Why Zoos are Bad

Ryleigh Hinkle, MVC writer

Zoos have been around since the 1700’s. They hold animals of all kinds, from mammals to reptiles. Zoos have come under severe criticism as many people debate whether or not their existence is good. Personally, I think zoos are bad, though that probably was not the original goal.

         One issue I have with zoos is that many of them have enclosures that are too small for the designated animals. These animals need lots of space to move around and they are unable to live comfortably if their enclosure is too small. 

Another issue that I have seen is a lot of the animals in these zoos are not made to be there. Animals such as polar bears are put into enclosures with fake ice and it is not nearly as cold as it should be for them. Many animals are taken from their homes to be put into zoos, and, though some are taken because they cannot survive, many of them are perfectly fine to live in the wild, but are taken into captivity regardless.

Research from National Geographic  has proven animals being inside of these restricted enclosures is not good for their physical or mental health. This can cause them to be sad or depressed. 

When these animals are bred in zoos, if they are released into the wild, most die. These animals are bred in these zoos, when they are released in the wild most die because they were never taught how to hunt and survive. Most of these animals have been hand fed their whole lives. This could lead to the shortening of their life span because they would not be not getting the right amount of food, and they are inside of enclosures that are not big enough or somewhat similar to the wild.

Another issue with zoos actually comes with the workers. Of course these workers have been trained to help feed the animals and clean their enclosures, but with this comes people who are not qualified for the job and are not educated on the animals. This leads to animals being fed the wrong food, as well as over and underfeeding, all of which can affect an animals’ health. Poor training can play a big part too. Animals such as dolphins are forced to do tricks and things that they were not made to do, which can lead to them getting hurt in some way.

 I do not think zoos should exist unless they are helping animals. I believe endangered animals and all animals who genuinely cannot survive in the wild should be helped, but if an animal is able to survive independently, there is no reason for it to be put into a zoo for the entertainment of people.