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Simple text explaining how zoos protect endangered animals and help them have babies to save their species. Includes basic vocabulary and short sentences perfect for emerging readers.

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Many of the animals in these galleries are threatened with extinction, and unfortunately, a lot of threats come from humans. Check out these creatures that were photographed by National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore at zoos and other safe places around the world. Then find out how you can help.

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Most of the animals in these galleries are threatened with extinction, and unfortunately, many threats come from humans. That's why National Geographic and Disney are protecting these 50 at-risk animals. Check out these creatures that were photographed by National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore at zoos and other safe places around the world.

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Easy-to-read article about how zoos teach people about animals from around the world. Features simple sentence structures and familiar vocabulary.

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Basic explanation of conservation efforts at zoos, written with simple vocabulary and clear explanations suitable for beginning intermediate readers.

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Happy, an Asian elephant, lives at the Bronx Zoo, in New York City. But the Nonhuman Rights Project (NhRP) says the zoo doesn't provide the space and socialization that Happy needs. The NhRP is taking the Bronx Zoo to court. Its case will be heard in 2022.

The case has restarted conversations about whether or not zoos should still exist. Some say zoos save species from extinction and teach people about conservation. Others argue that living in captivity is bad for an animal's mental and physical health. Here, TIME for Kids readers weigh in.

KELLI NICOLE PHOTOGRAPHY
Grace Hipp, 8 Nashville, Tennessee
Many animal species are saved from extinction thanks to zoos. This past summer, I saw the California condor at the San Diego Zoo and learned about the breeding program there. Several decades ago, these vultures were almost wiped out in the wild. But the zoo has taken some of them in and helped them breed. Now there are many more California condors.

COURTESY WINKI WARRENSON
Yanni Warrenson, 12 San Francisco, California
We should not have zoos. In zoos, animals might not be given proper living conditions. They might also be mistreated for entertainment purposes. Animals can feel stressed by cage restraint, an unfamiliar environment, and the presence of humans. A 2003 study of 35 species of carnivores found that zoo enclosures were too small for some of the animals to carry out their normal routines.

LIFETOUCH PHOTOGRAPHY
Shane Madrak, 10 Foster City, California
We should still have zoos for a few reasons. Zoos provide animals with food and a habitat that is made to resemble their natural habitat. Zoos also breed animals to increase their population. And most zoos have educational programs that help children learn about different animals and conservation efforts.

COURTESY ANNSLEY SLAWSKY
Susie Slawsky, 9 Pelham, New York
Animals are kept away from their homes, where they have lots of space to roam, and put in fenced areas or cages. If it's a crowded day at the zoo, some animals might get overwhelmed. When they're in zoos, they can also lose their natural instincts. If they were released into the wild, they wouldn't know how to survive. An animal's health is more important than our entertainment.

The Next Debate! Should the government set screen-time limits? Email your opinion to tfkeditors@time.com by January 6, 2021 for a chance to be featured in an upcoming issue.

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Happy, an Asian elephant, lives at the Bronx Zoo, in New York City. But the Nonhuman Rights Project (NhRP) says the zoo doesn't provide the space and socialization that Happy needs. The NhRP is taking the Bronx Zoo to court....

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Conservation Success Stories from Modern Zoos

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Conservation Success Stories from Modern Zoos

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Detailed examples of how zoos have successfully bred endangered species and reintroduced them to the wild. Includes more complex vocabulary and longer paragraphs.

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Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

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Earth Optimism: Conservation Success Stories

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Learn about conservation success stories and find out how we can all be Earth Optimismts with this interactive guide.

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Explores how zoos serve as living classrooms, connecting students to wildlife and inspiring conservation action. Written at grade-appropriate level with academic vocabulary.

