So popular has keeping animals in captivity such as zoos that it flourishes into ‘animal parks’ or similar facilities. This phenomenon seems to bring several merits and demerits which I will outline in my essay.
Regarding the benefits, firstly, it is believed that in most cases animal parks offer a secure and peaceful setting for animals. A case in point is in high quality wildlife parks or reserves. In many cases, the animals would suffer from loss of habitat or poaching in the wild, and in captivity they are at least safe and able to breed successfully. Secondly, It is argued that zoos and animal parks are part of an integrated system of protecting animals, involving habitat protection, breeding programmes and disease control. This all helps to safeguard endangered species and thus preserve the global ecosystem for the future benefit of all life forms.
Conversely, we should not ignore various demerits that this activity may bring about. The most obvious setback is the unnatural way in which animals live in such places. For example, captive animals do not need to hunt or raise offspring, and this means that they are not living as nature intended. Another disadvantage is that animals probably suffer mentally when kept in captivity, even if their surroundings are spacious and similar to the natural habitat. Symptoms of mental issues range from repetitive behaviour to eating disorders, and these are often seen in captive animals. Finally, zoos add little to animal conservation, which is better served by preserving their habitat.
To sum up, keeping animals in zoos is essential due to some benefits such as providing a safe for animals, facilitating high breeding rate, and supporting conservation. Meanwhile, the possible disadvantages are that the animals in a cage are probably suffering mentally and not living in their natural habitat.