Should we ban the keeping of animals in zoos? |
elepants
Stress behaviors
When I visited a zoo recently, one of the elephants was swaying her trunk back and forth. I took a clip of her, which you can view on the right. At the end of the clip you can hear a woman say: "if I could just do that all day, man that would be pretty sweet.". I also overheard a little girl ask her mother what the elephant was doing. Her mother answered that the elephant was "dancing".
The sad truth though is that repetitive movements like trunk swaying are clear signs of stress. Since most of us only know these wild animals from seeing them in zoos, it isn't easy to recognize stress behaviors. Zoo keepers either aren't aware of these signs themselves, or they aren't eager to explain them to us.Posted by: Anonymousyes
because animals belong out in the wild, not in cages. also zoos don't have enough space for all the animals, so the poor animals pace back and forth just to get exercise. what kind of life is that. i mean really how would u like to live in a cage your whole life and not have a lot of room to run around and play?
Posted by: AnonymousAnimals need a natural habitat.
The San Francisco killing by a tiger obviously had to be provoked by a human. There is no reason for keeping animals in zoos. It is just death waiting to happen for humans. A lion killing just happened on March 7, 2013. We need to give a natural habitat to amazing creatures such as elephants, lions, and other animals.
Posted by: Anonymousyes
zoos sell older animals to labs for experiments and they kill them they also sell them to game farms so that people can pay to kill them
Posted by: AnonymousZoos are unnatural
Keeping animals in zoos constitutes one of the greatest injustices of all time. Zoos keep animals mainly for public viewing. If truly animals were kept to avoid extinction, then we would have conservatories dedicated for that purpose. Furthermore, if you view animals at the zoo you will see that these animals spend most of their existence trying to escape. For the most part these animals do not want to be kept in captivity. All in all, zoos are prisons for animals.
Posted by: AnonymousZoos should be banned for a variety of reasons.
First, in the book called the The Last Panda, it said that zoos keep the almost-extinct Giant Pandas by locking them up in one zoo to another. Second, there's a total of 3200 zoos that didn't have health insurance, which should be probably against the animal rights. Third, there are too many animals that are being locked up. A research study said that more animals are locked up in zoos than people are living on Earth. Finally, many zoos send old or disabled animals to factories to be tested or to be used to make products. Because zoos are a factor that makes animal become more extinct, many zoo's don't have health insurance, there are too many animals that are being locked up, and finally, many animals go to factories to made into products, I strongly agree that zoos should be banned from keeping animals locked up.
Posted by: Anonymouszoooooooooooooo
in my opion zoos must be baneed for ever because animals like there birthn place such as forest animals are keeping in the zoo because of us we are cutting trees and v r making deforestation.correct? yes when hunters come animals ran to escape the bushes and trees are cutted so that they can"hide then the huntewrs catch them.the zoo officers please think for one second when yopu die you will get punishment the god please dont get keeping animals in zoo please
Posted by: AnonymousMinh Vo
Me too. Now just imagine that you're an animal. One beautiful day, you are playing with your parents and someone run and take you away. How do you feel?
Posted by: AnonymousNARA has a list of reasons to ban zoos.
They aren't given enough space (and even if they had more it would never be the same as the wild.)They aren't given medicine, etc. They are separated from their families. They are not in the right climate. Go to NARAcampaigns.com to see the cruelty and the "coverup". This is unfair.
Posted by: lubakeeney22Keep animals in the zoo.
Animals need good treatment and by keeping them in the zoos they get that good treatment. They are given food to eat and a nice place to live. Animals are in more danger in the wild, so if we keep them in zoos they are protected by people that love them.
Posted by: AnonymousZoos give odd diseases to the animals and to the humans.
Animals in zoos could get a disease from a human or verse visa and it could make them extremely sick or worse, It could also kill them if it is a bad disease. Hey, they might have 24 hour care but the vets might not be able to help them from the disease. It could lead them to getting awfully sick until the sickness wears off or it could make them so sick that it eventually kills them with an excruciatingly painful death.
Posted by: AnonymousIt's cruel.
I mean would you like to live in a cage and be stared at all day? I don't think so. How do you think animals feel? How would you feel? Think about it, living in a cage surrounded by humans staring at you. I think it is a cruel place.
Posted by: AnonymousNot for our entertainment.
Animals should NOT have to be kept in a look a like habitat just for human's entertainment. I love animals but I strongly disagree with the idea of keeping them locked up in cages and in small areas that we make look like their natural environment. It's lying, cheating and just plain cruel.
Posted by: AnonymousZoos are bad news for animals.
Animals are being harmed every day because they are being put in zoos where they are not cared for property. And, a study says that animals live a lot longer in the wild then they do in zoos. If we put them in zoos, we are putting them in a life or death situation that they can't control.
Posted by: AnonymousZoos in South Korea keep animals wrongly.
Zoos in Korea does not give animals the food in the right time. Also, they do not teach them correctly. Also, they should give better life to animals. People who love animals should be in zoos. However, people in zoos do not like animals. As a result, animals get hurt by the zoo keepers. Therefore, zoos should be banned.
Posted by: eddi01BE BANNED
I THINK THEY SHOULD BE BANNED BECAUSE HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO MATE WITH PEOPLE YOU DONT LIKE JUST BECAUSE UR FORCED TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: AnonymousAnimals develop stereotypes.-david
Having animals in captivity causes them to behave differently than they would in the wild. When animals are put in smaller spaces than they used to roam, which happens all the time when they are put in zoos, they could develop stereotypes. “A stereotypes is a repetitive movement often found in humans with autism and mental retardation” wrote the National Humane Education Society. Stereotypes include repetitive movement and abusive actions that an animal does to itself. Because stereotypes develop when animals are bored, zoos need to provide a lot more space for animals to roam as an entertainment for them. Giving a lot of space to zoos is not likely, for the cost would be very high. Also it would take up a lot of land that we use to live in. Obviously we don't give enough space for animals not to have boredom, so having animals in zoos that develop stereotypes should not be allowed.
Posted by: AnonymousI believe zoos should be banned. Zoos are an unnatural environment for wild animals and they exploit the animals for profit and entertainment.
I believe that the keeping of animals in zoos should be banned. It is exploitation. The animals are used to make a profit. The animals are in an unnatural habitat, often subjected to weather and other conditions that they are not biologically built to sustain. Offspring of animals kept in captivity often do not survive or are abandoned by their parents, which does not happen as often in the wild. The small gene pool can create unhealthy, inbred offspring.
Posted by: lachikaWe dont need zoos.
It's really ricidulous how we have to put animals in zoos when we could do all the benefits of education research and breeding all in a captivity breeding program. Want to save them and protect the animals? that's the solution. They dont have to be kept in an enclosed space just for entertainment, its a bit cruel.
Posted by: AnonymousZoos are not good for animals.
If we think from an animal's perspective, we can actually know what they feel. There are several reasons why I think we should ban the keeping of animals in the zoo. Actually, in Korea too, there are lots of zoos with lots of animals. People look at them and sometimes bother them. Are animals toys to you guys? No. If you are an animal you wouldn't think like that. Animals don't like it either. Sure, there could be advantages to zoos, but I actually think that actually there are more disadvantages then advantages. So, here are a few reasons. First, zoos could cause stress or mentally effect the animal. Also, the animals won't have much energy to live and they will miss their families and lots of environments. Animals need to have free. Animals are living things as well as humans. But, think about it, if you were an animal, would you like being captive in the zoo without friends, families, or mates? Probably not, but if people still put animals in zoos, it is discrimination between human and animal. Even though animals and humans are different, they are both living things and we should respect them as we respect our humans together. I think people should actually respect and be on animal's perspective to think about being captive and being in the zoo. I strongly think that zoos should be banned.
Posted by: AnonymousYes we should ban the keeping of animals in zoos?
I think that zoos should be shut down it is cruel to keep animals locked up in a cage they should be able to roam free with their herd. We can't use them for our own pleasure, it's not right. The animals get stressed out having to be in the same space for their whole life. People seem to think that the animals get used to it but they don't. They need to be set free, the only problem now is that they don't know how to survive in the wild because they have been bred in captivity
Posted by: AnonymousYes, we should.
It is not right to keep animals confined like that. They should be allowed to roam wherever they want. Although it isn't animal abuse, like a circus, they should still have the right to be free as we do. I love animals and truly think that it is not the right thing to put these animals in a zoo.
Posted by: AnonymousSaffari parks should replace zoos!