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Schools around the country are partnering with their local zoos to establish "zoo schools," or classrooms at the zoo that enable teachers to incorporate zoo resources into their lessons. At Brevard Zoo in Melbourne, Florida, for example, Zoo School "immerses students in hands-on discovery and interactive learning through both animal encounters and environmental programming," says Zoo School Coordinator Dawn Hurley. "We've lost our appreciation for nature, its value to our quality of life, and the need to foster an informed sense of stewardship, especially in this age of ever-increasing technology. With Zoo School, the walls of the traditional classroom have been expanded to offer those opportunities in a safe and structured environment."

In 1996, fifth graders from Melbourne's Sherwood Elementary School began coming to Brevard Zoo for an "integrated, thematic approach to science, mathematics, social studies, and language arts," says Hurley. Sherwood teachers and other educators from Brevard Public Schools partnered with the zoo's education staff to develop an interdisciplinary, science-based "Zooriculum" that supports state standards and Common Core State Standards, she explains.

In 2000, Brevard Zoo received a $500,000 grant from the Eckerd Family Foundation to build three permanent classrooms on-site: a cave, a tree house, and a house that resembles the homes of the state's original settlers. The classrooms "are on zoo property, but off the zoo path," so visitors are unlikely to drop in and distract students from learning, Hurley points out.

Since then, fifth graders from two other Brevard County schools-Cambridge Elementary and Dr. W.J. Creel Elementary-have joined the program, and each school spends six weeks at Zoo School. The schools are on-site at separate times, and "we schedule them all before spring break and [Florida State Assessment] testing so that all can benefit from what they've learned at the zoo," says Hurley.

Three Zoo School Instructors work with the classroom teachers to teach thematic lessons covering topics like general animal care, habitats, adaptations and behavior, and Florida fossil history. "An extensive conservation program...involves students in activities like oyster reef restoration, mangrove planting and fostering, and sea turtle education. Students also learn from the zoo's animal keeper staff, who regularly [discuss]...specific animal needs, diets, and behaviors and inform students about their individual career paths," Hurley relates. "The goal is to encourage students to develop an interest in science while cultivating a stronger sense of community involvement and environmental stewardship."

Teachers have remarked that "attendance spikes during Zoo School, reinforcing student interest in the program and subsequent experiential learning in a new environment," and students have said it was "the best time in their life...ever," she reports.

Located at the North Carolina Zoological Park in Asheboro, North Carolina, Asheboro High School (AHS) Zoo School gives students "a unique opportunity because we're able to offer classes here like zoology, agricultural science, and forensics. These classes are only offered at Zoo School," not at AHS's main campus, says science teacher Brooke Davis, the program's lead teacher. "I can teach about primates and ecosystems because the zoo is set up as a teaching resource,...[making it easy] to incorporate environmental science and ecology" in lessons, she maintains.

Students accepted into this science-based program take their science, math, social studies, agriculture, and for some, English classes, at the zoo; some students take one or two classes on the main campus, then finish the school day at the zoo. Though Zoo School can accommodate as many as 150 students, "our school building is a modular unit with a small but cozy, family-like atmosphere that students enjoy," Davis explains.

"The zoo gave us a little piece of land to rent at a low cost," she relates. "We have an outdoor classroom area and access to a lake" and a community garden. Students can work with the zoo's horticulture staff in greenhouses. "The horticulture class is helping the zoo grow its annuals. They get to see the horticulture industry in action," she observes.

Students "do a lot of project-based learning and regularly make presentations to the community, zoo staff, and to parents on Parent Night," as well as to notables like the state's governor, says Davis. Class sizes are smaller than those on the main campus-20 to 25 students-which makes it easier for "hands-on, project-based learning" to occur, she points out.

In the zoology class, for example, "students do most of the teaching. They do projects and present their findings," Davis notes. On Amphibian Awareness Day, "students are in charge of activities that day. They meet with zookeepers in advance to plan the day." In addition, "we have a wildlife rehabilitation center here. Students can eventually be certified in wildlife rehabilitation," she reports.

In the forensics class, "we create a mini-murder mystery for students to solve," she relates. Students observe the behaviors of zoo visitors at various locations "and use that as an example of witness statements," she explains. The class "incorporates something else besides animals [because] we want everybody to be included. We don't have a sole purpose of training zookeepers; we cover all kinds of careers."

