What if zoos stopped breeding all their animals, with the possible exception of any endangered species with a real chance of being released back into the wild? When theres a surplus, you can just have a plant sale. Help inform others by writing letters to your local newspapers and posting to social media. Zoo animals sustain both physical and psychological scars from harsh zookeepers. Just as we humans are free to do whatever we want so long as we follow the law, then it shouldn't be different for animals. But this is not the norm. Likewise, consuming sustainable seafood provides a valuable source of food for people and helps promote sustainable jobs. Many zoos will then resort to drugging animals in order to keep them docile and normal for the pleasure of the viewing public. Some animals are quite intelligent so keeping them in captivity should never be an option. I dont see any problem with holding animals for display, Mr. Ashe told me. (The culling of mammals specifically in E.A.Z.A. Animals are removed from their natural habitats. The incident in Miami Seaquarium is proof that animals do not belong in captivity. Mr. Hagenbecks model was widely influential. The common negative effects of zoos on animals are listed below. In a study done on 40 chimpanzees in six different zoos, all of the chimps exhibited behavior their counterparts in nature did not. People may behave eco-friendlier after going to the zoo. For example, Orcas are migratory animals with a vast range. All things considered, animals should not be kept in zoos or aquariums. Copyright 2015-2021 National Geographic Partners, LLC. Things to Know. See Related: What Is The Hunters Role in Wildlife Conservation? See Related: Animals That Have Become Extinct in the Last 100 Years. When the caretakers are not well informed about the animals they are to be taking care of, it can be problematic. She could then climb the wire without being shocked. Zookeepers are not mustache-twirling villains. But it's clear, say welfare specialists, that captivity can compromise orcas' health. Tigers, lions, elephants, bears and nonhuman primates are all included in this law. In zoos, elephants are often given a small outside enclosure and an internal house. This is nowhere near enough space to provide an elephant with a life comparable to that of its wild counterparts. State laws vary considerably, with some states banning the ownership of wild and exotic animals while others have virtually no regulation whatsoever. Copyright 2023 The Science Times. Breeding programs in zoos eventually lead to some animals being sold off to other zoos or worse circuses. A day may come, he said, when we need to breed elephants or tigers or polar bears in captivity to save them from extinction. The Link Between Fasting And Mental Health: Can It Improve Mood And Cognition? Even the best zoological park cannot fully capture the wild, and many smaller zoos fail to take effective measures to ensure the health and well-being of their animals. This paper is going to discuss why animals should not be kept in captivity. What Is The Hunters Role in Wildlife Conservation? For animals in zoos, the AWA sets low requirements as to housing, food and sanitation, and, as is commonly noted, no requirements for mental stimulation of animals other than primates. After being captives of the pandemic for more than a year, we have begun experiencing the pleasures of simple outings: dining al fresco, shopping with a friend, taking a stroll through the zoo. These standards set a low bar and are widely considered to be sub-par in protecting animals. The allure of baby animals and the crowds they pull can lead a zoological garden director to increase them to keep attracting customers. Animals are forced to live in artificial habitats that arent anywhere close to their former homes (the wild). Zoo animals, this new narrative went, function as backup populations for wild animals under threat, as well as ambassadors for their species, teaching humans and motivating them to care about wildlife. In addition, a costlier but more educational option is to make arrangements to view animals in the wild. As a result, many zoos breed animals. Zoos protect against a species going extinct. People are fascinated by animals. As we snap a selfie by the sea lions for the first time in so long, it seems worth asking, after our collective ordeal, whether our pleasure in seeing wild animals up close is worth the price of their captivity. Photographs by Peter Fisher. See Related: Most Comfortable Animals in The World. Here are some of the major ways that these jurisdictions are protecting wild captive animals under the law: Restricting Private Parties From Keeping Wild Animals: Some states ban the keeping of wild and exotic animals. The worst ones are the malicious keepers who enjoy hurting animals in captivity. If you go on holiday to any major destination, the chances are high that there will be at least one zoo and/or one aquarium nearby. Lack of trees to rain will then lead to less and less vegetation and eventually draught in the area which will force the surviving animals to migrate to areas with better conditions. Outside of providing sufficient space to allow natural behaviors to develop, issues such as climate, diet, and the formation of a social hierarchy where appropriate make running a zoo a difficult task. The Dark Truth behind Bear Bile Uses: Hidden Costs of Traditional Medicine, The Untold Story of Factory-farmed Cows the Consequences for Animal and Human Health, Are Giraffes Endangered? The window to the world of. Zoos across the US can take credit for reviving the wild Arabian oryx, golden lion tamarin and Californian condor populations, among many others. They learned from their parents to be mistrustful because they have no way of knowing whether people could be good or do them harm. It is not humane to keep large mammals like orcas, dolphins or elephants in zoos or