Well, in addition to ideas following people tell, saffari park can replace zoos. I can understand that animals that are in danger of extinction should be protected; however, we can protect them in wild. Moreover, before we concern the problem how to maintain existence of species in danger of extinction, we have to maintain the environment for animals. Of course, I think, those who are against to ban zoos also think animals should be released to nature. However, they, or all people, choose to protect animals maybe because of its cost and human's egoism.
We can observe animals also in saffari parks even if it costs more than we go to zoos. If we really think animals should live in nature, why do we hesitate to use much money?Posted by: AnonymousIt is a cruel practice.
Keeping animals in enclosures is a cruel and unnatural practice. We shouldn't allow ourselves to enjoy the pitiful show of watching an animal lose its freedom. Taking freedom away is not justified under any circumstances. Endangered species can be protected with Safari Zones; they can be protected better in their own habitat.
Posted by: AnonymousClose down the animal prisons
We're treating the animals worse than inmates. At least the inmates aren't taunted and ridiculed by the public while they are serving their life sentences. I would protest if I thought it would do any good.
Posted by: AnonymousGet them out of There!!!
You people are wrong for keeping animals in zoos! They need to be able to run free in the wild! What does that make us?!? We don't need to keep these animals in zoos just for our pleasure. Think of all of the things they are missing from not being in the wild. Think about it. Would you want to be kept in a zoo for your whole life?
Posted by: AnonymousIt is unfair!
I think that it is unfair to keep animals in zoos because they are in a small area where they don't even get to learn how to take care of themselves. The zoo keepers give the animals food that they don't need. I think animals should live in a free environment where they can learn to take care of themselves and roam free without people around. Animals must feel stressed in zoos because people make lots of noise and some even tease them and throw dangerous things such as plastic packets in the area that they live in. This is a major problem as they could think the plastic packet is food and eat it. This would result in the animal choking to death. I approve of safari parks more because they are in their natural habitat and they can roam a bit more freely than in zoos.
Posted by: AnonymousIt is dangerous for both humans and the animals.
A girl was mauled by a lion that had spent years around humans. The girl died, the lion was shot. Of course it's horrific to see a young girl die like this, but as a human we know that working with animals like this involves a high risk - the fact is this animal no matter how kind was not meant for human contact. If this was just a wild lion in the woods killing wouldn't be wrong, it'd be right. He was simply doing what he should be doing and he got shot because of this. This is just one story, but many other animals in zoos "misbehave" in a human's eyes, when really we were the dumb ones for putting them in there in the first place. Imagine the house you live in as a child - now imagine never being able to leave it. You just watch life from your window. You don't get an education and you don't get any life experience; that's what we do to animals.
Posted by: AnonymousAnimals in General
All of the animals in the zoos are in a confined space. Though the owners try to create a similar habitat for the animals, the space will never be the same as the original place the animal is from. Tigers are from hot places with large space to roam and in a zoo they dont get even a quarter of the space they need. All of the animals are used to having another with them. They usually live in packs so they can live and in many zoos they are alone and they die off quicker. They arent always in the right climate either. They are in hotter or colder weather than they are used to. Yes, animals are an amazing thing to look at for little kids but think about what is happening to these animals. Once you are ready to take them back to their original habitat they wont know how to survive on their own.
Posted by: AnonymousYes, we should ban zoos because they are inhumane.
I think that zoos should be banned as it is just not fair, right or in any way humane. It is irresponsible of us to use them for our amusement when they are really wild animals that need to be in a WILD environment. However, it would be even more cruel for us to put them back in the wild after they have been bred in captivity
Posted by: AnonymousYes give them freedom.
I don't like it because when you go to the zoo you can see they have made a path were they continuously go around and around that means they are terribly stressed. It is very sad and anyone who wants it is so dumb. Please ban the keeping of animals in cages.
Posted by: AnonymousCages are not cool.
Zoo's should put all the animals back into their habitats. First of all, animals get very stressed and tend to live shorter lives in zoos. Second of all even if the zoo is helping, we can't help every single animal. Thirdly, if we want to save the world's whole population of animals we have to start by rebuilding their habitats because we will save more animals that way. This is why we should get rid of zoos.
Posted by: AnonymousYes
Animals in captivity is cruel
Posted by: AnonymousBan zoos - it's cruel and unnatural
Even when they say they are keeping the animals to protect them, the animals should still live in their natural habitat and become extinct naturally, just as it's always been throughout evolution. Extinction is natural.
Posted by: AnonymousThey belong in the wild
The animals in the zoo have no control over being in the zoo or not so it is literally kidnapping and imprisoning. Those animals belong in the wild, with endless miles to run around and do what they were born to do. Zoos restrict them to a small cell and although zoos do their best make them look natural, they are nothing close to what the animals should be living in.
Posted by: AnonymousThis house supports that is wrong for zoos to keep animals in captivity.
Government
The zoos could make animals sick and get diseases. In zoos, a lot of kinds of animals are locked behind the cages. The animals could get diseases such as flu. If animals catch human diseases such as small cold or flu, it may be hard to cure the animals and they might die. Also, there are now new programs such as petting the wild animals such as monkeys and snakes that can get animals diseases.Posted by: AnonymousYES THEY SHOULD
Animals are ALWAYS stuck in those tiny cages at the zoo! Having to see them like that every single time is just torture! Would you like to be trapped in a cage for your whole life? It is time to change the rules and let them be free! There are countless practical, social, and psychological benefits of zoos being banned.
Posted by: AnonymousIt's cruel to keep animals in captivity.
I believe that animals should be set free. In zoos they go through life seeing the same thing every single day. Sure they're taken care of, but I just don't think animal captivity is right. If I were an animal, the whole situation would be awful. People would stress you out on a daily basis and you wouldn't get to live the natural earthly circle of life.
Posted by: AnonymousZoos should be banned!
Experts often argue that zoos play a major role in the protection of endangered animals and without these animals prisons, many species would become extinct and die out. This statement has never been justified, these so called 'experts' putting these wild animals welfare at risk for the financial benefits that they offer. Research shows the African Elephants in the wild live more than three times longer than those kept in zoo and 10% more lion cubs die before six months in zoos than in the wild. Of these percentages at least one third are due to factors that are not present within zoos, emphasizing how zoos do not play any role in the protection of our endangered animals. Species are still becoming extinct, aren't they?
Posted by: AnonymousZoos, a home or a jail?
Zoo’s, a place where people keeps animals for other people to see, or better called, jails. Imagine that you are in your house, it’s a normal day, and then suddenly you get trapped! You arrive to a new place and you fall in the conclusion that you are now going to live in a brand new place, away from your family and with people watching you all day long. Welcome to the the zoo!
Zoos negatively affect the animals because they make the animals get used to have the food killed and served for them. A research from David Harrison (a scientist that studies animal behavior) demonstrated that 71% of the animals that are set free into the wild after being kept in zoo’s die because they are not used to interact with nature because they have simply forgotten how to search for food and defend themselves. In fact they don’t know how to survive.
Many people say zoos are a great idea because you can learn about the animals and see them in person. But the people that goo to zoos for that reason is not really watching how that animal really behaves. They don’t see the animals in their natural habitat. That’s why people have animal reserves. Reserves are much healthier for animals than zoos.
If you go to a zoo you will notice that there are signs that say ‘’don’t touch the fence.’’ Now let’s think: how many of us have touched or have seen someone touching the fence? If people put the sign it’s for a reason and we are clearly not respecting and following the rules. If you invade the habitat of an animal the animals are going to feel threatened or stressed. This is causing a lot of animals to be affected physically.
Many animals are brought to zoos because they use them as entertainment for shows. A research states that there is a zoo in San Diego where there are four shows performed daily by animals. Even though this zoo doesn't have the intention to affect negatively the animals that are performing they are doing it. This is affecting animals because animals shouldn't perform or be treated in a manner that could change their behaviors from how they act in the wild.
Animals are something that amazes me day by day and I believe that each animal should be safe, and the zoo is not the right place. Common sense tells us that home makes you feel comfortable. I believe animals should be treated with respect, think about all the animals that have been taken away from their homes and locked up in jail for a long, long time.Posted by: AnonymousIt's inhumane, and unfair.
It's cruel to confine them to a life of entertaining, not a life of living. They should be able to roam around in their natural habitat, not in some 1 acre field house, with the same meals every night. It goes against what we try to avoid doing to humans.
Posted by: AnonymousYes we should.
People say that its good to keep animals in zoos because they are going extinct but that is not true, they just want money and half of the animals aren't even going extinct! So why even lie about it and just tell the truth? I know it's cool to see animals we don't see, but still no need to keep them in cages!
