WHY ANIMALS SHOULD NOT BE KEPT IN CAPTIVITY By "Phillip" Hungry, depressed, and unable to connect. The Convention On International Trade In Endangered Species Of Wild Fauna And Flora (CITES): CITES is an international treaty that regulates the trade of wildlife for nations that are signatories to the treaty. This alone increases the risk of disease, as animals are exposed to viruses they have never encountered before. Sanctuaries occupy a "gray area," says Tanya Espinosa, a . When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Animals live in cruel conditions, confined to small cages without the enrichment they need to lead full, happy lives. Earlier this month, footage of a dolphin attacking its trainer in Miami Seaquarium went viral. The state and local laws protecting wild animals in captivity are spreading. You can surely help these animals by refusing to visit zoos and instead supporting sanctuaries where animals live in natural habitats. The Arabian oryx, an antelope native to the Arabian Peninsula, went extinct in the wild in the 1970s and then was reintroduced into the wild from zoo populations. The real question is, how can we change things? The Enigmatic Wombats: Surprising Facts and Myths Debunked. Zookeepers are not mustache-twirling villains. A study by Bristol University found that many British zoos fail to provide animals with the required minimum standard of care. If an untrained zookeeper comes across a stubborn animal, they might hurt it if they are impatient. Even though they might be getting enough food, if your animals are not okay mentally they might still not live to their full potential. CreditPhotographs by Peter Fisher for The New York Times. The A.Z.A. It took several decades before Alex was able to leave the corporate world behind and embark on a real writing journey. Investigators found sticks and pine cones inside the exhibit, most likely thrown by the boys. Check out more news and information on Wild Animalsin Science Times. Alex started writing from the moment he could hold a pen. For privacy policy and ad & cookie policy information, visit our Privacy Policy pages. This type of behaviour is almost unheard of in their wild counterparts. Jason Hribals 2010 book, Fear of the Animal Planet, chronicles dozens of attempts. Animals in zoos can sense this, and over time their confinement can lead to worrying behavioral changes. Big cats, such as lions and tigers, used in circuses are forced to live in tiny cages that are transported across the country. Look out for the GFAS seal of approval. Severe arthritis and foot infections are common in captive elephants due to standing on hard, unnatural surfaces all day without room to roam. Elephants, lions, tigers, rhinos, and such. Zoos have been around for thousands of yearsas far back as 3500 BC in Egypt. Infringing the rights of individuals because it benefits the species is wrong because a species is not an. There is no end to the risk of cross-contamination and disease spread, especially when considering the fact that lots of zoos fail to provide the correct standard of care. They bought tickets, and the wild creatures should behave accordingly. Exotic animals have become very popular, but they are also dangerous in so many ways. The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. This is seen as a cheaper option as opposed to moving them back into the wild. In states without tight enough regulation, local jurisdictions oftentimes adopt ordinances that ban or restrict the display of captive wild animals. 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. At least 20 zoos in the United States have already ended their elephant exhibits in part because of ethical concerns about keeping the species captive. Animals are often bored and, as a result, some become aggressive and can lash out at other animals or zookeepers. Bears, lions, and other animals languish in roadside zoos across the country. Visiting a zoo is a chance for many people to see exotic animals they would otherwise be unable to see. 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. Public zoos sprang up across Europe, many modeled on the London Zoo in Regents Park. They go to get out of the house, to get their children some fresh air, to see interesting animals. ", Published in the June 2017 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK), What to do in the Forest of Bowland, Lancashire, How to plan and book an Indian rail odyssey, Four of the best luxury sleeper trains in India, How Miami is re-embracing its modernist architecture, Where to eat in Clitheroe, the Ribble Valley's culinary hotspot, Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic Society. Zoos accredited by the A.Z.A. And this is not a definite number of victims; there is probably a good number that hasnt been documented. Many zoos create attractive enclosures to attract visitors. For some animals, reintroduction will always be difficult, such as baby elephants, or pet cheetahs, both of which habituate to human care very quickly, says Moore of IFAW. They are removed from their natural habitats and confined to small limited spaces and often forced to perform tricks or entertain visitors. Animals are removed from their natural habitats. The most recent addition to the family, Willow, a cockapoo puppy, has settled straight into family life and now controls who sits where on the sofa. This may be true to some extent; however, many zoos are running