Band 7+: Some experts believe it is better for animals to live in zoos where they are safe and given all the food they need. Do the advantages of keeping anilmas in zoos outweigh the disadvantages?

Large zoos can be found in most parts of the world. Many, though not all, are established to take care of animals. This can have both advantages and disadvantages for the animals concerned, but I believe that the drawbacks are more significant.

Zoos can have clear benefits for animals. Firstly, they are given food, shelter, and protection. The need for these is growing due to urban development, which reduces the habitat of many species. Many are also killed on new roads that have been built across their normal hunting grounds. In addition, protection is needed from poachers, who can make large sums of money from the sale of furs or tusks. Through their conservation programmes, zoos offer protection for endangered species, who are often those most at risk from all of these issues. Therefore, places like this represent a crucial lifeline for many animals.

Nevertheless, there are also disadvantages. Although the best animal parks try to replicate the natural habitat of each species, they cannot achieve this for larger creatures, or those adapted to life in a different climate. Captive animals that were born in the wild must surely feel this loss. The situation is far worse in smaller facilities that often lack the funds to offer more than a bare cage, which may not provide adequate and necessary protection against poaching attempts. Additionally, day-to-day running costs also require a great deal of money, which is largely obtained through attracting visitors. This means the animals are put on display or forced to perform shows for the public. Furthermore, while animals in the wild spend their time looking for food or engaging in natural behaviour, in zoos they have very little meaningful activity in their day. Consequently, they often display signs of boredom and stress. Thus, for many creatures, life within a zoo is not a happy one.

In conclusion, zoos clearly offer much-needed protection from human threats. However, the disadvantages of living in captivity for species that are not endangered must surely be greater than any benefits.