Zoo's should be banned

Zoos have been around for as long as we have known. Zoos are a way to enjoy an afternoon with family and friends. It is an education tool for the public to learn about animal conservation and zoology. There are many benefits to having local zoos around. Zoos help the preservation of animals, they help people to better understand species of animals, and zoos help the economy. Zoos can help support endangered species, keeping they alive and able to breed. Zoos ensure that certain species of animals don't die out in the wild. The Children's Nature Retreat says "Breeding programs help preserve genetic biodiversity and help reintroduce critically endangered species into the wild. Having animals in protection provides a reservoir against a population crash in the wild. Zoos have helped remove animals from the endangered species list and have saved many from extinction." Without our zoos, who knows what animal species would have died out. Zoos ensure that enclosures and habitats are accurate to their natural climate for the best living experience. Zoos all animals to eat every day with worrying about the dangers of the natural food chain. Animals don't ave to go out and hunt and run the risk of being killed themselves. They get special attention and get specially catered to in order for them to live a full and happy life. Animals are facing the threat of extinction everyday because of human life and how we as human effect the planet and their natural habitats. But, with the help of zoos, humans are actually able to help expend animal species and preserve their kind with breeding programs. When you think about it, when animals are in zoos, they have a better quality of life. They don't have to be in the dangerous wild and if they are sick or if they get injured somehow, they are treated. Animals that are initially brought into zoos may be injured or sick from the wild, but they are healed and are given a second chance at life. Zoos also help animal research and give education to animal conservation to the public. Zoos offer closeup studies of animals and their habits. The Children's Nature Retreat also had this to say about animal research, "Modern zoos act as a place for observation and research to study issues such as animal disease or infection and to help develop treatments." Animal research can not only help species from all around the world, but also help human life. Seeing an animal up close can give a better perspective for animal conservation to the public. When people see and appreciate these animals, they can figure out way to help the preservation of animal species. The Guardian posted an article about zoos and discussed animal conservation, "Many zoos also work directly to educate conservation workers in foreign countries or send keepers abroad to contribute their knowledge and skills to zoos and preserves helping to improve conditions and reintroduction all over the world." A better education of animals and their habitats can help the preservation of endangered species. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums said "AZA SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction, the Association’s flagship conservation program, brings AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums together to focus their collective expertise and leverage their massive audiences to save species like sea turtles and American red wolves." Zoos alert the public and researchers about endangered species and they are a symbol for change. They help protect their animals so others can learn and enjoy. Zoos are also a great source of revenue for the economy. Zoos offer many jobs for others and can allow animal lovers a once in a lifetime opportunity to work up close with animals from all around the world. If zoos were banned, millions around the country would lose their jobs and they would have to separated from animals that they have made attachments to. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums says "The 215 AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums in the U.S. serve more than 183 million annual visitors and support over 212,000 jobs, generating $24 billion in the total value of goods and services generated directly and indirectly as a result of annual outlays by AZA members and their visitors." Zoos help to boost the economy by bringing people in to see things that they have never seen before. People pay to see these animals in order to support these animals, not to hurt them. If zoos were banned, our economy would take a significant dip and many would be left unemployed. Zoos are very important to the world. It allows for enjoyment and a new experience. People see things that they have never seen before. People get a better idea of what wildlife is like. Zoos alert people of the importance of animal conservation and they protect endangered animals from going extinct. Overall, zoos help animals, people, and the economy and, therefore, should not be banned.

First off, it was stated that animals in zoos are tortured and forced to be in small enclosures. To begin with, the second part of this statement is worded in a way to make the animals living environment seem worse off than it actually is. An animal’s home inside a zoo tends to be specifically designed for that said animal, and have all certain aspects of life needed for that animal to thrive and survive. While the size of most of the animal’s homes inside a zoo are very small compared to the true wildlife, for most of the animals which are born into captivity, it’s all they know. This shows that while it might tend to be a lot smaller than wildlife itself obviously, the animal doesn’t necessarily feel that way because it was born into that home, and provided with an adequate space to live in. Anna Fletcher Jones, who was a zookeeper for 22+ years states “animals on the whole prefer familiar surroundings and are afraid of strange things” (Jones). This goes to show that the animal is actually not as distasteful towards it’s enclosure as the affirmative statement makes it seem with when they say the animal is forced into the small enclosure. Sure technically the animal doesn’t have a choice to be in the enclosure in most cases, but that doesn’t mean the enclosure isn’t good enough, or maybe even better than the wildlife for that animal. Most of the affirmative’s statement was based around the animals not having enough space inside a zoo, when the animal doesn’t necessarily need more space, as long as the zoo is providing the adequate enclosure for that animal (which is usually the case). The animal would actually rather stay somewhere it is used to, rather than have to encounter strange things, unfamiliar places, etc. Second off, the affirmative looks at the issue of zoo animals being released back into the wild and how that’s not good for the animal while right before that in the statement the affirmative said that these animals are “caged up for their lives”. So why worry about being released back into the wild when the animal will be “caged up for life”. Either way, in non common cases that the zoo animal is released back into the wild, it is done so through reintroduction programs. “Reintroduction programs, by which animals raised or rehabilitated in AZA-accredited zoos or aquariums are released into their natural habitats, are powerful tools used for stabilizing, reestablishing, or increasing in-situ animal populations that have suffered significant declines. These reintroduction programs have been used on various species such as the Asian Wild Horse, Black Footed Ferrets, Golden Lion tamarin and more, proving to be very successful with their initiative” (Reintroduction). So in the uncommon case of an animal being released back into the wild from captivity, it can now be done so using a program such as reintroduction programs so that they slowly, and smoothly make their way back to life in the wild. Finally, the affirmative’s final statement is the abuse that goes on in zoos. The Children's Natural Retreat states “While there are underfunded and neglectful zoos out there, the good ones positively contribute to the animals’ health and well-being. Animals can have a quality of life as high or higher than in the wild. They don’t suffer from the stress and threat of predators, the pain of parasites, injury, or illness, and they won’t suffer from starvation or drought. Instead, they enjoy a peaceful life with a high-quality diet filled with all of the supplements they need. They won’t have to endure the bullying or social ostracism that often happens in nature. Many dreadful things happen in the wild that aren’t present in zoos” (How). And while the abuse still does occur in zoos, it has also recently been getting drastically better. According to ScienceDaily, “Zoos have made great advances in "environmental enrichment" -- making changes to encourage natural behavior and improve animal well being” (University). On top of this, zoos also play a big role in saving animals from extinction and endangerment. So all in all, while yes like all things zoos have their faults, they do help save the animals from endangerment/extinction, they provide the animals with enclosures that the animal will feel familiar and comfortable in, and animal abuse in zoos is getting drastically better, while being in the zoo also helps the animal stay away from the uncertainties of the wilderness.