At the moment, 238 zoos and aquariums accredited by the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) house around 800,000 animals in their care, consisting of 6,000 species and 1,000 threatened or endangered species. Despite the widespread popularity of zoos around the world, there is still controversy around the ethics surrounding keeping animals in man-made environments. It is widely known that animal captivity brings various benefits towards both human and the animal population in terms of shelter and care for the animals, animal conservation, as well as research and education. Therefore, I disagree that animals should never be kept in captivity.
Animals are able to comfortably reside in optimised environments. Zoos and aquariums are able to alter environmental factors of the enclosure to fit the needs of captive animals, such as temperature and lighting of surroundings, items to mimic the animals’ habitats and the species and number of animals in the same enclosure. This is to ensure that captive animals are comfortable with the environment so that they can freely engage in day-to-day activities with ease. Also, they are provided with food that is regularly adjusted to satisfy the needs of animals. As compared to the rapidly transforming wild, the changes in climate due to global warming may displace entire communities from their habitats and drive them into unfamiliar locations, which may have little space, shelter, available spaces and protection from predators. This places their lives in more distress and risk of impending danger. Studies have shown that domesticated animals are less stressed in response to foreign habitats and predators. From calves to guinea pigs, a decreased stress response has been found in every single domesticated species that has been studied. Another piece of evidence states that more than 4,000 species around the world are on the move. Animals on land are moving an average of more than ten miles per hour, while marine species move an average four times faster. The constant pressure from the conquest of a better home has a heavy psychological impact on animals, causing them to suffer from panic and anxiety. As such, animals in the wild have a higher risk of suffering from physical injuries or mental damage, threatening the long-term livelihood of wild animals. In turn, captive animals in accredited zoos feel a stronger sense of happiness and security in their habitats, allowing them to conduct normal activities with greater comfort.
Moreover, animals are able to thrive and repopulate in conservation facilities in the long run. There are a colossal number of species around the world facing endangerment or even are at the brink of extinction, due to several external factors. Anthropogenic activities can cause a huge imbalance in the food chain, causing a disparity between predators and prey. As such, the weaker animals with lower numbers may face difficulty competing with other animals for shelter, and also risk being hunted by predators. In addition, the environmentally damaging by-products produced by mankind such as toxic fumes, oil and non-biodegradable plastic may have harmful effects on the wildlife, such as suffocation, poisoning or even death. Furthermore, the encroachment of land due to human activities such as poaching or slash-and-burn pushes animals out of their homes into unfamiliar or even unsuitable territory. To shelter animals from the treacherous and dangerous wildlife, animals, in particular the critically endangered, should be placed in protected locations sheltered by harmful aspects of the wild. One example of a success story of a species saved from extinction is the Arabian Oryx. The species was hunted to extinction four decades ago where the last wild survivor was killed in 1972. The Phoenix zoo helped lead the ensuing breeding and reintroduction programs, which ultimately birthed more than 2,000 calves and released 1,000 Oryxs from nine individuals. Another animal species saved is the Golden Lion Tamarin. Due to the loss of habitat from logging and mining, as well as threats of poaching, the Brazilian mammal has numbers as low as 200 in the early 1970s. Now, its conservation status is restored back to endangered with one-third of the population originated from Golden Lion Tamarins raised under human care. The recovery of such species from critical endangerment exemplifies the protective care of zoos that enable species to reproduce and regrow their numbers.
Besides, zoos can be used as a platform to promote research and education about animals. A majority of 55 percent of the world’s population lives in developed areas with little contact with wildlife. These urban dwellers may not have an opportunity to observe wildlife animals other than in digital films and documentaries. Visiting zoos gives them a more authentic experience of the wildlife, facilitating a greater understanding and appreciation of the creatures that roam the earth. It may also ignite a spark of interest in them to delve into this field of study and contribute towards the conservation and protection of animals. WAZA estimates that 700 million people visit zoos annually, highlighting the success of the public outreach of zoology. Furthermore, scientific research on animals can help to boost their conservation efforts as animal behaviours such as response towards changes in the environment or inter-species interactions can be closely monitored. Data collected can then be used to further enhance the care given to animals where changes to animal diets, environment and other factors can be made accordingly. Besides, medicine can be developed to treat illnesses or even eradicate a destructive disease. Indeed, WAZA and other members have spent US$268 million on research in 2016 alone, showing the commitment to research and support for the animal conservation causes. One notable instance is the research on more effective breeding techniques for quicker repopulation. As such, the scientific and education industry can push the boundaries of innovation and awareness to benefit the long-term survival of animals.
However, apologists may assert that there are animals that are unsuitable to be kept in captivity in the long-term. There are animals that are only able to feel at ease in the wild. These animals have several characteristics and traits that deter them from living and reproducing in zoos. Due to extremely low numbers and a fixed timeframe to mate, conservationists have trouble pairing animals from species such as cheetahs, whooping cranes and giant pandas for procreation and maximisation of genetic diversity. To ensure the continued survival of such species, they have to be released into the wild to allow the natural course of life to take the role of repopulation. However, this may not be true as animals may have a lower probability to thrive in the rapidly evolving landscape. They may require extreme measures such as artificial insemination or genetic crossbreeding. These measures can only be done in controlled environments in captivity. To solve this problem, zoos can release a certain number of animals into the wild after reaching a certain population size in captivity.
In conclusion, I strongly believe that the captivity of animals is highly beneficial in the continued survival of their kind. Without human intervention, certain species may slowly be taken out of existence. The irony is that the cause of extinction is mostly due to human’s invasive and harmful activities that threaten the survival of animals. With animals being the prehistoric creatures that once ruled the lands and seas, it is immoral to encroach on their territories that they rightfully own, and unjustly seize and appropriate all of them. It is heartening to know that society has recognised this as a problem and is actively developing new methods of restoring the animal population such as through artificial insemination, genetic cross-breeding and cloning. As mankind continues to head in this enlightened direction, I am confident that our successive generations will take delight in the successful regeneration and flourishing of our dear animal kingdom.
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