Posted by: AnonymousAnimals , especially wild animals belong in forests where they can roam free and not caged in Zoos.
Wild animals belong in the wild. They need space to roam, hone their hunting instincts, and survive in the wild where they are supposed to be. It is their natural way of life. We are just imprisoning them by keeping them in Zoos in cages where they are cramped for space and lead unnatural lives. So it is a good idea to ban keeping animals in zoos and put them back into the wild where they belong.
Posted by: danoneenoAnimals do not belong in zoos and they should not be kept there.
Any belong in their natural environment. They should not be kept in zoos for the entertainment of humans. If humans would like to experience seeing wild animals, the world should work on establishing only wildlife refuge. Wildlife care facilities and wildlife refuges should be utilized. Animals belong in the wild and zoos should be abolished.
Posted by: VasilBuddyWe Ban Zoos!
Zoo's keep animals from using their true skill... Lions can't hunt and other species can't enjoy freedom in captivity. Zoo's for animals are like prisons for humans. How would you like it if you were shot with a tranquilizing dart and taken away from your friends and family and being put in prison with a scientist poking you with a needle every day, watching your every move? Wouldn't that feel weird like you did something wrong? BAN ZOOS!
Posted by: AnonymousHow would you feel if you were an animal?
To be trapped in a cage for humans satisfaction. It isn't fair for animals to be entertainment for all of us. They didn't sign up for these kind of stunts but were forced to do so. Elephants and tigers weren't cut out to be in circuses or any type of amusement. They have their own rights just like how we have ours. They have been abused to their own rights and should not be tolerated anymore. They are more than show animals, they are innovative and highly perceptive.
By UnknownPosted by: AnonymousStudying animals in captivity is like studying humans in prison!
Studying animals in captivity is like studying humans in prison! No animal that we cannot replicate the natural habitat for should be kept in prison! Educating today's children into thinking it is OK to keep animals locked up so humans can gawp at them as we please is wrong, let's move with the times people and faze out zoos!
Posted by: AnonymousBan zoos
Yes I think zoos should be banned because the animals do not belong in cages. If they are sick that is was rehabilitation hospitals are for the then when they are better the get released back into the wild. Not kept in cages. And education? That's what books and the internet is for. Caged animals are not happy, they are depressed and very sad. They are supposed to be out in the wild. That's they way they were made. Reading the no's part of this those people sound ignorant. Do you think your dog like being chained to a tree? No they don't. Ignorant people make me sick.
Posted by: Anonymousits not healthy or environmentally stable for animals to be held in captivity when thier instinct is to be in the wild
People like to say it's educational for children, but the only thing being taught is that it's okay to keep animals in captivity. Certain animals, like elephants, live shorter lives when they are kept in captivity. They are held against their will and have no choice but to be brought into a zoo or aquarium where they live the rest of their lives being gaped at my people or suffering form the limited amount of space.
Posted by: AnonymousWild animals belong in the wild, not in zoos.
We shouldn't be allowed to keep animals in zoos because they can suffer from diseases such as zoochosis, a disease from boredom that causes animals to sway back and forth and slowly, but surely, became insane. When the public starts to catch on that something is wrong, some zoos give animals a mood-altering drug, such as Prozac, which is simply inhumane.
I am a 5th grader doing this for my debate team.Posted by: AnonymousZoo's and Jail's
Why keep an animal locked somewhere they aren't free, take it like us in jail. We want to be free and get out right. Also an animal deserves its freedom. What did we ever do to it that made us decide that they shouldn't be free. They need to be in there natural habitat.
Posted by: AnonymousZoos should be banned.
Yes, they are quite amusing, but think about the poor animals stuck in all these little cages. This needs to be stopped. It is not amusing for them. Wildlife parks are OK though. They look after them properly. Animals would prefer to be running free in the wild with the others.
Posted by: AnonymousZoos should be banned
Well, I believe that animals are born to be wild and free. Zoos confine them in a small, artificial and far from what they need captivity. I definitely agree that zoos serve purposes as the elimination of nature's threatens and other educational ones like scientifical studies of great importance. However, animals seem to feel depressed and suffer everyday. Summing up, zoos are not appropriate for animals because the environment is not able to support both physically and mentally them. In addition,cruelty cannot be permitted. We all should try to help.
Posted by: lydia.poulIt is cruel to the animals.
Would you like to be kept in a cage at night or be the entertainment for humans for hours on end? Imagine how they feel. Do you think they might miss their families or there homes? How it smells and feels? What it's like to hunt animals or graze on fields?
Posted by: AnonymousThere shouldn't be zoos.
Should the world have zoos? You may think that we should have zoos because they help endangered species, but I think otherwise. I think otherwise because when researched they figured out that the animals that live in the wild live longer than the animals in zoos and animals in the can get zoochosis.
As I just mentioned, animals that live in zoos don't live as long as in the wild. For example in an article I read, it said that African elephants live 55 years in the wild but only 16 years in the zoos. That’s about a 39 year difference, that is a lot of years. Yes, sometimes the animals are being helped, but they still have a shortened life span. The animals that live in zoos have a uncomfortable life span that they can't change.
Like I said before, animals that live in zoos can get zoochosis (that is a disease that animals get under certain circumstances). The way to get zoochosis is to put an animal in a cage for too long with kids banging on their cage. Also when they have zoochosis they pace around their cage and look really sad. But sadly this is nothing new, according to the animal planet website there have been zoos ever since 1250 B.C., but the first modern zoo was made in 1752. Although zoos are not good for animals they have improved over the years.
Now, I know what you're saying what about the endangered species, they will die without help and care. I agree with you, we need to help the endangered. So I have come up with a plan we should only have zoos for endangered species. The zoos should be big enough so it will be harder for the animals to get zoochosis, and they will actually have the right stuff for the animals. Since it annoys the animals to have loud kids watching them and banging on their cages only adults and kids with special needs will be able to go to the zoos and watch the animals.The newborn animals will be able to go into a private room with their mom because imagine being half scared to death because people are watching you.Posted by: AnonymousAnimals should get their proper care
It is true that zoo increases awareness of species and the impotance of conservation but the animals are not getting their proper care which they deserve. Every animal has its natural habitat which some people are destroying. They keep the animals in very small and dirty cages which is harmful for their health.
Posted by: AnonymousZoo's should be banned.
I don't think we should keep animals in zoo's because it's cruel. Some people think, "They're animals, they don't know the difference." Try having your children born and raised in cages, handled by other people, and being tested and studied all their lives. They're WILD animals; and the wild is where they belong. They have inborn instincts; they're genetically predisposed predators. They weren't evolved to be kept in cages. If we want to study animals and have a good educational understanding, we should study them in their natural habitats from observation of their behaviors. Jane Goodall is a fantastic example; instead of taking the monkeys out of their environment, she toughed it out in their world. She lived among them, gaining their trust and studying them safely and effectively. I'm not saying we should try this with animals like tigers and lions, but we need to find alternate approaches on how to study these animals without sedating them and caging them all their lives.
Posted by: Anonymousidk
i dont knowMe and probably most other people like going to the zoo to see animals. But is it fair to keep birds in cages when their animals that should roam the skies, and how about Tigers that have fury inside them because they've been trapped in a cage. How would you like it, and is it fair?
Posted by: AnonymousGive them freedom.
I don't like it because when you go to the zoo you can see they have made a path were they continuously go around, which means they are terribly stressed. It is very sad and anyone who wants it is so dumb. Please please please ban the keeping of animals in cages!
Posted by: AnonymousYes, zoos should be banned.
Animals are kept in an unnatural, small concrete enclosure when they should be out in the wild along with other animals. These animals live a life of captivity which they do not deserve! I am shocked that zoos are still keeping animals in such poor conditions. So, why visit them? Why support such a disgraceful thing as a zoo!
Posted by: AnonymousThere should be a human exhibit too.
Why only animals? If you are fine with keeping an animal in a cage then you should not have a problem if I take your child and keep him in a zoo for people to see. This is absolutely pathetic. Animals are not meant to be kept in a cage for us to watch, one must understand that nothing gives humans special rights to take an animal into prison.
Posted by: AnonymousNothing wants to be chained
Death is not bad, never having lived is, and you have never lived if you spent your life in a prison/zoo. I'd rather see animals go extinct in their natural course than rob them of their freedom. In the early 20th century human zoos existed, where usually black people were held captive, because of the thought that they were inferior to white man and more primitive. Humanity is cruel and senseless.
