Should zoos exist? | BBC Ideas

Are zoos a great way to teach people about nature and save species from extinction? Or a cruel way of using animals for entertainment?

Made by Daniel Nils Roberts, in partnership with the Open University.


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#bbcideas #zoo #animals

[dxdxdkino]

I think keeping animals is acceptable only if they're protecting a species from going extinct. I don't think making people happy is more important then animals being free

[mylittleatlas]

Animals should be let free, for them to explore their natural environment, their range is vast and the distances they travel is phenomenal, you should not confine a elephant in the room. 😊

[holycat]

To educate people about what are the impacts of their daily activities, use other methods and solutions.. Use technology..Animals are not here for us.

[robertskitch]

It depends on the animal and the zoo. If the zoo can provide for the needs of the particular species and individual then there's not a problem, but the needs of different species and individuals are not equal. If we were talking about specific animals and specific zoos it would be a much easier question. Should elephants be kept in zoos? A large intelligent animal like that? Probably not. I can certainly see that being phased out given the difficulties in providing for their needs. But what about smaller animals whose needs are more easily met?

Some animals should not be kept in zoos and some so-called zoos should not keep animals. On the other hand there are some animals who would not survive in the wild; and there are some animals in the wild who would not be there if not for the captive breeding programs of zoos. There are hundreds of individuals in the wild today who would not exist if not for my local zoo. Though perhaps those programs too will be phased out as more sanctuaries are established outside of zoos and the needs of the species change.

[thatgamer]

So many in the comment section are idiots, thinking zoos shouldnt exist is stupidity

[Simpaulme]

It's objectification writ large. The way scientists always say they're helping by accumulating more data. All nature needs is to have space and be left alone.

[alfredsupersauce]

The thing is there’s not much of an option at this point. “Setting the animals free” is a nice sentiment, but it’s not always an option. Gorillas for example need to learn how to survive in the wild from their parents, and since all captive gorillas are descended from orphans that knowledge had not been passed down. It’s a similar scenario with a lot of animals where they just can’t survive out of human care. So we’re presented with few other options.

1: Just stop breeding and let the captive animals pass away without offspring. But that raises an issue with many species rapidly going extinct, and if there’s none in captivity then once they’re gone in the wild they’re gone for good.

2: Take animals off display to sanctuaries, but if there’s no revenue from visitors then giving the animals good care becomes harder. As an employee at a non-profit animal shelter I can’t recommend that. You’d have to rely on private donations and government grants.

3: Just keep the zoos going and try to improve conditions as much as possible. Zoos in the past were very unethical, and while there’s still plenty of improvements to be made, most zoos have come a long way in terms of animal welfare.

Really what we need is for ALL people to care for ALL animals more. Domestic, captive, wild, they all need our help.

[BigBlobb-ffhk]

I think that while the argument can be made that there are some positive effects of zoos, the truth is that they do not justify keeping animals locked in captivity. Zoos are for-profit and they are not designed to give animals the natural life they deserve away from crowds of loud people. If you want to observe animals, observe them in an unobtrusive way in their natural environment or with David Attenborough's soothing voice narrating.

[himanshusingh]

Captive animals paying for human's greed of power, wealth and dominance.

[LeroySinclair]

"Should we still have zoo's? Let's ask the most unbiased source, the zoo!"

[minolsugathadasa.]

we all experienced lockdown and went crazy for one year, just imagine being a poor wild animal spending all your days your whole life.

[grahamwebber]

They need vast open natural spaces, not enclosures.

[mikey]

It is obvious not all zoos are bad. Maybe even most. But some are just horrendous and they still can be in business for decades. Which imo shouldnt.

[danielalt]

Yes, zoos should exist. If we would think ethically, technology and research would not be as advanced today, and we wouldn't even know that animals can feel pain. So, non ethical thinking leads into better ethical thinking in the long run.

[rroibns]

Indeed, it is true that some animals may experience a longer lifespan in captivity; a circumstance which could be applicable to humans as well. However, has anyone ever considered asking the animals themselves about their preferences in this matter?

For an optimal understanding of an animal's welfare and preferences, it would be advisable to release the inhabitants of zoos and observe their decisions to either remain or depart. This would generate useful knowledge in this regard.

[juliatrojan]

10% that visits zoos is no validation for them. The majority of people eats animals just for taste and pleasure but that argument does not hold against critical thinking on if it should be allowed to keep and kill animals just for food.

[NeilMalthus]

Lots of reasons for / against. Mostly for, though. As a zoology graduate, I always like checking out zoos / aquaria in places I visit. For educational purposes, there can be no greater inspiration for a child to see 'happy' animals in a well-maintained zoo. There are too many nihilistic capitalists on the planet killing the planet. Nature needs saviours. Maybe someone will save nature, yet?
Sure, they are a little like 'prisons', you could argue, but most of the animals won't really care / realise that. And it's not like capitalism isn't wrecking their natural habitat (where individuals could meet their end through human encroachment).
So, yes, well-maintained zoos are a great idea. But maybe they should refrain from animals prone to stereotypical behaviour (ie *madness*). It's obviously cruel to exhibit polar bears walking back and forth in the same manner all day every day, like could be seen in a fair few zoos around the world in the past. Thankfully, those days are gone, though.

[Hneybee_]

Uhm zoos are ok, if thats where rescued/endangered wildlife actually goes.. but the whole letting strangers come in and disturb them, crowd them, photograph them etc...i dont think thats okay. That shxt gives the animals anxiety.
Idk if this female lion had some shxt happen before being brought to the zoo, but she did not like the black family that came near her enclosure. That lion seemed ok with everyone else, then she started pacing and there was deff something wrong when she saw non white people. she was stressed tf out. People should only be allowed to observe from a distance at zoos...if not at all.

[chrisbennett]

they should be in the wild, any conservation should be in the country and continent they come from

[LukeNeumann-umef]

Zoos are horrible let’s all be honest, none of these animals want to be contained. They are stripped from their lives, and they live in a small plot of land.