Band 6+: In many countries, wild animals are increasingly being kept in urban zoos rather than in their natural habitats. Do the advantages of this trend for conservation and education outweigh the disadvantages for animal welfare?

In modernized era, an increasing number of conservation authorities are choosing to keep the non-domesticated animals in zoos. In my opinion, advantages such as public and animal safety and employment opportunities for citizens outweigh its disadvantages.

The primary benefit of keeping wild animals in zoos is that it protects the whole community from serious risks. As they are considered to be wild and have grown in that circle, it is rare that do not threat to the humans. The number of vulnerable mammals also can be dropped because of their diet patterns. For example, in the U.S there are over hundreds of accredited public zoos. They feed animals with the nutritious and properly checked meals. These keeping patterns might improve their eating and living style, as they will be in the safe place. Another reason that maximizes working opportunities is advantageous for people who want to work in the place where they will look after animals. Hence, I believe that both the public and non-domesticated animals will benefit largely, as it fosters the belief that everyone is safe and animals are having a proper lifestyle and nutrition.

There, is however, an obvious disadvantage is that lack of survival and social disruption. Captive animals which were grown in the limited space, or were also grown without their natural parents might struggle mentally. Without a companionship and survival skills which usually their parents teach them may be the major lack for them. Also, they can be vulnerable to common diseases such as obesity, stress-related illnesses, poor diets, and shorter lifespans in species like gorillas and elephants. Tanzania, for instance, preserves wild animals in the far from the city and massive guarded fields. Accordingly, rather than keeping these mammals limited in size cages in cities, they can provide with land and nature to grow independently where all groups of animals can breed and reproduce with other species.

In sum, while preserving non-domesticated animals in large space with the a range of species and providing them with an own independence to grow and offspring, I feel that keeping them in zoos is more safer for a whole community and themselves.