Posted by: AnonymousYes, zoos should be banned.
Zoos are cruel to animals. Why don't we just let them have a life like us, hanging around our mates having fun and doing all stuff like that? I wouldn't like us to be trapped in a cage with animals staring at me. It's unfair so let's join up together and stop zoos. I am only 12 years old but zoos can be good as well :)
Posted by: AnonymousIt's unnatural and wrong.
Animals should be able to live their lives to the fullest like us humans would want to. It's very unfair and selfish to take animals from their natural habitat for a life of boring unnaturalness just so that a person can walk by for 5 seconds and say "wow, that's cool" and then never think of it again. It's extremely unfair.
Posted by: AnonymousThe animals are unhappy.
Do you really think that animals like to be in zoos? Do they look happy walking back and forth in their cages thinking about what is going on in their real habitat. I think it is very wrong, think of how you would be if you were in a tight space with a lot of people watching you. I don't think that I would like it very much, I would lose my mind just like that poor little animal in the tight little cage. Just think about that.
Posted by: AnonymousWe do not own wildlife.
Animals belong to their habitats as much as we belong to ours. We do not own other animals, although we may have claimed ownership over their habitats.Stealing animals away from their homes just for public display and minting money is pure human lust for money. If you want to showcase other animals to people, show them in their own habitats.
Posted by: AnonymousSay no to zoos today!
Endangered animals should breed themselves and not bred by zoos. Even though endangered animals are put to safety they still would like to live in the wild, and that is not for only endangered animals but for all animals. Zoos apparently think that it is their responsibility to breed animals and keep them safe. But no, that is not true, they would like to breed themselves and keep themselves safe. You see animals are more mature than you think, and they should be left alone. Not only zoos but pet owners (other than some animals who depend on humans) should let the animal into the wild. While most zoos claim to educate the public about endangered species, the vast majority of animals in zoos are not endangered, nor are they being rehabilitated for release into the wild. If we truly want to help animals in the wild, we must preserve their habitats and combat the reasons humans kill them. Keeping animals behind bars for the sake of our entertainment is not the solution.
Posted by: oceanabbyZoos are unfair on the animals.
I believe that zoos should be banned because it's unnatural to keep a wild animal in a cage. It's necessary for a wild animal to be able to fight, hunt and protect themselves. A wild animal should not be fed but should find it's own food. Animals always appear to be attempting to escape from the zoo and would be happier where they belong.
Posted by: AnonymousDo we have the right to take away the freedom of animals?
In my opinion, zoos should be banned. It is sick to keep big animals cramped in small areas or chain some of them. They belong to the wild. One should never make profit at the cost of an animal's freedom. in this era where one can watch animals on tv do we need zoos? Imagine if you were in the same place.
Posted by: AnonymousWe should definitely ban keeping animals in zoos.
To femaletyron73, how can you learn about a species if you don't know how they act in their natural habitat? How do you think we know that lionesses are usually the one hunting and not the lions, if we did not observe them in a savanna full of potential preys? Also, animals were not meant to live in such restricted places. To the anonymous person with an obvious lack of education who said, and I quote: "they should not be banned cause what if they are sick and hopeless and don't know hiw ti survive in the wild?" My dear, do you seriously think we are saving animals' life by putting them in zoos? Do you think they enjoy staying inactive all day long when their instinct is almost begging them to go back to running after a prey in a land with no limits? I believe some zoos are actually taking great care of their animals and I applaud them. However, we cannot deny the fact that being kept in cages is not always the best thing for them.
Posted by: AnonymousKeeping animals in zoos is inhumane!
I do not think that it is right to keep animals, stuck in zoos. They get sad and bored, and pretty soon they won't even come out to meet the people. It is cruel to leave animals in this state. I am firmly against keeping animals in zoos. If people are to keep animals in zoos then they MUST see that all their needs are met. No more zoos!!
Posted by: AnonymousSlavery by any other name.
To keep an animal in an alien environment purely for the amusement or 'education' of children is simply barbaric. Children can be educated about exotic and wild animals through books, television or that fabulous new invention called the internet where a library of information can be accessed from the comfort of your own home.
Also do not give me that 'saves them from poachers and extinction' bull-crap. Nature reserves that are free from the gaping mouth's of the masses and have trained staff are better at protecting these creatures than zoos and they do not keep them restricted in a glass box or behind iron bars.
Furthermore, the only reason these animals need protecting is because of the expansion of farmlands, cities and the hunt for sources of finite fuels such as coal and oil.Posted by: AnonymousAnimals can't be in zoos for no reason at all.
Because they didn't do anything to be kept in zoos. Zoos are like jail for animals. And they live longer in the wild instead in the zoos. Zoos are also bad for aquatic animals because the aquatic animals can't swim 100 mile everyday in aquariums and they can't dive down the aquarium for a hundred feet.
Posted by: AnonymousCaptivity
It's cruel to keep these animals in an artificial environment just for our benefit. Humans are not the only organisms occupying the planet, and we certainly weren't the first. Instead of zoos, we should implement a breeding program and monitoring scheme in the animals natural habitat, this way we consider both the animals well being and are able to study and care for these wonderful beings without being intrusive or cruel.
Posted by: AnonymousIt is cruel to keep animals in cages.
Animals are like us. When they get taken away to a zoo, it's like you getting taken away from your family, your friends, and most of all you. When you get in a cage you do not act as yourself. You do not feel the same. You just don't like it. A second reason is that animals deserve to be free. What have they done wrong? What do you think? PLEASE HELP SAVE ANIMALS FROM BEING IN A ZOO!!!
Posted by: AnonymousAll your doing is making the animals suffer a long life of labour
Animals belong in there natural habitat in the wild it is a breech of there natural rights to be taken by force into captivity for our own purposes. Whatever the good intentions of zoo-keepers animals in zoos suffer they are confied in unnaturally small spaces and are kept bu the public by cages and bars. Aquatic animals never have enough water, birds are kept from flying away by having there wings clipped and being kept in aviaries. Therefore animals should be banned from zoos.
Posted by: AnonymousThere is no place like home, so don't cage them in.
Zoos are a place for ones own edification of having power over something that don't have a say so on what will be done to them. Those that keep animals and be inhuman to the animal have problems with controlling or facing their personal monsters or too coward to face people that cause them to feel caged in and not being able to express their own meaning of self without fear of being taunted. No matter how long the animal has been cage does not mean that they are not still wild the blood run deep. The taste for their home of the wild is never lost even if they are born in the cage. The blood that created them can't be change so therefore there is no place like home their natural habitat. Lions, tigers, and bears oh mine! And a elephants etc. were not made to be caged but admired for their from afar. That's the true beauty of looking at them is in their real natural habitat the called to the wild. Truth faith
Posted by: AnonymousAnthropocentric and cruel
Reinforces the idea that somehow the world belongs to humans and should be managed by them. Obviously cruel no matter how well run or intended. The simple fact is that the animals do not belong there, They are only there for profit. The research argument is moot. The money spent on a Zoo budget would be mich better spent on designing and implementing field studies. Everything about it is wrong. Like probing Mars while polluting your oceans..
Posted by: AnonymousHow would you like it?
How would you like it if you had people staring at you? How wold you like it if you were locked up in a cage for the whole of your life? Animals have brains just like us, allowing them to have feelings. Animals in zoos are kept in small enclosures which don't allow them to move round much and to get the right amount of exercise that they need. How would you feel being locked up for people's entertainment? Just ask yourself that.
Posted by: AnonymousAnimals are brilliant, why kill them?
Animals are already dying from small enclosed areas they are stressful from not using there true skills like lions and here's a thing that I think about what if aliens where real and the shot you with tranquilizer darts and put you in a cage and taken away from your friends family everything you would be stressful hell you would go crazy in a small area
Posted by: AnonymousInnocent animals sentenced for a life long imprisonment?
Animals die a younger age because of the depression they live in when locked up.
You sentence them the worst punishment we can give to humans in my country and it's already been proven animals highly dislike being caged up.
Not to mention the newer generations which are locked up--will never be able to survive in the wild at their own.
Zoos should be bannedPosted by: AnonymousAnimals should be free like humans.
They should be free like humans. It is not fair for animals not to enjoy there own life. God created us equal, he gave all of us a chance to live the life we want, and not one that other people want. So, animals should be free and not locked up.
