Zoos - Should they still be a thing?

[Sankari]

To say a zoo is essential for any of the above is odd when there are plenty of alternatives such as conservation centres and animal sanctuarys.

Zoos offer facilities and services that you can't get in conservation centres and animal sanctuaries (e.g. breeding programs for endangered species, like the chronically stupid Giant Panda). They also offer much easier access to the animals, and keep them safe from poachers. I believe conservation centres and animal sanctuaries are essential too. We need a mixed approach to conservation, because there is no 'one size' that fits all.

As for education, you can argue video or streaming an animal acting naturally as it would with no people crowding round would be more educational, even if more pixelated.

You can argue that, but I don't find it convincing, and in any case there are plenty of zoos that provide facilities which prevent people 'crowding round.'

 

[Rifte]

I used to love them as a child, but now? I cant stand them.

The idea of seeing an animal outside of its natural habitat doesnt sit well with me at all.

I understand that some of the enclosures are quite large and that the animals are well fed etc, but if you got rid of the enclosures the animals would leave, and for me....thats the point.

I went to Orlando in the summer for 5 weeks, and obviously Seaworld and Busch Gardens was part of the equation. I have been before and the hypocrite in me took my kids to see the Orca show.

Never again....I wish I had not done this.

Busch Gardens was a similar situation with animal pens etc. High class presentation and amenities give the illusion that its a great place to be for the animals I beg to differ.

I hope that its a dying form of entertainment, with the size of the crowds at the Killer Whale and Dolphin shows at Seaworld....it is.

I watched a documentary called 'The Cove' a number of months ago about Dolphin harvesting in Japan. A protest group based over there by one of the guys who trained Flipper, and he mentioned something that still sits with me.

"A dolphin's smile is nature's greatest deception"

 

[CircleFaust]

i was at a zoo recently and for the most part it was ok and the animals looked 'happy'
but then there were some just lying about looking bored stiff which is hard to see. they are great for education and should be doing conservation work
the animals are being denied their freedom for me to look at them which i appreciate a lot
i'd never get to see a snow leopard otherwise
i'd have to say zoos are necessary but need to be regulated a lot

 

[Dan103]

I've always liked going to Zoos and have been to many in the country and a couple outside.
Although i enjoy seeing many animals i would never be able to see in their natural habitat and learning about them, I think it would be great not the need a Zoo to keep wild animals.
I would like to think they're not needed as the animals can survive and breed in the natural habitat. Unfortunately with poaching or habitats being destroyed etc it cant always be the case.

Large enclosures and stimulus are key.

 

[Vonhelmet]

I used to love them as a child, but now? I cant stand them.

The idea of seeing an animal outside of its natural habitat doesnt sit well with me at all.

I understand that some of the enclosures are quite large and that the animals are well fed etc, but if you got rid of the enclosures the animals would leave, and for me....thats the point.

I went to Orlando in the summer for 5 weeks, and obviously Seaworld and Busch Gardens was part of the equation. I have been before and the hypocrite in me took my kids to see the Orca show.

Never again....I wish I had not done this.

Busch Gardens was a similar situation with animal pens etc. High class presentation and amenities give the illusion that its a great place to be for the animals I beg to differ.

I hope that its a dying form of entertainment, with the size of the crowds at the Killer Whale and Dolphin shows at Seaworld....it is.

I watched a documentary called 'The Cove' a number of months ago about Dolphin harvesting in Japan. A protest group based over there by one of the guys who trained Flipper, and he mentioned something that still sits with me.

"A dolphin's smile is nature's greatest deception"

Seaworld has become renowned of late for being atrocious for animal welfare. Again, this is not an argument for getting rid of all zoos.

 

[=XDC=FluphyBunny]

...........

I hope that its a dying form of entertainment, with the size of the crowds at the Killer Whale and Dolphin shows at Seaworld....it is.

I watched a documentary called 'The Cove' a number of months ago about Dolphin harvesting in Japan. A protest group based over there by one of the guys who trained Flipper, and he mentioned something that still sits with me.

"A dolphin's smile is nature's greatest deception"

Seaworld has had a huge amount of bad publicity throughout the years. I feel sorry for some of the big cats in small areas (even if they are part of a breeding program) but to have Orcas and Dolphins in what are relatively speaking extremely small tanks isn't acceptable. The killer whales at Seaworld have a much reduced life expectancy compared to ones in the wild. Its a shame PETA keep getting involved as they are a disgrace and only hinder progress.

 

[Rifte]

Seaworld has become renowned of late for being atrocious for animal welfare. Again, this is not an argument for getting rid of all zoos.

Personally I always find the idea of zoos being educational a weak concept. I am not staying that it's your concept btw.

I could be the exception but there is nothing that I gained from a zoo that I couldn't have gained from a book or a documentary.

Maybe there was an argument for zoos in the past but when we live in an age where so much information is available at the click of a button it's unnecessary.

So for me that leaves just one reason. They are there as an entertainment medium and that i find disturbing.

 

[Vonhelmet]

Personally I always find the idea of zoos being educational a weak concept. I am not staying that it's your concept btw.

I could be the exception but there is nothing that I gained from a zoo that I couldn't have gained from a book or a documentary.

Maybe there was an argument for zoos in the past but when we live in an age where so much information is available at the click of a button it's unnecessary.

So for me that leaves just one reason. They are there as an entertainment medium and that i find disturbing.

It's education and entertainment, and in a good zoo the proceeds of providing that will fund conservation and breeding programs and so on.

As regards the educational value, seeing something in the flesh is very different to just seeing it on a screen.

 

[Kaeo]

I see it the completely opposite way around. As an entertainment medium it's clunky and awkward, much easier to look at a screen and watch a movie. Also very expensive to run as a show compared to being closed up and only shown to educate.

As an education medium it's far more effective, especially for educating young people. Kids will be a lot more interested in seeing tigers than watching another video of one on YouTube where they can just switch off.

 

[Delvis]

Thread too long so didn't read.

Yes, they need to be a thing, without then half the animals would be extinct (exaggeration)

However I do agree some should be closed, however here I believe they're governed a bit more than other countries.