Some people argue that zoos are requisite to preserve wildlife, while others say that they are inhumane and should not be operated. While various wildlife programmes, functioning across the world help to uplift the population of endagered species, i believe the unnatural environment and poor conditions in which animals are held captive should be unacceptable.
On the one hand, the existing campaigns in zoological parks have successfully bred species, which are on the verge of extinction and have improved their numbers substantially. This is important to protects wild animals who are under the threat from activities like poaching and destruction of their natural envirnment. For instance, Rhinoceros who were previously a major victims of poaching, are currently being bred under captivity.
On the other hand, majority of the animals are kept in cramped cages with very little space to move around or behave naturally. This can make them distressed and depressed due to loss of natural habitat. I recently visited a wildlife park, and felt disheartened seeing lions pacing back and forth in tiny enclosures and birds unable to fly in small confinements. Adidtionally, maximum number of the animals there were not endagered species, which explicitely shows that these places are merely a public spectacle for entertainment.
In conclusion, although zoos do help in safeguarding the population of such species, however, the exploitation and suffering of animals held captitive should come to an end, and instead of zoos, wildlife sanctuaries should be constructed to provide safety and a natural home for species to dwell.