Posted by: AnonymousDuluth
Is it really fair taking an animal's freedom and replacing it for a small space that is no where near its natural habitat for our enjoyment? Take polar bears for example, polar bears are supposed to be places that are cold, with plenty of sea to fish for themselves, Zoo's cannot re-create the place they are supposed to live. There is 100% no zoo in the world fit to keep a polar bear. Lions and tigers as another example, they need to run for miles and miles, hunting. A zoo doesn't let them do this. They get fed at a set time regardless of if they are hungry or not, living in a zoo would really muck up an animals mind.
Posted by: AnonymousThey're supposed to really be out like humans.
My argument is that you guys are cons and I'm a pro. They shouldn't be held in a zoo because they suffer from boredom and stress. Let those animals have freedom. That's what they deserve. Let them be free like they wish to be. I mean, it's not right to keep animals in zoos just held in there. It's like you hate them and you don't care, and it's like you think they are doing bad to you. Let them free like humans are.
Posted by: jaylaIt is Wrong.
Animals arent in their natural habitats, therefore they will behave a certain way. It is not educational because all we do is look real quick admire the animal and keep moving. Let them roam free where they are meant to be. They have instincts to survive. They need to be around other animals just like them.
Posted by: Anonymous-
Is it really fair taking an animal's freedom and replacing it for a small space that is no where near its natural habitat for our enjoyment? Take polar bears for example, polar bears are supposed to be places that are cold, with plenty of sea to fish for themselves, Zoo's cannot re-create the place they are supposed to live. There is 100% no zoo in the world fit to keep a polar bear. Lions and tigers as another example, they need to run for miles and miles, hunting. A zoo doesn't let them do this. They get fed at a set time regardless if they are hungry or not, living in a zoo would really muck up an animals mind.
Posted by: AnonymousWould you want to be kept in a cage?
Animals are just like us. Just because we don't have the same shape or form, they can't speak yet we can. We can learn more about the animals we want to observe by seeing them in their natural habitats. Keeping them in small areas even when they do look similar to their home habitats doesnt teach us about anything. They lose themselves, they can't hunt as nature intended instead they become lazy their food brought to them every day at specific times. We can't learn from that.
Posted by: AnonymousYES CAPTIVITY IS WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I THINK ZOOS SHOULD DEFINITELY BE BANNED ANIMALS ARE KEPT IN CAGES, SMALL SPACES, experimented on. so many people say oh they need zoos what if they don't know how to survive they're wild animals they are born with instinct so they know how to survive. how would you like it if you were kept in a cage?????????????????????????
Posted by: AnonymousBecause it's cruel for the animals
THEY SHOULD LIVE A LIFE OF FREEDOM AND HARMONY!!! God created animals not to be kept in cages, we should admire God's creation by NOT keeping it in a cage. It is incredibly UNFAIR for the poor animals to have it locked up, in solitary confinement all by itself. FREEDOM IS THEIRS!!!!!
Posted by: Anonymousyes yes yes!
they should be banned cause what if they are healthy and useful and know how to survuve in the wild! we definitely should ban them! they sad where they are at
Posted by: AnonymousZoos are ineffective as educational tools.
To everyone saying that zoo's are educational, what exactly are you learning by observing an animal outside of its natural environment? Going to a zoo and seeing an elephant teaches you nothing about how that elephant would behave in its natural state. Animals belong in the wild, unobstructed by humans. If you want to experience animals, you need to go to them, not the other way around.
Posted by: AnonymousZoos are cruel to animals.
Zoos are cruel to animals. Why don't we just let them have a life like us hanging around our mates having fun and doing all stuff like that. I wouldn't like us to be trapped in a cage with animals staring at me, it's unfair, so lets join up together and stop zoos.
Posted by: AnonymousIt is inter-species slavery for money.
Humans are exploiting animals' freedom for money. It is as bad as slavery. These days, humanity "can't stand" slavery but everybody takes their kids to Zoos to have fun!
Zoos should be banned, and perhaps reinvented for altruist purposes (saving endangered species). No zoo (or maybe we should even changed their names) should be allowed to retain specimens for good. Their purpose should be rehabilitation for animals to overcome captivity and then be returned to their natural environment.Posted by: AnonymousBecause of zoochotic behavior.
Zoos are essentially confinement cells for animals. No zoo has the appropriate size living space for these large animals and zoochotic behavior is the result. Some zoos even resort to giving animals prozac, an antidepressant. No wild animal gets zoochotic behavior. Zoos are simply cruel and no wild animal deserves that treatment. Domesticated animal are different and can be used to replace wild animals in zoos. If you want to see a wild animal you should see it in it's natural habitat on a safari or tour etc. Imagine going to jail for no reason- that is the zoo. It is just cruel human entertainment and to me no different than dog fighting; only difference is a just a slower death.
Posted by: AnonymousOnly keep them for conservation.
Only species in need of conservation should be kept in zoos. Even then, the stress of having visitors is a bit unnecessary without adequate space. If the zoo is not repopulating this animal up to a certain number than its conservation effort doesn't count and the animal should not be there. The zoos should raise awareness, especially to people moved to make a difference, but should restrict themselves to animals who in the wild live in a very similar climate to the zoo. If the CLIMATE where the zoo is located isn't close to the animals natural habitat, DO NOT raise the animal there. Don't refute with the argument they can simulate the climate.
Posted by: AnonymousIt's just not right to take and control a subsidised life for profit
Everything is supposed to be born free, it only teaches its ok to take what you want and lock it away for your own satisfaction, it's psychotic if you think about it. People need to have respect for life other than their own. They wouldn't do it to us, imagine if it was the other way around.
Posted by: Anonymousa small space that is no where near its natural habitat for our enjoyment?
Is it really fair taking an animal's freedom and replacing it for a small space that is no where near its natural habitat for our enjoyment? Take polar bears for example, polar bears are supposed to be places that are cold, with plenty of sea to fish for themselves, Zoo's cannot re-create the place they are supposed to live. There is 100% no zoo in the world fit to keep a polar bear. Lions and tigers as another example, they need to run for miles and miles, hunting. A zoo doesn't let them do this. They get fed at a set time regardless if they are hungry or not, living in a zoo would really muck up an animals mind.
Posted by: AnonymousBan zoos and circuses with animals.
I love animals and think that they should not be kept just for us to look at. If you share my passion, start a petition today. If it weren't for human ignorance, we wouldn't have a problem. We pay to see animals perform tricks they usually wouldn't do. It may be fun to watch, but think of how they trained the animals. Go to http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-in-entertainment/circuses.aspx to learn more about how some circuses train their animals. I am only in the 7th grade and already have a passion for this. Just think of what one person can do. Their is a quote from a man named Confucius. "The superior man sees in himself what the small man wants to see in others." Another quote is along the same lines. "The superior man sees what is right, the inferior man sees what will sell." Every person, no matter how big or small, or how much or little money they have, can make a difference. It starts with you.
Posted by: AnonymousYEH YEH YEH
Yes they should be banned because it is just sick and wrong to keep animals in zoos i mean like there trapped in cages and everything like that its not right!!!!
Posted by: AnonymousZoos are bad for animals.
Zoos are like a prison for animals and I don't think I'd want to be in prison so why would an animal? Its not like they did anything bad. They may get fed well at the zoo but they are enclosed and they see the same thing every day. Maybe the animals would like to see the outside world again.
Posted by: AnonymousAnimals are treated very poorly in zoos
The workers in zoos know that animals are not safe and its not healthy for animals to stay in zoos but keep them anyway. Animals won't be able to live in their natural habitat. They are not in the wild and cannot do some things that they would normally do when they are in their natural habitat. Some animals could also be harmed by force of cross breed or breeding. Zoos are bad ideas and animals should be safer.
Posted by: AnonymousNo Animals in Zoos
I would like to bann keeping animals in zoos. I think they should be kept in the wild.
Posted by: AnonymousAnimals have rights too!
They should get to be free just like humans! They shouldn't have to be stared at all day and get fed nasty food that isn't good for them! I think that animals should get to experience their natural habitat and live a long and happy life in the wild, where they belong!
Posted by: AnonymousI believe that zoos keep animals from full potential
Frustration and boredom are commonplace amongst animals in zoos and can lead to obsessive behaviors in the form of pacing, swaying, and even self-mutilation. This is known as stereotypic behavior and such pointless, repetitive movements have also been noted in people with mental illnesses. With nothing to do, animals in zoos go out of their minds.
Posted by: Anonymous
Save animals from extinction.
Some of the animals in the world are nearly extinct so why don't we try and save them.