Because Zoo School students must traverse the zoo grounds daily and interact with visitors, students accepted into the program "have to be willing to think outside the box, be comfortable with project-based learning and have the ability to work independently and in groups. They have to be mature enough to walk around the zoo by themselves and explain their projects to visitors. They need to be able to handle the freedom they have without teachers having to hold their hands," Davis emphasizes.

Though Zoo School courses are rigorous, "we don't just choose students for the program based on grades; we look at discipline and attendance as well. They have to be reliable and trustworthy," she maintains. "The zoo expects the kids to be actively working on projects, not just strolling around."

Zoo School students welcome and benefit from these opportunities. "Our kids really want to be involved...Kids you'd never think would want to be in the public eye" have blossomed and thrived in the program, Davis observes. "Sometimes a traditional classroom is not enough for kids. They want to be in a different environment."

For more than 25 years, Richmond Heights Middle School in Miami, Florida, has offered its Science Zoo Magnet Program at Zoo Miami. "We are a Title I neighborhood school that offers a magnet program, and the program has given us a chance to increase student enrollment from students outside of our boundary," says Zoology Magnet Lead Teacher Tamara Monroe. "We focus on animal con
servation efforts and learning about exotic animals and zoo careers."

Sixth graders study animal classification, taxonomy, habitats, and behavior and create ethograms, quantitative descriptions of an animal's normal behavior. "They develop a general knowledge of different animals and learn to differentiate among animals within a species," says Monroe. Seventh graders focus on amphibians and reptiles, marine mammals, animal conservation, and laws protecting animals, while eighth graders concentrate on primates, birds, and animals' anatomy and physiology.

On their daily zoo visits, students "do research and talk with experts in the field of animal science about their conservation projects and share personal experiences and stories," Monroe relates. "It's bringing their books to life...Students can learn about science, then go outside and really learn and explore science."

In addition to their studies at Zoo Miami, students take "expeditions" to venues such as Miami's Monkey Jungle wildlife park, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center in Key Biscayne, and Everglades National Park-or even as far away as the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. "We wanted students to see how the exhibits and animals there compared with [those at] Zoo Miami, and compare the Washington climate with Miami's, which determines why some animals [can't be housed at some locations], as well as the design layout of other zoos," Monroe explains.

The program expands students' horizons. "Sixth graders all start out saying they want to be veterinarians...[After being in the program,] they have a broader interest in science careers, [not just limited to] veterinarian and zookeeper. It gives them a lot of options," she observes. In addition, students develop "a love and compassion for animals."

They also benefit academically. "Students tend to do better in English language arts and math because the teachers are able to integrate the zoo magnet curriculum into other subjects...They can work with topics that students are already interested in, and still teach their content," Monroe contends.

After leaving Richmond Heights, "students have told us that in high school, they tend to do extremely well in biology because they had three years of it in middle school. They tend to excel in science [in general] in high school," she reports. ●

This article originally appeared in the April 2016 issue of NSTA Reports, the member newspaper of the National Science Teachers Association. Each month, NSTA members receive NSTA Reports, featuring news on science education, the association, and more. Not a member? Learn how NSTA can help you become the best science teacher you can be.
The mission of NSTA is to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all.
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Schools around the country are partnering with their local zoos to establish "zoo schools," or classrooms at the zoo that enable teachers to incorporate zoo resources into their lessons. At Brevard Zoo in Melbourne, Florida, for example, Zoo School "immerses students in hands-on discovery and interactive learning through both animal encounters and environmental programming," says Zoo School Coordinator Dawn Hurley.

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Examines how zoo veterinarians and researchers contribute to animal health and scientific knowledge. Features technical terms with clear explanations.

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Zoos and aquariums are widely recognized as providing conservation, education, and a great day out for families; however, the scientific advances in animal health that are taking place behind the scenes represent an exciting aspect that few people are aware of.

