A tiger paces in a tight enclosure, whilst an exotically colored fish swims laps in a glass chamber, and a vibrant bird sits alone in a small cage. Unfortunately, this is the reality for many zoos in America. Most promote conservation and protection for species in need. However, money raised from zoos doesn’t always go towards the conservation they promise it will.
Whilst zoos go through rigorous inspections by animal welfare agencies, captive animals can still suffer from trauma and mistreatment. Lots of animal lovers, such as myself, leave zoos feeling upset due to the harsh living conditions set upon animals. Captivity can leave animals stressed, bored, and even ill. They live in limited environments, which are often unnatural and are frequently neglected by zookeepers who aren’t prioritizing their medical needs.
According to an article from the animal charity Born Free, elephants in captivity often died prematurely, had poor breeding success, and also had varieties of untypical qualities in behavior and appearance.
Elephants are a common animal to see in zoos, often grouped in pairs. They’re known to be social animals that travel miles within the safety of their herds, though are unable to when confined to a small encloser. Their mistreatment in zoos and circuses isn’t much better than poaching and habitat loss that they already suffer from.
Instead of causing domesticated elephants a slow death behind bars, zoos and sanctuaries can better suit their needs and hopefully solve the rapidly increasing threat of extinction.
Carnivores such as polar bears and big cats also perform worse in captivity, according to the science article “Zoo Carnivores Need More Space,” animals that are known to have a large habitat range in the wild perform worse in zoos than ones who don’t.
These animals need space to roam, and the highly crowded environment that they’re often kept in exposes them to stress and boredom, resulting in self-biting, pacing, and rocking. A solution would be to keep such animals in more expanded enclosures, or not in them at all.
The chronic stress implanted in them by being trapped in an enclosure can lead to psychological distress and brain changes. Many animals kept captive are left with trauma and cannot be released back into the wild. Many times, zoos never release the animals back into the wild and don’t breed animals with any intent of repopulating numbered species, as they say they do.
While it seems many zoos can be unethical, zoos accredited by Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) are often the most reputable, and visitors can visit sanctuaries to support a more honest cause.
A zoo that is an example of integrity in Washington state is called the Woodland Park Zoo. Located in Seattle, it’s pushing high conservation efforts and is accredited by AZA. The zoo pushes for protection of a wide range of endangered species, such as tree kangaroos, red pandas, and Eurasian cranes.
The Woodland Park Zoo also holds very high standards for an educational and immersive environment. The zoo upholds its reputation for education by hosting career days, advocacy groups, and social groups for teens. It also encourages field trips and offers year-round camps for children.
Another example of a Washington AZA-approved zoo would be the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. In 2002, it rescued two polar bears from a Mexican circus and many other animals. However, it’s mentioned in a few articles, such as “Point Defiance Zoo: Stop capturing wild animals,” that their enclosures are too small.
I’ve personally been there a few times, and I agree with that statement, especially in the red wolf, arctic fox, and polar bear exhibits. However, that zoo has been steadily improving animal living standards, and also has many caring zookeepers.
Many zoos need work harder to improve their living standards for animals. So many animals are being mistreated by a lack of focus on accommodation for their well-being. While many zoo staff are very caring and provide enough food to keep them well-fed, those captive animals need bigger enclosures.
Zoos should focus entirely on educating the public, not on entertaining them, and also be contributing to research and serving conservation towards animals in need. So many animals suffer in captivity, and a surplus is killed, which all could be prevented. Instead of supporting zoos that don’t back up their claims of effort put into their inhabitants, people should try to find more responsible and humane programs.
These corporations shouldn’t focus on the monetary aspects of their zoos and instead rescue and protect animals. They must treat the animals, which were taken from the wild, from their nests and burrows, with the utmost respect and care that is possible. Conserving wildlife is important to keep food webs and natural habitats from extinction. If zoos could all practice biodiversity protection, there wouldn’t be such an issue with whether or not they’re moral.