If some of the exotic animals are extinct by the time the next generation come around, we won't be able to show our children because we have not stopped the animals hunting the exotic animals.Posted by: AnonymousI believe zoos are a vital educational tool that enhance our community. Zoos increase awareness of endangered species and the importance of conservation.
Zoos help us understand animals. They provide a good tool for our communities by housing and taking care of animals that may have been in danger at one time in their life. Zoos often treat animals with respect and give them all that they need to survive and live a long happy life. Besides, who doesn't enjoy the zoo? It's a great way to get up close to animals that you would have never otherwise been able to see if they had never left their natural habitat.
Posted by: R3ubHockeyI think zoos shouldn't be banned, because if there are no zoos, then where can we watch those special animals that don't exist in the U.S.?
Zoos are the closest place for us to watch animals that we didn't know. We can learn about those animals, and see them not in the book but in real. Animals can feel uncomfortable with the zoo circumstances, but it is not, because they seems to be having fun, and don't really care about us. The zoo is the only place we can see and watch animals that we only see in the books.
Posted by: AnonymousAnimals deserve to live in one place
Animals that are brought up in captivity are used to it so when they have to change habitat it is weird for them so if up were brought up in England then moved to a place like China you would feel uncomfortable because up out of your habitat. We are helping to protect the animals.
Posted by: AnonymousZoos do not force animals to breed/live with each other.
To whoever stated that animals are forced to breed with each other; that is an absurd assumption! Keepers take special care when introducing a new member to an existing group of animals; different personalities, relationships and behavioural patterns are all taken into account. If an animal is not accepted into a community or bullied by fellow animals (a process that occurs naturally in the wild) it is not forced to stay with the group. All animals are watched carefully for problems, they will not be left to suffer or feel alienated in the group. Animal happiness is of the utmost importance and each animal’s needs are considered carefully when introducing new animals into the zoo. Wild animal social groups are replicated as closely as possible within captivity, for example; if an animal is solitary it is not placed in a group where it will be unhappy, it will be kept on its own until the appropriate breeding season where it will be given the opportunity to mate. It may also be kept close to it’s mate, for example; Edinburgh Zoo’s giant pandas, Tian Tian and Yang Guan are kept side by side and can see, hear and smell each other but have their own separate territories. This means that they can get used to one another and eradicates tension or potential aggressive behaviour when they are placed together during breeding season. Lastly, animals are not forced to breed with one another. If they do not want to breed, they will not; it is as simple as that. Many species, such as lions, will have an alpha male with which all the females will breed. This is a natural process and shows that animals in captivity don’t simply breed with the one male because they have ‘no other options’.
Posted by: AnonymousWE SHOULD NOT HAVE ZOOS IN AMERICA
It will be sad for the animals to be lock down in cages and zookeepers abusing them and not growing in there natural habitat and really not a zoo lover. When writing a essay remember to tell how bad zookeepers treat the animals and other animals running in the street. I hope you agree with me.
Posted by: AnonymousWe should not ban keeping animals in zoos because they provide education and conservation.
Zoos allow people to enjoy animals that they would never see if they had to go to the animals' natural habitats. Zoos help educate people so they understand the need for conservation both for the animals and the plants. This raises awareness. They also help protect endangered and irreplaceable species, ultimately providing a better world for the animals.
Posted by: R02BornNo, animals should be kept in zoos as long as they are taken care of properly.
No I do not think that we should ban shutting down zoos because in the jungle they could be killed and hunted however I do think that animals should have the opportunity to have a bit of a free life and to enforce what is in their nature not just to be kept behind bar. However they are kept safe.
In conclusion they should be in zoo's but have more of a free life.Posted by: AnonymousWe need them
Not only do zoos save animals from extinction, but they actually reproduce the animals for future release into the wild to restore the dwindling numbers, such as the black rhino. Without the zoos caring and breeding the animals they would have long ago become extinct. As others have stated, the animals in zoos are well taken care of, they are also a place of people to learn about animals they otherwise would not be able to see, and they provide a safe environment for many endangered animals. In the wild many of these animals would die because of illnesses, hunting, and starvation. They are a great place for people to gain a firsthand appreciation for the divine beauty of nature and with that appreciation people will be more inclined to care for our beautiful earth.
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. There are certainly zoos that do nothing but display animals, but so many have broadened their exhibit goals, and expanded their species scope of responsibility, that each zoo really needs to be judged on its own merits.Posted by: AnonymousWe oppose the closing of zoos.
The animals have less chances of survival due to the natural competition for basic needs.
The animals become more aggressive and wild thus affecting the Zen relationship between human and animals.
Animals in the zoo can also increase the revenue for the tourism industry thus stabilizing the country's financial standards.Posted by: AnonymousChildren can learn about animals that they would never see otherwise by visiting a zoo.
As long as the animals are well cared for and treated humanely, I have no problem with zoos. They afford the opportunity for many children (and adults as well) to see animals that they would never see otherwise. Zoos can be educational. The animals need to be treated well with cleanliness, adequate food and medical attention when needed.
Posted by: R0d0FerdyNo, zoos are vital
Zoos are essential for many different reasons. They preserve the life of animals that would otherwise be endangered, allow us to examine them and learn from them and longer and healthier lives for the animals. Without zoos many people would never see some of the animals that live there. Would you rather have a zoo, or a whole race extinct?
Posted by: AnonymousAnimals are safer in zoos
Animals are safer in zoos...Look at the rhino. Imagine if they weren't in zoos,wouldn't they all be extinct now? We also get to learn so much more about animals in zoos. If there were no zoos,how would we know how long a giraffes neck really is? And how big an elephants ear is? We get to see animals that aren't even in our country.Z oos are here to stay!
Posted by: AnonymousKEEP THEM IN THE ZOO
Zoos are for showing the pretty and ugly animals we have around the world, and it tells us about where they are from and we can hear them and see them in real life. Sometimes we can feed them and I think that feeding animals is really cool. And the bird showing things are awesome. DO NOT TAKE ANIMALS AWAY FROM ZOOS!!
Posted by: Anonymousno
we shouldn't its good for education and fun to learn about. Who knows what could happen to them if they were in the wild? Its Just sad thinking about it and let face it face it who doesn't love seeing animals? if they were in the wild we couldn't see them could we? the longest we see some of them for is 10 seconds and then some of tem will run up and kill us!
Posted by: AnonymousNo, they are helpful in many ways.
They stop animals from dying and getting hunted by other animals on the top of the food chain.
1. We like them. 2. They help protect endangered species. 3. They are a great place for people to gain a firsthand appreciation for the divine beauty of nature. 4. With that appreciation people will be more inclined to care for our beautiful earth.Posted by: AnonymousNo, zoos offer a lot
No off course zoos shouldn't be banned. Zoos are what brought many of us to be fascinated in animals. Zoos are a very educational place if it is done correctly. Through the use of formal and informal education you are learning without even realizing it. The enclosures being naturalistic allow the animals to preform natural behaviors as they would in the wild environment, the enclosures also allow people to understand that habitat that these animals would live in the wild. If wasn't for certain conservation efforts that zoos contribute too many species could have become extinct. You can learn a lot for the animals being face to face to them learning the respect they need and also you cant say that a good zoo should be banned as for many people that is as close as anyone has ever come to a wild animal and that will memory will stay with them for ever. Possible influencing future decisions.
Posted by: AnonymousAnimal survival
Animals survive longer in zoos than in their natural habitats. If animals are kept in zoo's and bred, we will no longer meet the extinction of the beautiful creature. Zoo's provide animals with all that they would need, they also provide the animals things that the want. Animals are treated like humans, they have a lot of space to walk around and exercise within. Animals would risk their lives in the wild, many predators are out and about, but here at the zoos, their life would be protected, they would be safely secure and occupied.
Posted by: AnonymousSome animals will only survive the humans' exploitation of the earth by being kept in a zoo.
There are very large animal habitats that have been raped and are no longer fit for some animals to live in. Dangerous animals have nowhere to live and if we want them to not become extinct, we should keep them in zoos and help them along with reproduction until there is again an acceptable habitat where they can survive and where humans should stay out of.
Posted by: Nik0InteriorTom Brady
Zoo's are the Shit! Just like Me!
Posted by: AnonymousNo, save the zoos.
Zoos are a great way for humans and animals to bond, it is also the safest way to see animals. Seeing an animal in person is so much more memorable and special then on TV. Zoos help rehabilitate wildlife and exotic pets that have mistreated or can not be cared for anymore by their owners. In a zoo animals are never bored and well-cared for. They are an American tradition and they help educate and entertain people in a fun and exciting way! LONG LIVE THE ZOOS!
