For the Animals - Daily Controversy #31

G’day, controversial readers!

It’s Jack with another Daily Controversy. Today I have a topic that literally has nothing to do with theology, literature, or our other normal debates. But I feel like our controversies have just become more and more random so let’s just dive right into this one!

Photo by Bruno Martins on Unsplash

Today’s question is:

“Are zoos ethical?”

To elaborate: should facilities holding undomesticated animals in unnaturally small enclosures exist simply for human pleasure and curiosity? I mean, who doesn’t like a trip to the zoo? Probably the animals. But before we go straight into this debate, let’s dig a little deeper and examine the details of this argument.

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The Debate

All of us have most likely gone to a zoo of some sort at some point. They’re fun, they’re interesting, it’s cool to check out these animals we’ve only seen in photos. However, some people have argued that zoos are unethical. They describe zoos are “humans removing animals from their natural habitats for money and pleasure.” These anti-zoo advocates point to the fact that the enclosures for zoo animals are almost always depressingly small for the animals. Often animals are seen pacing the enclosure out of stress or lying in a heap of depression. But it’s worth it to see the animals…right? 

Well, people who support zoos bring up the fact that many animals kept in zoos are rescue animals that can no longer return to their natural habitat. Or they may claim that the animals are content with their zoo enclosures, which I frankly believe one can never completely tell but I’ll share my opinion later. Anyway, pro-zoo individuals believe that zoos are not harmful to the animals—and are actually beneficial in some ways—and benefit people by making them more aware of the conditions of some animal species, like the endangered creatures kept in zoos for their protection.

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What I Think

I personally do not like zoos. Whenever I attend these facilities with my family, I have fun looking at the cute and interesting animals from around the world, but I also pity these creatures because they are being kept in such small enclosures. Animals like monkeys and giraffes and leopards deserve to live in the large open expanses of jungle and African savannas. Instead, they are kept in enclosures smaller than a gymnasium. 

To argue the pro-zoo points, there are facilities solely devoted to helping endangered and injured animals. They’re called wildlife sanctuaries and preserves, and MasterClass defines them as:

“… a protected natural area of land or water focused on the conservancy and scientific study of certain wild animals, plants, or geological features. To promote wildlife conservation, preserves are often safeguarded from activities like land development, industrial use, hunting, and motorized recreation. Wildlife preserves may protect common, threatened, and endangered species, and they may consist of all sorts of habitats—from forest and mountain regions to wetlands and rivers. Government institutions, nonprofit organizations, and research institutes create and manage wildlife preserves.”

I can dive deeper into why these sanctuaries are better than zoos, but this is a Daily Controversy, not a persuasive essay, so here is an article I found that explains it pretty well.

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Your Turn!

Now, it’s your time to shine! Tell us in the comments section where you stand on this debate. Are you pro- or anti-zoo or somewhere in the middle? I hope you guys have fun with this one, even though it is a little off-topic compared to our normal controversies. I’ll see y’all in my next post!

     HAPPY ARGUING! :)

— Jack Cuison ❧