Cruel Captivity Animals caged in zoos are prisoners that never committed even one crime. Many people believe keeping wild animals captive in zoos is harsh and unnecessary, while others believe there are valid reasons to continue this archaic exploit. Confining wild animals in pens that are not remotely similar to their natural habitats does not educate the public about their existence, conserve their population, or provide a favorable quality of life for them; it is a cruel and unnecessary act of human selfishness. Zoo enthusiasts believe the public is educated about the animals they house. In fact, there was a time in history when that may have been true. “There were virtually no televisions in the 1950 's when people flocked to the big zoos,” ("Zoos, Animals and Animal Rights."). However, in the 21st century, people can learn …show more content…
It is important to recognize that the only lesson taught by zoos is that it’s acceptable to hold animals captive. Zoo supporters believe humans have destroyed the natural habitats of these wild animals, making the goal of conservation an essential reason to house them. This is true to a degree. There was a time when “rare animals from the wild” were captured to populate zoos, directly influencing “the survival of the animals ' wild population,” ("Zoos, Animals and Animal Rights."); in essence, zoos assisted in the same destruction they claim makes their existence necessary. The removal of these animals from the wild has also impacted the survival of their populations, rendering “the remaining individuals...less genetically diverse” and making it more difficult for them to find mates (Lin). Furthermore, there is no “certainty that animals in zoos will breed successfully, survive debilitation from lack of genetic variety, or resist extinction from infectious diseases,” ("Zoos, Animals and Animal Rights."). It is also true that most animals in zoos will never live in their natural