Posted by: ZooLoverThere is nothing wrong with zoos.
Zoos give the animals experiences that they aren't able to have in the wild. Zoos give more animals the chance to live. Imagine a young baby, abandoned by its own mother, then taken in by a care home and aided to health. A zoo is the equivalent to this .
Posted by: Anonymouszoos are important
By taking our children to zoos, by educating them and showing them how beautiful animals are, we are entrusting the animal future to them. If they have had a first hand experience of these animals then they will be more likely to take heed of animal needs in the long run. They will be less likely to buy animal furs or elephant tusks. In turn, they will be more likely to buy animal friendly produce and be more likely to campaign for these animals. Even if a few animals are harmed in the process, the outcome outweighs that harm; more animals will be saved in the future. Knowledge is our only aid in the fight against global warming and animal protection. We need to know exactly what’s going to happen and how animals will respond in these situations. By sending in specialist animal observers to zoos we can begin to unravel the mystery of how to save these animals for the future events to come. We can discover ways to protect them, we can learn which habitats they can survive in, and we can learn which foods they would be willing to supplement their nutrition from. By learning this, we can help wild animals of the future survive the changing environment. While ideally animals should be free to live in the wild, on occasion their survival as a species becomes threatened, either naturally or artificially. Whatever the reason, zoos have been a major method of preventing animal species from becoming extinct. While it may be the case that some species' extinction has only been delayed by zoos, in others the zoos have been pivotal in breeding new generations and protecting a gene pool while the animal is re-introduced into a more natural environment.
While protecting natural habitat should take precedent over zoos, many of these regions are politically unstable or financially destitute. It is hard to blame someone who values his own families survival over that of an animal. Because many zoos are in wealthy, stable nations, a secure and nurturing environment can be artificially created to help the most endangered animals survive and continue to breed. A "Noahs Ark", if you will. When an animal has been in a zoo for a long time thay have become used to being fed and not being hunted. If we just return them to the wild they might get injured or die.Posted by: AnonymousYes, animals should live in zoos.
Did you know that 751,931 animals live in a zoo? Did you know animals in captivity have a larger chance to live longer? 1/6 of dolphins in a zoo die from a non-related health issue Also 3% of dolphins die from the age of 1-2. When in a local zoo they have one over the age of 45 when of dolphins normally live about half the amount when they live in a zoo compared to in human captivity dolphins median of life is 25 years old which is doubled the wild life, span. Also wild tigers live to the age of 12 when in a zoo they live 20 big difference it is like saying if you live to 100 years old you could of live 60% longer with is 60 years! So I think they should remain in captivity.
If animals didn’t live in zoos you couldn’t see some of God's fascinating creatures without getting injured so if we still have zoos we can allow this privilege to all.
When animals live in a zoo they have the highest state of medical care when in the wild they can die from the smallest disease. It is important that we protect the animals as much as we can because if a species of animals die it will affect the entire food chain.Posted by: AnonymousNOT CRUEL
Nearly all of the animals in zoos have either been bred in captivity or need to receive medical attention. Animals born and raised in zoos do not have the survival skills to be let out into the wild and have had nothing taken away from them. These animals are well cared for and are not harmed in anyway. They prevent the extinction of many animals, offer a large number of jobs, and modern day zoos are not cruel to animals. There are so many reasons in this case why the positives of having zoos out way the negatives.
Posted by: AnonymousZoos are a good way to see animals and help them escape extinction
If there were no zoos, how many times do you think you would see a tiger in the country you live in? None? How many times do you think you could see a tiger if there were zoos? Eight or ten times? Not only do zoos help you see animals you would not usually see up close in a forest, but they also help animals which are near extinction breed and strengthen their breeds population.
Posted by: AnonymousA lot of animals' natural habitat is in danger
First of all, I'd like to say that if there were no zoos, probably a lot of animals would be extinct by now. I understand that zoos are also for people's entertainment, but where would they get the money to look after the animals? I'm sure that nobody would make donations...
Second of all, we can't suddenly close all the zoos, because animals are already used to living in cages, and they would have a totally different behavior, maybe even dangerous. Plus, people destroy everything nowadays, so I'm sure that their natural habitats wouldn't be the same. Or it would be very dangerous to live because of the pollution...Posted by: AnonymousHave you seen New Zealand zoos?
All of our local zoos are massive, most enclosures are at least 3 or 4 acres. Zoos are vital for the conversation of animals. If there were no zoos, hundreds of species worldwide would go extinct. Zoos are one of the best things for animals. As long as there are no cages, zoos are life saving.
Posted by: AnonymousNo animal extiction
I think that we should not ban zoos because they keep some animals to not become extinct. They might have them in cages but still would you rather have a big animal run around and crush some people or have them in safe cages and have them get good food. Animals are good creatures and they should be safe they keep the animals safe and whatever about the bad food at least the get food better then having to hunt for food in the wild that is why they should not ban zoos.
Posted by: Anonymouspreserving endangered animals
I think animals should be kept in zoos because it can preserve some species of animals that are going endangered. It could also hopefully save some animals and keep the species going. Some people may believe that animals should be kept in thier natural habitat but that is constantly getting destroyed by the growing human population. But in zoos they have no chance of being harmed by predators, and they are kept healthy and fed well.
Posted by: AnonymousThey are safer in zoos.
They are safer in zoos. They are in a better environment and won't get hunted any more. If the animal is hurt, the zoo can help the animal. The zoo people can build bigger enclosures for them and help them if they are ill. Zoos are a great things for animals.
Posted by: AnonymousI don't believe that we should ban the keeping of animals in zoos.
Animals in zoos do not have that bad of a life. They are fed several times a day, depending on their care specifications. Predators are not a daily threat to their life. One of the main purposes of zoos is to raise awareness of the plight of animals in areas where they are threatened.
Posted by: MonserratCAccording to my 7 year old
I read a great article to my 7 year old, by the CBC news, with arguments in favor for and against zoos. In the end, his response is, "I'm sure everybody would miss looking at all of the animals." I guess he figures a few animals need to take one for the team so us crazy humans can fall in love with them and protect the wild animals, who still have their freedom.
Posted by: Anonymousbreeding programs
I think zoos should be allowed to keep animals because many zoos have breeding programs or ways to sponsor an animal. If breeding programs are successful the animals can be released back into the wild to bump up their population in the wild and sponsors provide essential funding for these programs, the well-being of animals and indeed any other programs. Without zoos there would be no need for sponsors to fund vital programs or have anywhere for the breeding programs.
Posted by: AnonymousNo zoos!
Animals should be free instead of being locked inside of a cage at the zoo for people's entertainment. They should have an empty piece of land where they can do anything they want. Animals need to be free like humans. We have a big piece of land. We should share.
Posted by: sammy2002Keeping animals in zoos should not be banned.
I am in favor of zoos as long as the animals are treated humanely. Zoos are a great form of entertainment for families and can also provide shelter and food for animals that may not otherwise be able to survive.
Posted by: EImerN4thKeeping zoos. -Jazmin, and Scarlett
You walk into the gates, your ears are overwhelmed by the deafening screeches, roars, and the screams of happy children. The memories that should last forever. Zoos should be funded, and upgraded... Not forgotten about. Zoos are a great learning experience for children, and teens, and a way to connect them back to reality. Zoos are also a good way to keep endangered animals safe.
Posted by: AnonymousZoos shouldn't be banned.
Zoos are supposed to be enjoyment and zoos help you learn more about animals. These creatures can help us discover what it feels like to be an animal. Zoos are great to explore and I love going to the zoo myself. I can learn a lot of cool stuff animals can do. I am only 12 years old and I love zoos.
Posted by: AnonymousSay no to banning animals at zoos
We need to look after them that's why we have animals going extinct all the time because we don't keep an eye on them or look after them so they die of illnesses cause they can't be treated by zoo keepers and they also get poached cause of poor security. And it entertains kids and adults so it's a win win situation.
Posted by: AnonymousYes
Animals should be kept in zoos. if we can keep cows for milk and sheep for wool we should be able to keep animals in zoos. Children can learn about animals that they would never see by visiting a zoo. Animals survive longer in zoos than in their natural habitats. because they will have medicines and they wouldve already got used to the climate.
Posted by: AnonymousHaving animals in zoos helps educate the public about them.
Although living in a zoo isn't the ideal life for an animal, having the chance to see the animals in person might help people care more about protecting their natural environments. Zoo management should make sure that every animal in the zoo has a good quality of life, and only keep animals that can adapt to living in captivity. Hopefully, seeing animals in zoos will help people care more about the environment.
