Zoos Are Harmful And Counterproductive To Animal Welfare

Zoos are harmful and counterproductive to animal welfare despite the enticing arguments for zoos. Look at the beautiful marketing, the pages of photos of children getting close to turtles, monkeys and lemurs. The logic goes that children will grow to respect the animal kingdom if they can see them. As much as zoos justify the protection of species, it is precisely the zoo and captivity experience that injures the animal's mental and physical health. It is important to examine the research that has come out of animal welfare investigations to way the cost of those animals who cannot advocate for themselves.

As we evolve as humans and protect the rights of others and those who cannot advocate for themselves, we are recognizing that animals

Animals should be in the wild with their families in the environment that they were born to live in. They “should be able to live in their natural habitats and be allowed to roam freely because animal’s natural instincts will soon vanish if they are caged in zoos.” Peter Singer, professor of bioethics at Princeton University in the US, believes that, “There is no excuse for keeping wild animals in amusement parks or circuses. Until our governments take action, we should avoid supporting places where captive wild animals perform for our amusement.” Some animals are also forced to live in climates that they are not accustomed to which is extremely cruel to these innocent animals. For example, “elephants are accustomed to live in tropical climates but they are forced to live in zoos in cold countries like Canada, New England, and New York.” Also, polar bears are accustomed to live in the Arctic, but are forced to live in zoos with temperate weather conditions- a standard 68 degrees fahrenheit compared to freezing temperature of 30 degrees fahrenheit. These living conditions are not what a lot of animals should be living in because it causes harm to the animals and affects their bodies. Studies prove that many animals even die quicker in zoos that in the

A documentary film called ‘Zoochosis’ was actually made describing what really happens to animals in captivity. Nanna Paskesen, director and producer of the film, says that documentarians of the movie cover the history and development of the study of zoochosis in animals asserting theories on how stress can cause brain dysfunction leading to mindless behaviors that serve as a coping