- photo by by Bioparc de Valencia
Hey there readers,
In honor of animal week, I thought it would be appropriate to bring up a topic that’s close to my heart: zoos. Ask a kid, I remember being fascinated by zoos, and I have vivid memories of once riding an elephant. At the time I thought it was fantastic that I got to be in such close proximity to such magnificent creatures. Now that I am able to reflect on the situation with the benefit of a wider worldview, I am not so sure. One of the most common arguments in support of zoos is that they are places where children can learn about and see animals in “real life” that they would never otherwise get the chance to see.
Teaching children about animals and helping them to build a deep level of respect for all types of creatures is extremely important, and many zoos claim educational benefits for their patrons. However, what zoos also show children (and people in general) is that it is acceptable to keep animals in confined, unnatural conditions where they are often bored, frustrated and lonely. While many zoos do strive to take the best possible care of their animals, even in the best possible conditions, the animals are still unable to participate in many of their natural behaviors and habits. In fact, there is a term for the self-destructive behavior that is often observed in animals kept in captivity: zoochosis. And in reality, many zoos do not hold the wellbeing of the animals as their primary concern, instead focusing first on making a profit.
Another argument that zoos make to justify their ongoing presence is that they are helping to breed animals that are endangered or under threat of becoming so. But zoos often focus on breeding animals that are popular, and may neglect animals that are not crowd pleasers, even if they are on the endangered list. Additionally, animals being bred in zoos are rarely released back into the wild, as it is almost impossible for an animal raised in captivity to be properly conditioned to survive in the wild. Besides, because of the unnatural conditions animals live in while in captivity, and the fact that these animals bear little resemblance (save physically) to their wild counterparts, can zoos really claim to be “saving” a species?
I don’t mean to say that there are no zoos out there doing good things – many of their intentions may come from good places. But maybe it’s time we start leaving animals where they are meant to be, and helping our children to learn about the animals in their own neighborhoods – the ones they can actually see living a normal life out in the wild. Why not take them bird watching, or on a hike through the woods and teach them about their local wildlife? Show them documentaries, watch the Discovery channel together or pore through National Geographic magazines, where magnificent animals are featured in their own environments. For a hands-on experience, visit a farm sanctuary or, if you can afford it, take them on a safari. There are some great eco-friendly, minimal-impact safari options available.
Do you have other suggestions? Are you for or against zoos? How do you teach your children about animals? I want to know!
Be well,
Zoe Eisenberg
