Should Animals Be Kept In Zoos?
I’ve read lots of reasons why zoos are good things, some of which are:
They aid with the conservation of endangered species.
Rare animals are given the chance of reproduction that they most likely wouldn’t get in the wild.
Scientists and people in general can learn a lot about animal habits.
I’m not against all animals being in zoos, but it’s hard for me to imagine that wild cats, elephants, giraffes and lots of others wouldn’t be far better off in protected parks.
Do you think that on balance that zoos are good or bad, and if “good” then how would you make overall changes to them?
Zoos that are accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) have to meet strict requirements on the care and handling of all species.
An educational program is one of those requirements, and many institutions have exceptional programs to educate children as well as adults.
Along with education, zoos also participate in species survival plans and many threatened and endangered species are being bred in captivity.
Although many animal species are fast becoming extinct, zoos and other organizations are trying hard to prevent a great and growing number of species from following the same path.
In Texas, the Attwater’s Prairie Chicken now has a population of only around forty birds in the wild which makes it the most endangered bird in Texas, but thanks to the efforts of US Fish and WildLife service and zoos, the population size is now increasing due to their breed and release program.
The American alligator, and the bald eagle have great conservation stories and the populations of many other animals that were once were on the brink of extinction have rebounded and their population sizes are now increasing.
I know that zoos do help a lot, but there are instances where animals do not breed well in this environment. So I guess there is a need for zoos and at the same time there should be protected parks or natural habitats for these animals. Every little bit counts towards the preserving of these species.
Zoos are definitely needed, as more and more of their natural habitats are destroyed in our quest for development and modernization. Without zoos children may not know or be able to see what a certain animal may look like, beside seeing pictures in books, or videos online.
Btw, those pygmy hippos look so adorable!
I think that this argument makes a lot of sense. Zoos certainly benefit the species that couldnt otherwise have survived in the wild. The best idea may be to create a more natural environment for the animals that are naturally able to live in the wild.
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