The importance of zoos has attracted the public attention. While some people think that they are beneficial for rare species, i lean towards the ones who believe it is immoral to keep them in captivity.
On the one hand, there are some justifiable reasons why some individuals think zoos should exist. First of all, they offer a chance to educate the public about the wildlife. Because, people visiting these places see the wild animals with their very eyes and try to conserve them and their natural habiatats. For instance, in many schools pupils are bussed to zoos to raise awareness about the impact that people’s actions like pourching have on them, which encourage young generations to avoid harming the rare animals. Furthermore, zoos support international breeding programs to help threatened animals breed. in the wild, some animals like pandas suffer to find a mate or are so reluctant, as a result of which, they are more likely to go extinct. However, breeding programs provide a safe environment and neseccary conditions to breed and reintroduce them into the wild.
Although zoos offer such benefits, i am still on the side of the critics of zoos that have detrimental effects to the animals. Enclosed in small cages, those animals feel both mental and physical pressure, and they do abnormal behaviros such as head bobbing and pacing since the artificial environment cant come close to matching their natural habitats in terms of space, diversity and freedom. What is more, splitting up from families, feeling deprivation negatively affect to their well being, enduring long lasting trauma. Additionally, they are seen as a means of entertainment just for humans curiosity. In some zoos, animals are forced to perform tricks which wouldnt happen in their natural habitats. for instance, whales and dolphins demonstrate different tricks in various shows, and in fact it is scientifically proven that they die earlier than their relatives or commit suicide.
In conclusion, despite zoos provide breeding programs and inform people about conservation, i am convinced that they can’t mimic the natural environment for the wildlife and it is unethical to imprison these creatures for the sake of human beings.