breeding programs for their own benefit and have no interest in releasing their animals back into the wild. Some roadside zoos declaw tiger and lion cubs a serious surgical procedure in which a cats toes are amputated at the last joint. Copyright OurEndangedWorld | All Rights Reserved, Environmental Organizations in The Philippines, Environmental Organizations in North America, Environmental Organizations in South America, Best Energy-Efficient Electric Fireplaces. To update your payment information, visit our Member Center. WorldAnimalFoundation.org is reader-supported. Though the zoos business has grown from what it was over a century ago, there are still some things that can be improved. And Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo has an on-site Wildlife Hospital to save sick and injured native species. 2. In most cases, animals in zoos lead very unhappy lives. Even when properly fed and well housed, they can never be fully relaxed in confined spaces. Elephants figure prominently in his book, in part because they are so big that when they escape it generally makes the news. Below are a dozen reasons why zoos can be bad for animals: No matter how dedicated a zoo is, it cant meet the space requirements for most of its animals. Another similar behavior of flirting is freezing, in which an animal does not move when there is no way of escape, like being caught in a trap or net even though they are terrified. The Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) operates an accreditation system for sanctuaries, rescue centres and rehabilitation centres. Chimps pull out their own hair. On top of that, the animals dont have much freedom even in these tiny spaces that they are forced to live in. This support of the exotic pet trade also results in a lot of preventable animal deaths. Once again, a change of this magnitude can cause captive animals to exhibit changing behaviors, which include self-destructive acts and unrelenting restlessness. Today, nearly every country in the world is a member of CITES. Zoo owners go to great lengths to build enclosures that have a wild aesthetic and give paying visitors a taste of the wild world. 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. Most animals are taught to perform tricks and go against the grain of nature purely for human entertainment. 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. Its protections are minimal as well. 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. Top 50 Most Good-looking Nationalities: AI Shows Beautiful People From Different Countries; How Does Science Measure Beauty, Attractiveness? Zoos also have the power to euthanize their animals when they themselves deem it permissible. Tigers, lions, elephants, bears and nonhuman primates are all included in this law. What Mr. Ashe wants visitors to experience when they look at the animals is a sense of empathy for the individual animal, as well as the wild populations of that animal.. Lack of learning valuable animal life skills such as hunting and social structures eventually leads to the alteration of the said animals behavior. Required fields are marked *. Wrong! Many zoos and aquariums offer behind-the-scenes tours and informative talks on animal welfare. Many zoos will then resort to drugging animals in order to keep them docile and normal for the pleasure of the viewing public. These experiences are often harmful to wildlife and dangerous for you. A fine day out with the family might itself be justification enough for the existence of zoos if the zoo animals are all happy to be there. When it rains, the topsoil gets washed away leaving the land more exposed. From there, it was an easy leap to protecting animal species. When theres a surplus, you can just have a plant sale. An example of these associations is the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) which represents over 240 businesses across the globe. Visit animal sanctuaries instead of zoos, marine parks or circuses. Since most countries dont have any regulations on how to handle animals in zoos, these business people can do whatever it takes to make the most profits possible. A 2014 study by the Society for Conservation Biology found that of over 2,800 children surveyed following visits to London Zoo, 62% showed no positive learning outcomes. zoos is usually not more than 200 animals per year, the organization said.) 1. Alas, theres plenty of heartbreaking evidence that many are not. The idea of conserving animals that are at risk of going extinct is a great one; the problem is that not most zoos live up to it. Animals have been going extinct for as long as there has been life on earthany weakling or disadvantageous animals get wiped out. In several cases, animals held in poor conditions at roadside zoos have been transferred to sanctuaries, after the Animal Legal Defense Fund brought lawsuits under the Endangered Species Act. 