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Simple explanation of why some people think animals are happier in their natural homes instead of in zoos. Uses basic vocabulary and short sentences.

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Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright © 2015-2026 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved

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Easy-to-understand text about how zoo enclosures might be too small for large animals like elephants and tigers. Written for developing readers.

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Photo courtesy of the MSPCA

In the most populous city in the U.S., the Animal Care Centers of NYC is one of the few animal organizations that accepts guinea pigs. That didn't pose too much of a hurdle in the past when guinea pig intakes averaged fewer than 350 a year. But in 2021, the numbers began to rise, and by the end of the year, the shelter had taken in 709 guinea pigs. The following year the number was over 750.

The ACC was already "stretched pretty thin" around this time, says Katy Hansen, director of marketing and communications at the ACC. It didn't have the infrastructure to care for so many small animals and had to spend $20,000 on a guinea pig "tower" to house the animals. And because most of the guinea pigs came to the shelter unsterilized, staff members needed to drive them to and from a local veterinary clinic for spay/neuter surgeries, which added up in time and costs.

When Voters For Animals Rights, a Brooklyn-based advocacy group, heard how guinea pig intakes were impacting the shelter, it began leading efforts alongside the ACC, Humane World for Animals and the New York State Animal Protection Federation on a legislative solution.

"Every other shelter that I've seen is struggling. They're struggling with regular animals, but these exotics and small animals are ... becoming a problem across the nation."

-Katy Hansen, Animal Care Centers of NYC

Many of the surrendered guinea pigs were very young, suggesting that owners had recently acquired them. Of those whose owners reported the source of their pet, 61% came from pet stores.

"The goal of this legislation was to solve the root cause of the problem, and that is the cheap sale of high-maintenance animals," says Brian Shapiro, HSUS New York state director.

In April 2023, the New York City Council passed an ordinance prohibiting the sale of guinea pigs in pet stores (the animals can still be adopted out). It was a big win, says Hansen, but the problem isn't isolated to New York City. "Every other shelter that I've seen is struggling. They're struggling with regular animals, but these exotics and small animals are ... becoming a problem across the nation."

The "others"

Cats and dogs make up the majority of intakes at animal shelters, and many shelters only accept these two species. But a growing number of shelters also take in other pets, usually called "smalls" or "others" in sheltering lingo (in veterinary medicine, they're called "exotics").

The number and types of "other" animals entering shelters' doors vary widely. With four adoption centers, including its Nevins Farm facility, the MSPCA in Massachusetts takes in a larger variety than most shelters. In December, it had guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, rats, mice, ferrets, hedgehogs, chinchillas, ducks, doves and parakeets for adoption, as well as horses, sheep, goats, chickens and potbellied pigs.

Dakin Humane Society in Springfield, Massachusetts, accepts around 18 species of small mammals and birds, which make up nearly 20% of the shelter's intakes. "We're not going out and looking for them," says director of operations Karina King. "We're just serving the needs that exist in our community. And anyone who is not taking smalls, the need is there in the community whether they're coming to you or not."

Photo courtesy of Vanderburgh Humane Society

Data from the American Veterinary Medical Association support her view. There are around 30 million exotic pets in the U.S. (excluding fish), according to the AVMA 2017-2018 Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook. Exotic pet ownership in the U.S. has never been greater, the AVMA says, and research shows young people are more interested in exotic pets than older generations, suggesting the number may continue to grow.

"Because there's an increase in exotic pet ownership, there is an increase in exotic pet surrender, which means shelters are having to adapt on the fly," says Dr. Emily MacArthur, a staff veterinarian at the Humane Rescue Alliance in Washington, D.C.

But even shelters long accustomed to caring for small animals are struggling with the recent rise in intakes, particularly of guinea pigs. Shelters in California, Massachusetts, Washington, D.C., Ohio, Connecticut, Colorado, Hawai'i and even the United Kingdom have all reported an increase in guinea pig intakes.

