Light needs to be shed upon zoos

Posted Dec. 11, 2022

By Tyler Lamar

Cub Reporter

Most people certainly would not want to continue supporting zoos if the immorality of them was more apparent, but unfortunately many are kept in the dark regarding the truth of what zoos are really about.

For centuries, zoos have been a very popular spot for friends and families to spend time and create memories. People visit zoos to see animals they wouldn’t have the chance to see in person otherwise, or perhaps in hopes that they will go home with more information and fun facts about their favorite animals. Unfortunately, zoos are not as harmless as they seem. Most people don’t typically contemplate the ethics surrounding the nature of zoos, because of how positive they are generally portrayed to be.

Animals are often treated horribly by zookeepers. Regardless of whether or not these staff members have ill intentions, there is not necessarily a correct way to tend to these animals, as they aren’t supposed to be in cages and out of their natural habitats. There is only so much a zookeeper can do to keep animals happy and healthy when they are in a situation they were simply not made to thrive in. Wild animals are meant to remain wild. Because of this, these animals’ needs are often neglected, and they are left to unfortunately live miserable lives with little to no quality. 

Animals in zoos are restricted to incredibly small and cramped enclosures that make up a very small fraction of the space they are meant to live in. Within these tiny spaces, they are constantly exploited and have no privacy. Privacy and peacefulness are just as important to animals as they are to humans, and many people evidently cannot grasp that concept. The animals also have no space to exercise, which contributes to a huge decline in both their physical and mental health. As if this isn’t bad enough, these spaces also completely fail to resemble the animals’ natural habitats. 

The neglect and exploitation, as well as being constricted to poor artificial habitats, deteriorates these animals’ physical, and mental health. As a result, zoos resort to even more unethical practices. It’s no secret that they use different antipsychotic drugs and tranquilizers on the animals to reduce depression and hostility. Of course this information is not mainstream, so most will never know the extremities of the animals’ harsh conditions, though surely most would disagree with it. 

Many may argue that zoos are a positive thing in terms of our environment. These people may say that zoos help protect animals and help to maintain and stabilize the populations of endangered species. Although there is evidence to back up the fact that zoos can do this, people seem to forget the existence of conservation centers. These are dedicated solely to care for these animals and to help these endangered species maintain a stable population. They create suitable habitats for the animals, and they focus on the well-being of the animals, rather than entertainment and recreation for people. 

Zoos allow, and therefore promote animal abuse and neglect, which hypocritically is the opposite of what they say they stand for. They treat wild animals as commodities, and ironically enough, share practices that are uncomfortably similar to slaughterhouses. Zoos are nothing short of being just another unprincipled industry that benefits from the terrible treatment of animals, and taking advantage of nature. If you really care about learning about animals, you are most definitely going to learn more by turning on Nat Geo Wild, than you ever would during a trip to the zoo.