Seedling Magazine

Going to the zoo is often seen as a fun, harmless activity to
do with kids. Many children love animals and are excited to
see the exotic creatures they have read about in picture
books. We are told that zoos are educational and important
for conservation. But others say it is cruel to keep wild
animals in captivity. So which is true? Let's take a look.
Are zoos important for conservation?
Zoos like to claim that they are doing important work by
helping to conserve endangered species. However, most of
the species kept in zoos are not endangered ­ so why are
they there?
Educational?
Even when endangered animals are kept and bred in zoos,
they are rarely released into the wild. What is the
conservation value of breeding an endangered species and
forcing it to spend its entire life in a cage? This does
nothing to help keep ecosystems in balance or promote
biodiversity.
Additionally, zoos typically only bother with ‘popular’
animals such as elephants, tigers and giraffes. There are
many less popular species which are endangered, but these
are ignored by zoos.
Though most zoo animals these days are bred in captivity,
some ­ such as elephants ­ may be taken from the wild.
Some animals are even illegally trafficked and sold to zoos.
This makes the claim that zoos are important for
conservation seem ludicrous.
It's important to remember that the zoos are businesses
which exist to make a profit. Their objective is to use
animals as entertainment in order to make money, not to
conserve the animals. There are many specialist
organisations which are far better equipped to carry out
wildlife conservation.
Are zoos educational?
Imagine you are transported thousands of miles from home
­ say to the Arctic ­ and put in a small enclosure on your
own. You have little in the way of entertainment, and are
not able to carry out your normal activities such as
preparing food and socialising. In all likelihood, you will
become depressed and miserable. If aliens came to Earth,
would studying you be a good way for them to educate
themselves about the human race?
This suggestion is clearly absurd, but is it really any
different to what we do to animals? Most animals in zoos
are a long way from their natural habitat, be that the
rainforest, the Arctic or the desert. In the wild, they may
range many miles in a single day ­ in zoos, they are
confined to small enclosures. Is it really educational to
gawp at a miserable polar bear lying on a concrete slab, in a
small enclosure with no ice or snow in sight?
It's important to remember that many animals live in herds
or packs in the wild. Animals in captivity, on the other
hand, are often kept on their own or in pairs. Not only is
this an inaccurate representation of the way they live, it also
leads to loneliness and boredom.
If you want your children to learn about animals, you
would be better off showing them nature documentaries
than taking them to a zoo.
Are animals safe in zoos?
Zoos may not be perfect, but at least the animals are safe
there, right? They are fed, cared for and protected from
predators.
Unfortunately, humans are often the most dangerous animal
as far as zoo animals are concerned. Zoos like to breed
baby animals because they are popular with visitors, but
once they have grown up, they may no longer be wanted.
They might be slaughtered, or sold on to those who care
little for their welfare. Unwanted zoo animals have even
been known to end up in circuses.
Animals in zoos are in a very vulnerable position, unable to
defend themselves and at the mercy of humans. In the past,
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