theme parks. Zoos are held to their word of conserving animals and releasing them back into the wild when they are ready. In normalizing captivity zoos, and teaching animals to perform tricks for human entertainment, zoos and animal sanctuaries are spreading the message that animal captivity to normal, healthy, and fully acceptable. Black-footed ferrets and red wolves in the United States and golden lion tamarins in Brazil all endangered, as well have been bred at zoos for reintroduction into the wild. There is considerable variation from state to state and among cities and counties, as to how much legal protection is offered to captive wild animals. A 2000 survey of U.S. and Canadian zoos found that nearly half of respondents were giving their gorillas Haldol, Valium or another psychopharmaceutical drug. Increasingly, animals were presented with the distasteful fact of their imprisonment visually elided. In addition, when animals are removed from their natural habitats, they are also removed from their family structure and social hierarchy. Sign up for our free newsletter for the Latest coverage! Running a successful zoo is about drawing in visitors as much as it is caring for animals. If an untrained zookeeper comes across a stubborn animal, they might hurt it if they are impatient. Little Joe, a gorilla, escaped from the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston twice in 2003. For example, smaller and faster animals with a lot of predators in the wild tend to thrive in zoos. First and foremost, captivity can be extremely detrimental to an animal's physical and mental well-being. When it comes to lethal force and animal welfare, at least, public opinion swiftly sides against zoos. However, suffering doesnt have to be physical; boredom, confinement, and stress can cause an animal a lot of suffering. Few federal laws protect the millions of wild animals who live in captivity in aquariums, circuses, theme parks and zoos in the U.S. As a result, many animals at zoos may die prematurely from stress or illness. I find one statistic particularly telling about their priorities: A 2018 analysis of the scientific papers produced by association members between 1993 and 2013 showed that just about 7 percent of them annually were classified as being about biodiversity conservation.. Children leave most zoos with a misconception about how animals behave in the wild and what it takes to truly care for endangered animals. However, critics say this doesn't justify their existence. Animals are stressed when they get separated from their packs or herds, especially when they end up as the only one of their kind in their new homes. Some of the captive-born animals are not capable of sustaining themselves in the wild and they could pass on these genes dooming the whole species in that region. See Related: Are Humans Animals? Not investing enough when designing a habitat for your animals to save money. The confined living areas are a big contributor to animal stress and lack of physical stimulation like would be gained from a nice sprint. That's not a record that justifies tens of millions of wild animals kept in zoos. Caring for animals on a full-time basis requires someone who is both informed and cares about them. ", PETA's Bekhechi adds, the aim of breeding programmes is just "to produce baby animals to attract visitors.". Meanwhile, small changes at the officemight be one good way to cut significant emissions, writes Carlos Gamarra. Animals are often bored and, as a result, some become aggressive and can lash out at other animals or zookeepers. Tatiana the tiger, kept in the San Francisco Zoo, snapped one day in 2007 after three teenage boys had been taunting her. Do not reproduce without permission. However, I feel there are certain species that should never be held in captivity unless they are candidates for breeding programs or rehabilitation. See Related: Different Animals That Cant Jump. Most states have no laws governing captive wild animals. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram. However, this is often not much more than an illusion for the customer. Check out more news and information on Wild Animalsin Science Times. Zoos are a part of culture across the world. Such zoos might even be merged with sanctuaries, places that take wild animals that because of injury or a lifetime of captivity cannot live in the wild. Fighting is a sign that they are threatened, especially when an animal has no way of getting away quickly. PETA isn't alone. This is only one of the Act's limitations. But whether recent events have triggered a profound shift in public consciousness is harder to . Keeping endangered animals in zoos infringes on those individuals' rights to freedom. The A.Z.A.s policies allow for the euthanasia of animals, but the president of the association, Dan Ashe, told me, its very rarely employed by his member institutions. With increased awareness about the cruelty involved with keeping wild animals in captivity, more and more jurisdictions are enacting legal protections. When wild animals shouldn't be in captivity. This can make the animals neurotic, causing them to start biting bars, pacing repetitively, and swaying. Some surplus animals or injured animals are even fed to predators as a means of life-cycle maintenance. Watching these is a much healthier and more educational way to learn about wild animals than visiting a local zoo. The worst climate risks, mapped: In this feature, select a country, and we'll break down the climate hazards it faces. WorldAnimalFoundation.org, Today's Deal: $300 Discount on Halo 2+ GPS Dog Collar. They are removed from their natural habitats and confined to small limited spaces and often forced to perform tricks or entertain visitors. When big predators are brought up on dead meat and never have to hunt for themselves, mingle with the prey they cant hunt, and entertain humans with tricks, they get further