Should Animals Be Kept in Zoos? Exploring the Ethics of Animal Confinement

There are many zoos around the world, with many of them being headlined in the news for mistreating multiple animals. They include horror stories about animals being mistreated, neglected, and stripped of their moral rights to live in freedom. They are being kept in captivity so we get to have fun by simply looking at them. We keep on destroying their habitats so we get money.

Some of the ways that we treat them are disgusting. They are never allowed to see the real world, outside of their cages. No matter how big their artificial habitat is, it isn't enough because the wild can't even be compared to zoos. Excessive human interaction can also cause mental health problems, and many people who are supposedly "looking after" animals are not doing their job or following the guidelines. In addition to that, animals get used to humans and depend on them for everything. Animals should not be kept in zoos for our entertainment.

An elephant needs at least 100 acres of land. In a zoo, they are given 1 800 square feet. That is less than one acre. Not even half. Zoos argue that they are improving their habitats, but that money could be spent on conservation in the wild. If the animal has a less pleasant life inside the zoos than it would have in the wild, it is wrong. Animals have emotions, just like humans. When a child is separated from their mother, which often happens in zoos, because there isn't enough space, the mother is placed under an unreasonable amount of stress. Hundreds of people visit the zoo each day, and that is added to the stress of the animal. They have no idea why there are so many people with things that they have never seen before.

Order custom essay Should Animals Be Kept in Zoos? Exploring the Ethics of Animal Confinement with free plagiarism report

450+ experts on 30 subjects Starting from 3 hours delivery

Get Essay Help

Zoos separate families because there isn't enough space for them all. When there isn't enough space, animals get sold to the zoo or get euthanized in some cases. This is extremely and unbelievably inhumane. Circuses use cruel ways to train animals and they often involve them in cruel acts like bullfighting. They are taught to perform to get the necessities they need to survive, like water and food. They are not treated with the respect that they need. Elephants are naturally social animals. They have an excellent memory and when they are separated, they can experience depression.

Nikia Fico, director of Save Tucson Elephants says, "Elephants need to be in constant motion, [and] they walk up to 50 miles a day. When they don't move, that's when they have physical problems." In a zoo, elephants can never walk up to 50 miles a day. This is why they die earlier. In the wild, they can live up to their 70's, but in a cage, they live to their 40's. Sometimes less because of the conditions they are being kept in. That is their life p shortened by half.

Animals are not treated with the proper respect that they deserve. After all, we are also animals. They are trained with the thought of money in mind. Multiple zoos offer chances for visitors to play games with animals. Visitors get a picture, or a video and the animals get a long term mental health issue. Studies show that animals that are stressed pace around their cage, they rock back and forth and refuse to get up. Too much interaction with humans can scar an animal's mind. They are taught to do whatever humans tell them to, and in that way, they don't have their own opinion or mind.

Almost every zoo or venue gave tourists a chance to pet animals, even animals that can potentially kill a human. Getting animals trained to the point where they are completely safe around humans takes a whole level of training and breaking of the animal's spirit. Many places call this "wildlife tourism", but that is completely false. Wildlife tourism is where people can go visit animals in their natural habitat. They don't interact with humans. Wildlife tourism is not where you can go to feed dolphins or talk to monkeys that are dressed up like people.

"Influencers" on social media post their experiences with exotic animals like tigers and bears on Instagram with a tap on their phones. Now that almost everyone has access to the Internet, everyone can see the pictures that idols or celebrities post. They then want to do the same and post it on social media. They don't know and they don't care what goes on behind the scenes of training each animal. Bears are chained to a wall by their necks until they are strong enough to walk on two legs.

Spiked chains are attached to the legs of elephants that kick. They don't know that lion cubs are taken away from their mother days after birth. Or that every animal is broken at a young age by spiked poles so they obey when they are older. This makes animals relate to humans with pain. Nancy Blaney, director of government affairs for the Animal Welfare Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit says, "These experiences are inherently stressful for animals". Humans play the main role in bringing up animals because more animals are being born in zoos than in the wild. Many animals imprint on humans instead of their species if that's what they first see when they open their eyes. This means that they will never know their true potential.

We call ourselves homo sapiens, meaning wise man, but are we that wise if we kill off animals by keeping them in cages instead of letting them out in the wild? We don't treat them like they are equal to us. We neglect them and deprive them of their families. Outside an animal's cage is a vast world that they can explore and live in, instead of the fake habitats they are trapped in. Humans only care about money and what they can't have. We let anyone interact with animals, not thinking of the consequences it can have on the animal, like mental health issues. There used to be a time when people could go to a park and see animals roaming freely. Now, we have driven them away and they are forced to hide. One day, we will wake up without the sound of birds chirping outside the window, and call that normal.

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Run a free check or have your essay done for you

Check my essay Hire Writer