"We're definitely riding a wave of owner-surrender guinea pigs," says Jamie Lima, barn manager at the SPCA Monterey County in California.

"Because there's an increase in exotic pet ownership, there is an increase in exotic pet surrender, which means shelters are having to adapt on the fly."

-Dr. Emily MacArthur, Humane Rescue Alliance

Theresa Gary, director of operations at the Connecticut Humane Society, says her shelter has experienced a "severe increase" in rabbit intakes in addition to a rise in guinea pigs. She says other New England shelters and rescues have also been seeing a spike in rabbit numbers over the past five years. Mike Keiley, director of adoption centers and programs at the MSPCA, believes guinea pigs and rabbits probably arrive at shelters in large numbers due to their longer life spans compared to other small mammals.

And since small animals have high reproductive rates, "it's not like you get one rat in," says Kendall Paul, CEO at Vanderburgh Humane Society in Evansville, Indiana. "You're getting in 20 rats at a time."

Photo courtesy of Voters For Animal Rights

Care challenges

The reasons for the recent surge in small animal surrenders aren't clear, but one theory is that people turned to acquiring small pets during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic when the availability of cats and dogs in shelters declined. A few years later, people may be struggling to care for their animals, the theory goes.

Sold in large numbers by pet stores, guinea pigs, rabbits, hamsters and other small animals are distinctly adorable but also harder to care for (and less cuddly) than their labels of "pocket pets" or "starter pets" may lead people to believe. For many species, it can also be difficult for a layperson to accurately determine their gender. As a result, people can unwittingly take home a pregnant animal or discover the hard way that the same-sex pair they purchased at the pet store are actually a male and a female.

Once in a home, small animals require specific housing and social, dietary and even atmospheric conditions to mimic life in their natural environments. Otherwise, "they won't eat, they won't shed, they won't poop, they won't do basic living things," says MacArthur.

On top of all of this, small-pet owners struggle with the same socioeconomic issues as cat and dog owners, such as the rising costs of goods and lack of access to pet care resources and pet-inclusive housing. Veterinarians who are experienced in treating small animals can be hard to find, and pet support services and animal rehoming resources typically focus on cats and dogs.

"There's a lot of barriers to care for exotic pets," says Lindsay Hamrick, HSUS director of shelter outreach and engagement. "Take the barriers that cat and dog owners face and then multiply them by 100, and that's what you're dealing with."

Some owners, feeling left without options or mistakenly assuming their animal will thrive in the wild, release their small pet outdoors. In Boston, there was a 56% increase in abandoned and stray guinea pigs between 2021 and 2022, according to the MSPCA.

Meanwhile, as shelters grapple with high intakes of cats and dogs, simply finding appropriate shelter space for small animals can be a herculean task. Cold-blooded reptiles rely on their environment to regulate their body temperatures and can develop potentially fatal metabolic bone disease if they're not given enough ultraviolet light. Prey species should be housed separately from cats and dogs, and some sheltering experts recommend keeping guinea pigs separate from rabbits (who can transmit an upper respiratory disease that can be fatal for guinea pigs).

Photo courtesy of the MSPCA

Small animals also require special supplies, expertise and time, and many shelters struggle to balance meeting their needs with the daily demands of operating a shelter. "We do our best," MacArthur says. "We do what we can with the space we have and the number of animals we have. A parrot needs attention. We can't give them the attention they need. ... A rat likes to play and have time outside the cage every day, and bunnies love to free roam, and ours are in kennels."

Another challenge shelters face is training staff and volunteers on small animal care. "A lot of people have never worked with an exotic pet before, so we don't have that base level knowledge," says MacArthur. And animal care staff need to be especially watchful as prey species hide signs of illness. When a dog or cat doesn't eat for a day, for example, it's typically not an emergency, and staff will simply make a note of it for the medical team, says MacArthur. But "a bunny who doesn't eat for a day could be dying."

The search for solutions

During Keiley's almost 30 years in sheltering, he's seen a lot of progress in how the field views small animals. "My hope is that more and more shelters will start to recognize that this is a big need in the community. And those who might not be engaged right now in small animals may need to be," he says.