from their natural behaviors. Here's What Experts Think. PETA says: "People who care about protecting endangered species should donate to organisations that safeguard them in their natural habitats if a species' native environment has been destroyed, there's nowhere left for the animals to go. The California condor breeding program, which almost certainly saved the species from extinction, includes five zoos as active partners. Dimming Lights: Are Fireflies Endangered? They often display neurotic behaviour, like repetitive pacing, swaying, and bar biting. Alex shares his life with his wife (to-be), children and stepchildren, a herd of guinea pigs, and numerous tropical fish, frogs and snails. When zoos find themselves with surplus animals, they need to find ways to reduce their numbers. We do know that common animals kept as pets include lions, tigers, cougars, ocelots, servals, wolves, bears, alligators, snakes and nonhuman primates like chimpanzees. worldanimalfoundation.org is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and Other Programs, an affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to the Partners. There are zoological park associations that were formed to keep zoo owners on their toes. Depressed monkey Trading in Wild Animals: Every year, thousands of animals enter the captive wild animal trade. These experiences are often harmful to wildlife and dangerous for you. In his Animal Park, which opened in 1907 in Hamburg, he designed cages that didnt look like cages, using moats and artfully arranged rock walls to invisibly pen animals. Some of these animals are surplus from roadside zoos. For many wild animals, this is a vital part of their life, and they can struggle to redefine their footing. The role of our leaders: Writing at the end of 2020, Al Gore, the 45th vice president of the United States, found reasons for optimismin the Biden presidency, a feeling perhaps borne out by the passing of major climate legislation. Because so many diseases can be transmitted from animals to humans, such as Ebola, Hantavirus, and the bird flu, zoos frequently conduct disease surveillance research in wildlife populations and their own captive populations that can lead to a direct impact on human health. Mr. Hribal documented many stories of elephants making a run for it in one case repairing to a nearby woods with a pond for a mud bath. The animals too have rights and they shouldnt be subjected to half the things they undergo. Zoos also say that they save the endangered animals, but all they really care about is how much crowd the animal draws. Theres also the Zoological Association of America that operates in the United States. They found that only 27 percent of people bothered to read the signs at exhibits. Private Possession: Many wild animals may be kept captive in private homes as pets. According to an article inPlant Based News, marine parks and aquariums are a billion-dollar industry that exists to entertain the public by catching fish and sea mammals from the wild and using them as live exhibits. Drugs given to animals include sedatives and antipsychotic drugs. Ms. Marris is an environmental writer and the author of the forthcoming book Wild Souls: Freedom and Flourishing in the Non-Human World.. The bill helps end the rampant abuse of tigers and other big cats in captivity by banning private possession. This isnt always guaranteed since the breeding practices could be insufficient or even produce animals that are not suitable for survival in the wild. Ive spent many memorable days in botanical gardens, completely swept away by the beauty of the design as well as the unending wonder of evolution and theres no uneasiness or guilt. At the end of the day, Zoos are largely unethical places that are built under the pretense of habitat conservation but really are there to earn money and entertain people who want to be able to say they saw real-life wild animals. The lawsuit asserts the agency must be able to remove animals if the USDA has deemed the facility unable to provide minimum standards of care set out by the Animal Welfare Act. These wild animals are sold at auctions, pet stores or over the internet. Many zoos conduct such studies, and also run captive breeding programmes for endangered species. Climate change around the world: In Postcards From a World on Fire, 193 stories from individual countries show how climate change is reshaping reality everywhere, from dying coral reefs in Fiji to disappearing oases in Morocco and far, far beyond. In this article, we will take a look at why zoos teach children the wrong lesson about captive animals. Bears and cats pace. Once again, a change of this magnitude can cause captive animals to exhibit changing behaviors, which include self-destructive acts and unrelenting restlessness. Your email address will not be published. You can surely help these animals by refusing to visit zoos and instead supporting sanctuaries where animals live in natural habitats. Lets get into the nitty-gritty details of why keeping animals in zoos is bad: Wild animals often suffer in captivity because they were meant to be free. Severe arthritis and foot infections are common in captive elephants due to standing on hard, unnatural surfaces all day without room to roam. In the end, he said, we live with our own constraints. He added, We are all captive in some regards to social and ethical and religious and other constraints on our life and our activities.. Four of the zoos and the aquarium in New York City, for instance, are managed by the Wildlife Conservation Society, which is involved in conservation efforts around the world. When it comes from unsustainable sources it is a key cause of deforestation, impacting many species like orangutans and tigers. I once overheard two schoolchildren at the Smithsonians National Zoo in Washington confess to each other that they had assumed that elephants were mythical animals like