Happy, an Asian elephant, lives at the Bronx Zoo, in New York City. But the Nonhuman Rights Project (NhRP) says the zoo doesn’t provide the space and socialization that Happy needs. The NhRP is taking the Bronx Zoo to court. Its case will be heard in 2022.
The case has restarted conversations about whether or not zoos should still exist. Some say zoos save species from extinction and teach people about conservation. Others argue that living in captivity is bad for an animal’s mental and physical health. Here, TIME for Kids readers weigh in.
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Grace Hipp, 8
Nashville, Tennessee
Many animal species are saved from extinction thanks to zoos. This past summer, I saw the California condor at the San Diego Zoo and learned about the breeding program there. Several decades ago, these vultures were almost wiped out in the wild. But the zoo has taken some of them in and helped them breed. Now there are many more California condors.
COURTESY WINKI WARRENSON
Yanni Warrenson, 12
San Francisco, California
We should not have zoos. In zoos, animals might not be given proper living conditions. They might also be mistreated for entertainment purposes. Animals can feel stressed by cage restraint, an unfamiliar environment, and the presence of humans. A 2003 study of 35 species of carnivores found that zoo enclosures were too small for some of the animals to carry out their normal routines.
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Shane Madrak, 10
Foster City, California
We should still have zoos for a few reasons. Zoos provide animals with food and a habitat that is made to resemble their natural habitat. Zoos also breed animals to increase their population. And most zoos have educational programs that help children learn about different animals and conservation efforts.
COURTESY ANNSLEY SLAWSKY
Susie Slawsky, 9
Pelham, New York
Animals are kept away from their homes, where they have lots of space to roam, and put in fenced areas or cages. If it’s a crowded day at the zoo, some animals might get overwhelmed. When they’re in zoos, they can also lose their natural instincts. If they were released into the wild, they wouldn’t know how to survive. An animal’s health is more important than our entertainment.
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FAQs
Zoos can help to save endangered species by keeping them in a 'safe' environment. Safe as in protected from poachers, predators, habitat loss and even starvation. If a zoo has a breeding programme, this is another way to protect endangered species which may have trouble finding suitable mates in the wild.
Are zoos really necessary? ›
Perhaps the most important addition to the new definition of the zoo is the fact that zoos are crucial in preventing extinction because they conserve animals and their habitats. In fact, with their breeding programs, one can define zoos as the new Noah's Ark.
What are 3 reasons animals should be kept in zoos? ›
By bringing people and animals together, zoos educate the public and foster an appreciation of the other species. Zoos save endangered species by bringing them into a safe environment, where they are protected from poachers, habitat loss, starvation, and predators.
What would happen if zoos didn't exist? ›
Animals that would have become extinct without zoos
The diversity of the bird world is also shrinking almost daily. In Germany, too, species extinction is affecting many animal species, for example our porpoises or bats. We hear about the high losses of our insect species almost daily.
Are zoos good yes or no? ›
That captivity can be REALLY bad for both physical AND psychological health. And while zoos have been really helpful is saving endangered animals, it doesn't work out for certain species. For example, most large carnivores like lions and tigers that are bred in captivity die when released into the wild.
Do zoos help or harm animals? ›
Zoo's Research Helps Wildlife
Even if animals in zoos are never introduced to the wild, they still help improve the lives of their counterparts living in nature. Modern zoos act as a place for observation and research to study issues such as animal disease or infection and to help develop treatments.
Do animals deserve to be in zoos? ›
They are removed from their natural habitats and confined to small limited spaces and often forced to perform tricks or entertain visitors. Zookeepers also often may neglect their healthcare needs. As a result, many animals at zoos may die prematurely from stress or illness.
What are 5 good things about zoos? ›
How Do Zoos and Aquariums Aid In Animal Conservation?
- Zoos and Aquariums Protect Endangered Species. AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums help reintroduce animals into the wild. ...
- Repairing Ecosystems. ...
- Rehabilitation. ...
- Ecology. ...
- Biodiversity.
Zoos protect against a species going extinct. A species protected in captivity provides a reservoir population against a population crash or extinction in the wild. Here they are relatively safe and can be bred up to provide foundation populations.
How are zoos safer than the wild? ›
Zoos act as a safe haven for these animals who would be driven extinct otherwise by poaching, deforestation, or other loss of habitable ground, and environmental destruction caused by pollution. In zoos they are safe from all of these factors, and their rights are preserved and protected.
Zoos protect against a species going extinct. A species protected in captivity provides a reservoir population against a population crash or extinction in the wild. Here they are relatively safe and can be bred up to provide foundation populations.
Are animals happy in zoos? ›
Animals in zoos are caged for life and deprived of the opportunity to develop and fulfill the full range of their interests and needs. They lose control over their lives and the environment they live in. Social animals are often forced to live in the misery of solitary confinement.
Is it good to keep animals in a zoo Why or why not? ›
In the wild, some of the rarest species have difficulty in finding mates and breeding, and they might also be threatened by poachers, loss of their habitat and predators. A good zoo will enable these species to live and breed in a secure environment.
What are the pros and cons of zoos? ›
It is a way to engage children in science, bring families together, and help save certain animal species that are close to extinction. As for the disadvantages of a zoo, the facilities that are offered can be abused for personal or political gain.