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? Their droppings look like little glitterballs. Animals kept in an unsuitable environment or fed the wrong diet can suffer, and this can lead to illness or death. They often display neurotic behaviour, like repetitive pacing, swaying, and bar biting. Especially animals like lions that are used to roaming vast distances in the wild in search of food. There are a great many negative effects of zoos on animals.When we visit zoos, we can see they often go to great lengths in order to recreate the animals natural habitats. Ostensibly places for genteel amusement and edification, zoos expanded beyond big and fearsome animals to include reptile houses, aviaries and insectariums. Their lives in captivity can be harsh especially when the animal has been completely removed from its social structures. "Animals in zoos suffer tremendously, both physically and mentally. Capturing animals even smart ones like apes, for amusement shouldnt be going on anywhere. In the past five years, the number of zoos has been gradually going up. 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. Here's What Experts Think. The U.S. became a signatory to CITES in 1975. Animals in zoos are easier to get various kinds of diseases because there are thousands of people around the animal every day. All of these animals are well studied and have a plethora of documentaries and video footage of them in the wild. T he video above shows the tragic reality of how animals in captivity are mistreated and never get to experience freedom, or live how they were . I remember well the awe and joy on their faces, 15 years later. That change prompted the shift in zoo narrative from entertainment to the protection of animals. Animal Behavior: Resources for Applied Ethology, Man in Uganda Beats Lion With Bare Hands In Bloody Battle Before Feasting on the Beast for Dinner, Dolphin Attacks Trainer in Front of Horrified Families in Miami Seaquarium: How Often Do These Sea Creatures Attack Humans? The animals too have rights and they shouldnt be subjected to half the things they undergo. 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. Animals are forced to sleep, eat, and defecate in the same small area. However, that does not stop the silent damage that captivity delivers to such roaming animal species. People dont go to zoos to learn about the biodiversity crisis or how they can help. Tell lawmakers you support animal-friendly legislation and local bans on using animals in entertainment. But it's clear, say welfare specialists, that captivity can compromise orcas' health. Theres also the Zoological Association of America that operates in the United States. As a result, many zoos breed animals. In a 2011 study, researchers quizzed visitors at the Cleveland, Bronx, Prospect Park and Central Park zoos about their level of environmental concern and what they thought about the animals. This can have huge negative effects on the environment in many adverse ways. The truth is that zoos are a prison for animals. Things like ensuring animals arent caged and treated less than they deserve. Cleaners and feeders spend a lot of time with the animals, and understanding the situation one is getting into can be very helpful. Captive animals are forced to spend their lives swimming endlessly and aimlessly instead of traveling up to 100 miles a day at fast speeds in the wild. Read on to find out why animals should not be kept in zoos. Its said that Texas has the worlds second-largest tiger population, due to private citizens propensity for keeping these big cats as pets. Animals in captivity can struggle to adapt to their new environment. These wild animals are sold at auctions, pet stores or over the internet. Due to the low density of the population of some animals in their natural ecosystems they struggle to find partners. The allure of baby animals and the crowds they pull can lead a zoological garden director to increase them to keep attracting customers. Taking your family for a day out at the zoo has been a sort of tradition for a very long time and given recent statics the number of visitors is growing. (The culling of mammals specifically in E.A.Z.A. Zoos and circuses are among those who fall under this act. This is due to the fact that many zoos want to keep as many animals as . For them, the best option is to fight back. If an animal cannot be given sufficient space or is suffering from stress and not behaving as expected, the zoo is within its right to kill the animal s. They are contained in small spaces, often made docile through drugs and other medications, and slowly strip away all autonomy and freedom from all animals. In contrast, those nesting animals or cornered ones will try to defend themselves if being approached to protect their young. The California condor shows what zoos can accomplish. 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. When confined they rock, pull their hair and engage in other tics. Mr. Hagenbecks model was widely influential. Help inform others by writing letters to your local newspapers and posting to social media. What if they sent all the animals that need really large areas or lots of freedom and socialization to refuges? Sadly, most of these associations end up protecting the interests of their members, and not the animals they should be protecting. There are a few exceptions. That's how animals living in captivity feel. What people can do: Justin Gillis and Hal Harvey describe the types of local activismthat might be needed, while Saul Griffith points to how Australia shows the way on rooftop solar. 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. Profits are also gained through the selling of animals to other zoos or circuses. Why Animals Should Not be Kept in Zoos These animals oftentimes live in inhumane conditions, and pose a serious threat to public safety. Zoos are home to many animals.

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