Posted by: N Schroeder 60Certain zoos maintain a close-to-natural environment for animals
Zoos help us learn about animals. Most zoos are now trying to create an environment that keeps the animal entertained. Some animals need to be kept in zoos for their survival. Poachers can be a big risk. Animals that live in zoos have a longer life. Zoos help us become more aware about the world around us
Posted by: AnonymousI oppose the banning of animals in zoos because there is value in being able to observe animals from different countries.
Zoos fulfill a vital role in educating people about animals from distant countries. It is important that the animals are given a well maintained habitat with adequate room and stimulating activities. Educating zoo visitors is an effective way of increasing awareness to the plight of endangered species and how we can make a difference.
Posted by: R3n5God2iIIaAnimals are safe in zoos.
Zoos provide a good home for many endangered species. Without breeding species within zoos, many animal species would be extinct. The Californian Condor was just one of the many species that have been saved by zoos. Animals who live in the wild are often killed by predators and don't have a life span as long as an animal in a zoo would. Giraffes for example live an average of 28 years in a zoo while only 20-25 years in the wild. There was even one giraffe who lived up to 33 years under the protection of a zoo. Animals are better off in zoos.
Posted by: AnonymousZoos are for kid's enjoyment!
Kids enjoy seeing all exotic animals. Some animals are kept from going extinct in these habitats. Plus, most everyone enjoys zoos. If they don't, they might have had a bad childhood. These aren't the only reasons. We can see animals that are continents away. We can all enjoy seeing animals we haven't seen before.
Posted by: AnonymousThey should stay because they are important.
Zoos are important because some animals are on the extinction list and they are in zoos because of this reason. They need a safe place to live and reproduce without being stressed about what will happen in the future. They have the same rights as us and that right is to have a place to live.
Posted by: Anonymousno no no!
they should not be banned cause what if they are sick and hopeless and dont know hiw ti survive in the wild!! we definitly should not ban them!!:) there happy where they are at.
Posted by: AnonymousFood, Shelter, Water
Animals in a Zoo have a better life than those in the wild. They are free of disease and the threat of starvation. An animal's freedom as defined by the amount of territory they have to roam is misleading, large predators (bears, big cats) need these large areas in order to hunt and they defend their territories. A animals place in the zoo becomes that new territory. There is plenty of literature on animals that have escaped and returned to the zoo.
Animals have more to fear from Man when in the Wild then in the Zoo. Even then, animals die every year in zoo's from people feeding them poison, or apples with Razor blades.Posted by: AnonymousWe shouldn't ban animals from zoos because they get care.
I believe that we should not ban animals form zoos because animals are taken care of in zoos. It is way better than being in the wild where animals can die. In the zoo, they can't die because they are cared for. They are also given love by people other than their parents. I think animals should stay in zoos.
Posted by: AnonymousWe should not ban zoos.
We should not ban zoos because zoos help endangered species of animals grow back so they don't become extinct. Zoos take in all sorts of animals to breed and grow so as I mentioned before, they don't become extinct. As well as that zoos are a fun place to go and to view animals. This means you don't have to travel MILLIONS of miles just to see a rhino or an elephant in a different country which will be very expensive to go to, but to go to a safe place which isn't that expensive and see more animals is an added bonus. Humans destroy half of the animals in the worlds environment, ZOOS ARE WHAT WE CAN GIVE BACK TO ANIMALS TO SAVE THEM!
Posted by: AnonymousNo, zoos are great places for kids to learn about animals.
Why do we want to ban every thing today? Zoos have been around for centuries, and I have not heard an animal complain yet. Zoos serve a great purpose. They help to educate our kids about the different animals in the world. I honestly don't think animals who are born into captivity know any different.
Posted by: BriaBlackenSome need our help
Without zoos, some animals may be extinct. Breeding programs within zoos are helping sustain some species of animals that without our help, would become endangered, then later, extinct. Eg- Zoos are currently trying to save the Tassie devil that is in great danger of dying out to a kind of face cancer.
I do agree that there are some species that should be kept out of zoos, as it is cruel to the animal: e.g: tigers, bears, leopards etc. These animals belong in the wild, and should never be tamed, but some animals such as reptiles, birds, wallabies can be tamed and become used to human contact.
If they are kept in the right conditions, with lots of room to get away from the public when needed, then zoos are okay. Zoos should contain animals, but only the right ones, especially the ones that need our help.Posted by: AnonymousI do not think we should ban the keeping of animals in zoos, because they teach us a lot.
Zoos should not be banned from keeping animals, as the animals in zoos can teach us a lot. Keeping animals in zoos, if they are humanely taken care of, is a great way to teach the public citizens about all kinds of animals. Animals in zoos are usually very well taken care of, also.
Posted by: FemaleTyron73Zoos should exist!
Zoos should exist because going there is fun and exciting for kids and adults. Elephants, giraffes, rhinoceros, lions, tigers, and bears are just few of the animals which people can see and have a face-to-face encounter in a zoo. Zoos should exist because now they have strict rules and regulations for the proper care and custody of the animals. Even though we can see the animals through a television it is not the same as going to the zoo and actually see the animals and how they behave. We simply cannot remove zoos because some people can't afford buying a plane ticket and fly to Africa just to see a lion or gorilla. We can't go to Antarctica to see a polar bear because its too cold. Zoos provide the public an opportunity to connect with the animals and to be able to learn and understand more about them. Like the food they eat, their habitat, behavior in the wild, and offspring.
Posted by: AnonymousI don't agree that the banning of animals in zoos should ever take effect, because for some animals it provides a safe and friendly environment.
I don't agree with pulling animals from their natural environment, except for in cases where it means the animal will not suffer or perish. Many zoos are well known for saving animals in such circumstances. Another important note is that many zoo animals were born into that environment and would be in no way capable of surviving in the wild on their own, and it would be cruel to put them in that environment.
Posted by: ladisimoneI believe zoos should be kept open because they are vital educational and research sources.
While there is a lot to be desired from how zoos can be run, at this point they do more good than harm. By having animals in a place where the public can see them, realize their existence fully, zoos provide people with a 'face' to put to wildlife and environmental conservation. They also allow scientists to study behaviors and biology of rare or endangered species, while allowing them to continue to propagate them through breeding programs.
Posted by: R0II4IcyThere should be zoos
Yes, there should be zoos. Zoos are beneficial to both humans and animals. The zoos are beneficial because of the animals safety, education and
Zoos are homes to many animals. Such as lions, monkeys, deer etc. The difference between “zoos” compared to the “natural habitat” of the animals is zoos are much safer. Zoos are safer because if the animals fall sick, animals will get medical attention from the zookeepers. Animals can get their food on a daily basis without over or under feeding.
Zoos aren’t just a benefit to the animals, zoos also benefit us humans. Kids always have an interest in exploring, so kids watch movies read books, look at pictures all about animals, but if children get to see animals in reality they can experience so much more than what books or movies have. Although, zoos are great tourist attractions too. Many people around the world come to visit our famous zoos because it is such a great event for everyone.
By bringing people and animals together, zoos educate the public and foster an appreciation of the animals. This exposure and education motivates people to protect the animals. Seeing an animal in person is a much more personal and more memorable experience than seeing that animal in a nature documentary.
DONT IGNORE THIS PLEASEPosted by: AnonymousZoos protect animals from extinction.
Imagine this situation. You are a zebra living in a nice calm place with no predators. Suddenly an idiotic moron takes that away from you. He puts you in a huge area where you don't know how to survive and end up dead. Zoos protect animals from extinction. They are much better than circuses who sometimes beat and harm animals. For that reason, zoos buy animals for vast amounts of money, much more than the animals are worth purely for the purpose of keeping them alive.
Posted by: AnonymousPreventing Extinction
Animals can be reproduced in zoos to help prevent extinction. And most zoos have enclosures, not cages. Plus most animals homes have been destroyed, and they do not have a place to live. And of the animal was raised in captivity, then they are well taken care of. And most enclosures are exposed to the outdoors, so they still have the taste of freedom.
Posted by: AnonymousZoos are the safest way to see animals.
I believe that zoos are the safest way to see animals, if not for zoos there would be plenty of people who would never see some of God’s fascinating creatures. Nowadays there are also a lot of animals in zoos that are all but extinct, and if not for zoos they would no longer exist.
My main point is endangered species get taken care of by ways of breading and protection.Posted by: Anonymous