Zoos do have their advantages and disadvantages but it is up to the people of the community to seriously effect any change

by redredkat (student)

GCSE English

Katrina Wilson Wilson 1

English 1(a)

Mrs. Colleen

Writing Project 1 Research Essay

September 18, 2012

Is the Zoo For You?

Katrina Wilson

Citizens of the world have always had a deep desire to acquire more knowledge about our fellow planet inhabitants whether it is plants, animals, or insects. Our first modern zoo, the Imperial Menagerie, established in 1752 in Vienna, Austria is still accepting visitors today while another zoo in Berlin houses over 15,000 animals. There are many debates on the advantages and disadvantages of keeping animals in enclosed areas and if the positives outweigh the negatives.

Education is sought out by humans all over the world and the need to expand our knowledge is strived throughout. Receiving “firsthand knowledge of how animals behave and act” is a benefit to humans alone but what about the animals that are actually forced to live in the Zoo? Many animals that have become close to extinction owe the existence of their thriving species to Zoos. Successful breeding programs, like the Chinese and European zoo programs, made it possible for the Chilean Pudu deer to thrive in the wild. This Asian deer ceased to exist in the wild and through captive breeding they were able to release four into the wild where they are currently thriving. Even though the past conditions of animals environments located in the zoos was not adequate by anyone’s standards they have improved immensely thanks to the

Wilson 2

knowledge we gain of the animals already in captivity. It seems as though the benefits of a Zoo are vast but then we have only heard some positives.

This is a preview of the whole essay

Wilson 2

knowledge we gain of the animals already in captivity. It seems as though the benefits of a Zoo are vast but then we have only heard some positives.

Humans tend to put themselves first before others and think of how they benefit from a situation without the repercussions they havoc. Maggie the elephant is a wide known example of the harsh treatments some animals receive while in captivity and “Until the Alaska Zoo finally caved in to public pressure in 2007, Maggie was forced to spend days on end in a small indoor enclosure because of the frigid outside temperatures.” In the wild an elephant such as Maggie would wander at least 30 miles a day with others of her species receiving much needed exercise and social activity required to keep an animal healthy and sustained properly. There are arguments that the habitats that many animals are required to stay in are mere illusions which do not fool the animals whatsoever. Many animals in captivity begin to form severe distress disorders like bobbing of the head, excessive grooming, or pacing back and forth. Just like humans in solitary confinement become estranged an animal in captivity develops what people refer to as zoochosis. The animals are the ones that are greatly affected by the maltreatment they receive in zoos.

Zoos do have their advantages and disadvantages but it is up to the people of the community to seriously effect any change. The knowledge we are gaining from having these animals is of the utmost importance for humans to gain insight on the needs and demands of the animals and also so we may change the way zoos work to be more beneficial towards the animal’s specific needs. There may be cases such as Maggie the Elephant when the Zoos are thinking more about themselves then the animal. It is up to us to put the public pressure on such

Wilson 3

circumstances until we can make sure the animal is content. The idea that a zoo is just for the purpose of entertaining the public is preposterous and should not be the sole reason any zoo is active. The saving of animals or their species should be the top priority in any establishment that has animals captive.

In the end our knowledge of an animals needs are still expanding and as it expands so will the conditions of the environment they keep the animals in. If we are unaware of what is needed for the animal then the habitat we keep them in will only be what is satisfactory for humans. Providing the animals everything they need to stay healthy and content is only gained when we have more information on what the animal requires in those aspects. A Zoo is more than just an exhibit designed for the entertainment of tourists, a zoo is meant for the animal to thrive and grow while we help them to be able to achieve that. So in the end it is a question we all must ask ourselves, is the Zoo For You?

Wilson 4

Works Cited

Rilke, Rainer Maria “The Panther”
Johnson, Steve “Advantages & Disadvantages of Keeping Animals in the Zoo”
Anonymous Author “What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of keeping Animals in Zoos?”