Yet finding the resources to provide a safety net for small animals can seem daunting, MacArthur says. "We are drowning in cats and dogs anyways, so trying to expand further is kind of doing a disservice to the animals you already signed up to care for." At the same time, she adds, small animals "are already here, they're already needing help."

Some shelters are finding at least a partial solution to their small animal overload by appealing to the public. While messaging about adopting cats and dogs from shelters has taken off in recent decades, many people still don't know that shelters have small animals available for adoption. To change this, shelters are using social media and creative promotions to boost awareness of their small adoptables.

"My hope is that more and more shelters will start to recognize that this is a big need in the community. And those who might not be engaged right now in small animals may need to be."

-Mike Keiley, MSPCA

During a recent adoption event for mice, the MSPCA gave the first 75 adopters a starter kit, which included a tank, bedding, bottles, bowls and huts. (Free supplies can attract adopters, ensure the animal has a humane setup and increase access to resources for pet owners, Paul notes.)

The MSPCA already has low adoption fees for small animals, so fee-waived adoption events are not as much about taking away a monetary barrier as they're about asking the community for help, Keiley says.

Photo courtesy of Vanderburgh Humane Society

Still, in many regions, the base of potential adopters interested in owning a small pet is much smaller than it is for cats and dogs, sheltering experts say. At the MSPCA, small animals take between double and triple the amount of time to find homes compared to dogs and cats.

For some shelters, the mismatch between supply and demand has forced some tough choices. Dakin Humane Society has historically been open admissions for all the species they accept, but during the past few years they've only taken in guinea pigs under emergency situations and have reduced their intake of rabbits. "We were getting 60 to 80 requests for guinea pig surrenders per month and adopting out about a dozen per month," says King. "I can't make that math work."

Organizations are having to make decisions "about how to get ahead of this problem, and I think it's reasonable to shut down intake when you're overwhelmed," Keiley says.

The MSPCA is still accepting small animals while trying to fight through the obstacles. Taking that safety net away from the community, Keiley says, could "cause other issues like an increase in abandonment that would end up being more problematic than struggling through capacity issues on our end."

When his shelter took in over 500 mice from a single home in September, they were able to transfer around 150 to other New England shelters. But if they'd taken in 500-plus guinea pigs instead, he doubts they would have been able to find any shelters able to help.

Photo courtesy of Vanderburgh Humane Society

As the influx of small animals into shelters continues, some animal advocacy organizations are looking for legislative fixes. Over the past decade, New York City, Chicago, San Francisco and several other cities have banned pet store sales of rabbits. In 2018, California became the first state to ban pet stores from selling cats, dogs and rabbits. And in 2022, New York state passed a similar law. Now momentum is starting to build on behalf of guinea pigs.

Since the NYC ban on pet store sales of guinea pigs went into effect, the Animal Care Centers is seeing a slow but steady decline in intakes. Hansen hopes her city's success will inspire other organizations to pursue similar legislation and notes that the NYC bill passed with a supermajority of support. "It's such a nonpartisan issue," she says.

In December, after lobbying by the MSPCA and other animal advocacy organizations, the Boston City Council voted unanimously to add guinea pigs to an existing ban on retail sales of cats, dogs and rabbits and to instead encourage adoption partnerships between pet stores and shelters or rescue groups. With that vote, Boston became the fourth municipality in the state to prohibit pet store sales of guinea pigs.

Several months before the city council took action, Keiley didn't foresee an end to the large number of guinea pigs coming into his shelter. Legislative changes, he said, may provide the "only relief we can expect in the future." Now with the revised ordinance scheduled to take effect this spring, Keiley and his team are hopeful that relief is in sight.

