Zoo Carnivores Need More Space, sciencemag.org, Oct. 1, 2003, Ian Sample, Stress and Lack of Exercise Are Killing Elephants Zoos Warned, theguardian.com, Dec. 11, 2008, Alex Halberstadt, Zoo Animals and Their Discontents, nytimes.com, July 3, 2014, Daniel Engber, The Tears of a Panda, slate.com, Sep. 14, 2006, Jenni Laidman, Zoos Using Drugs to Help Manage Anxious Animals, toledoblade.com, Sep. 12, 2005, Lucy Birkett and Nicholas E. Newton-Fisher, How Abnormal Is the Behavior of Captive, Zoo-Living Chimpanzees?, journals.plos.org, June 16, 2011, John Jett, et al., Tooth Damage in Captive Orcas, sciencedirect.com, May 2018, Natasha Daly, Orcas Dont Do Well in Captivity. Though the zoos business has grown from what it was over a century ago, there are still some things that can be improved. Horizon: Should We Close Our Zoos? Students can watch the video to get a primer on the facts then write their own responses on KQED Learn.