Captivity In Zoos

Zoos are prisons for animals. They’re life is controlled by zookeepers, they are given limited choices as to daily activities, food, sexual partners or social interactions with others of their species (Singer). Additionally, certain animals such as orca whales can be watched through drone footage, which reveal that the space provided for them is too small for these large creatures to be held in captivity. Lolita, an orca whale who lived at the Miami Seaquarium since 1970, is an example of these inhumane situations. She is a 20 foot-long orca restricted to an 80 by 35 foot Whale Bowl. In general, “big animals cannot function in a zoo’s confined bit of real estate” (Problem). Specific breeds such as lions and tigers have 18,000 times less room

Captivity destroys even the toughest animals. It affects their mental health and forces them to do absurd things which include self inflicting themselves. In the case of captive gorillas, the National Zoo reported that in 2011, 30 apes were taking heart medications because they suffered from cardiac disease (Guarino). Also, animal expert Laurel Braitman wrote a book entitled “Animal Madness” where she recounts a story of a gorilla named Tom who was sent away to a new zoo, because he was a perfect match for the gorillas in the new area. While he was there, he was assailed and as a result “he shed a third of his body mass” (qtd. in Guarino). Braitman, Tom’s former caretaker, claims the gorilla began to weep and cry when we came to visit. Along with the gorilla species, elephants, bears, monkeys, birds, giraffes, and big cats including lions and tigers are also observed and diagnosed with experiencing similar behavioral issues. 54% of elephants in captivity experience behavioral issues such as bobbing their heads, swaying side to side and trunk-swinging (Guarino). 48% of lions spend the majority of their time pacing their cages (Guarino). Monkeys and birds are often seen self harming themselves. Giraffes twist their necks in unusual ways and bend their heads back and forth (5 Secrets). These helpless animals experience forms “zoochosis”, “a repetitive or ritualized behavior caused by boredom of confinement” (Guarino). Devastatingly, there is a myriad amount of conditions that follow zoochosis. Additional examples of common conditions are tongue-playing and bar biting, which is the continual licking, sucking or biting of walls, bars or gates in an enclosure. Also, rocking which is when animals such as apes, are seen sitting uncomfortably rocking their body back and forth while hugging their knees into their chest. Likewise, over grooming and self mutilation are examples.