The Impact of Zoos on the Animals in Them
Zoos have been around in America since 1874, and the first recorded zoo was established in Egypt by Queen Hatshepsut in 1500 BC. Keeping animals in an enclosed area for the sole purpose of watching them in order to be entertained is outdated and inhumane in today’s culture. The quality of life for the animals in these zoos is not the same as it would be in their natural habitat, additionally, while the zoo may protect them from their natural predators, there are prevalent new threats when wild animals are kept in enclosed spaces. “Others are concerned that living in a zoo diminishes animals ' quality of life, that captive breeding is of limited value, or that entertainment is not a sufficient justification for keeping animals in captivity” (Kuehn, Bridget). For these reasons, among others, zoos are ultimately more detrimental than helpful to the animals in them.
In some instances, it is realistic that the staff at these zoos may give insufficient care to the numerous needs of these wild animals, not out of the desire to harm them, but potentially out of the lack of the right tools these animals need. There are also often not enough funds to supply each animal or species with their own unique requirements. Large, untamed animals cannot be expected to thrive in enclosures, however, acquiring larger areas of land for them or specialty food for their specific diets would substantially increase the budget of a zoo. “Precious funds that