unicorns before seeing them in the flesh. It is expensive and difficult to keep wild animals in captivity. Look out for the GFAS seal of approval. By designing these enclosures so that many animals could be seen at once, without any bars or walls in the visitors lines of sight, he created an immersive panorama, in which the fact of captivity was supplanted by the illusion of being in nature. If you dont have people that know how to care for them, know how to breed them successfully, know how to keep them in environments where their social and psychological needs can be met, then you wont be able to do that, he said. As humans, we have no right to hunt and lock up animals for our enjoyment. or the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria have studbooks and genetic pedigrees and carefully breed their animals as if they might be called upon at any moment to release them, like Noah throwing open the doors to the ark, into a waiting wild habitat. Below are a dozen reasons why zoos can be bad for animals: 1. Many visitors will disturb and disrespect the animals in a zoo simply because they feel as though they are owed a performance of some sort. In many cases, animals in captivity do not have the space or resources to roam and live as they would in their natural habitat. However, not all of them are suitable for captivity and are better left alone in the wild. CITES does not directly address living conditions for captive animals. Big cats, such as lions and tigers, used in circuses are forced to live in tiny cages that are transported across the country. Animals in the wild are naturally shy to humans. Regardless of the merits or ethics of zoos, one thing's for certain: they're going to be around for some years yet. Bears, lions, and other animals languish in roadside zoos across the country. Most people arent always comfortable seeing animals that are kept in zoos. Wild dolphins swim up to 40 miles day with the other members of their pod, while captive dolphins are forced to swim in tiny pools with unfamiliar dolphins day after day. Chimps pull out their own hair. See Related: Endangered Species in California. Caring for the said animals, away from their predator will give their species a chance of repopulating. Early in the pandemic, the Neumunster Zoo in northern Germany coolly announced an emergency plan to cope with lost revenue by feeding some animals to other animals, compressing the food chain at the zoo like an accordion, until in the worst-case scenario, only Vitus, a polar bear, would be left standing. See Related: Best Wildlife Conservation Jobs. Unlike in the wild where these endangered species have to worry about staying safe, in these breeding programs they get taken care of. Kings would keep hippos, baboons and large cats. An estimated 20 red wolves are all that remain in the wild. However, the vast majority dont do enough to accurately replace an animals natural habitat. ViewResources. The ESA outlines procedures for federal agencies to follow regarding listed species, as well as criminal and civil penalties for violations. There is no wild animal census in the United States, and many states have lax oversight, so any estimates about the population of wild animals in captivity is at best an educated guess. Marine mammals are best protected by cleaning up and protecting their habitats. In some environments, we believe it's best not to keep certain wild animals at all, as their needs simply can't be met. In addition, baby animals that are deemed excess to requirements find their way into black market sales. When it rains, the topsoil gets washed away leaving the land more exposed. The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. A Brief History of Zoos . The ongoing extinction crises shows that zoos are needed - even for common species. How Similar is Human DNA to Other Animals, Animals That Have Become Extinct in the Last 100 Years, 9 Best Solar-Powered Computers to Buy Today, 10 Impactful Ways to Conserve Coral Reefs. A 2019 report by World Animal Protection found that captive animals exhibitedabnormal levels of aggression, indicating that the attack in Miami Seaquarium was a direct result of captivity, despite claims that it is an isolated incident and is uncommon. Zoos also have the power to euthanize their animals when they themselves deem it permissible. The other argument zoos commonly make is that they educate the public about animals and develop in people a conservation ethic. But relatively early in their evolution, a German exotic animal importer named Carl Hagenbeck changed the way wild animals were exhibited. Artificial environments. Though some zoos plan on reintroducing the animals into the wild after a while, living in zoos makes it impossible for some animals. Animals held captive in zoos are in very small environments such as cages, and they have no freedom. If one could simply stop urging and encouraging zoos then maybe someday animals get to live in the free wild as they please. The truth is there is a vast difference between genuine conservation efforts and endangered species protection and running a zoo. Many zoos fail to provide the required minimum standard of care, Zoos dont replicate animals natural habitats, Zoos teach people that animal captivity is acceptable, Animal protection laws are not strong enough, Many visitors disturb and disrespect the animals, Zoo animals are often drugged to be kept calm. After all, more than 700 million people visit zoos and aquariums worldwide every year, and biodiversity is still in decline. What if they sent all the animals that need really large areas or lots of freedom and socialization to refuges? Now, Alex writes full-time, and when hes not working on an article, hes knee-deep in writing fiction. Keep on reading. Gus, a polar bear at the Central Park Zoo, was given Prozac as part of an attempt to stop him from swimming endless figure-eight laps in his tiny pool.