About the Author

Brianna Grant is an editor and writer at Humane World for Animals. She writes for HumanePro and All Animals magazine. She is particularly passionate about protecting wild animals and also writes as a freelancer about wildlife conservation and sustainable tourism. She previously worked at Humane Society International as a program assistant for the wildlife department, where she analyzed international wildlife trade data and wrote communications materials. She holds a Master's in animals and public policy. She lives in western Massachusetts with her husband and two cats. She loves exploring new areas and spending time outdoors hiking and swimming.

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Small animals come with big obstacles for shelters

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In the most populous city in the U.S., the Animal Care Centers of NYC is one of the few animal organizations that accepts guinea pigs. That didn't pose too much of a hurdle in the past when guinea pig intakes averaged fewer than 350 a year.

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Basic article explaining why wild animals might be sad when they can't run, hunt, and live like they would in nature. Simple vocabulary and clear ideas.

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Make a Nature Journal to Observe Animals | Crafts for Kids

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An animal observation journal is a great way to keep a record of the amazing animals you observe where you live and for sharing those observations with others.

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Discusses the moral questions surrounding keeping wild animals in captivity, even for conservation purposes. Presents complex ideas with appropriate vocabulary for 5th graders.

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Fish tanks are ubiquitous-found in doctor's offices, Chinese restaurants, corporate headquarters, and in millions of homes throughout the world. Some studies report that they reduce anxiety, stress, and blood pressure, calm hyperactive children, and provide some relief for those suffering from Alzheimer's disease. They can be big or small, plain or fancy, and they come in every conceivable configuration. There's even a reality television show, "Tanked," that builds them for the famous and well-heeled.

Whether a small, sterile bowl with a single forlorn fish sitting on a kitchen table or a large tank in a municipal aquarium, they are designed to keep fish in captivity for human enjoyment. Within their walls, a cornucopia of freshwater and marine species can be found that, like their tanks, come in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. Many are bred in captivity while others are captured in the wild and traded internationally.

But what are the consequences of captivity? Beyond the size of the tank, number of fish, and water quality and temperature, there are ethical and environmental costs inherent to the ornamental fish trade. Sadly, most captive fish live short lives and are easily replaced with new "stock"- creating a constant demand that feeds a cycle of collection/production, acquisition, and death.

In recent years, the film Blackfish has advanced the global effort questioning the ethics of keeping orcas in captivity. It has challenged people to recognize the cruelty of keeping large, intelligent, and sentient animals in such small tanks. While ornamental fish don't travel the same distances as wild orcas, they are sentient-showing far more cognitive abilities than they are given credit for-and few, if any, spend their entire lives in the wild in the volume of water contained in a standard fish tank.

Remarkably, tanks that contain no more than one-half gallon of water-a size insufficient to provide a home to even the smallest ornamental fish species-continue to be sold. Bed Bath and Beyond, one of many stores that sell tiny 6-inch, half-gallon cube tanks, brags that "they take up very little space and look great on counters, desks, podiums or even mounted on a wall" and their "chic design ... blends in nicely in a variety of household or office settings and is a simple way to introduce a calming element to your everyday environment."

Even a larger, full-size home aquarium can't provide the diversity of habitats and conditions that are found in the wild, and fail to meet the physical and psychological needs of its captives. Often, according to various aquarium publications, these tanks are overstocked with fish living in poor quality water, resulting in suffering and premature death. Moreover, while "tiny tanks" are preferred by some, aquarium enthusiasts report that they are more difficult to properly maintain than larger tanks-contributing to high death rates for fish relegated to a life in a few cups of water.

While most do not question the sentience and intelligence of dogs, cats, and many other animals, these traits are not often attributed to fish. Scientists continue to debate whether fish experience pain as humans do, but Dr. Culum Brown of Australia's Macquarie University, in a 2015 paper in Animal Cognition, concluded that, "fish perception and cognitive abilities often match or exceed other vertebrates," and that "the extensive evidence of fish behavioural and cognitive sophistication and pain perception suggests that best practice would be to lend fish the same level of protection as any other vertebrate."

Beyond ethical concerns, the ecological implications of the hobby and the industry that feeds it are enormous. According to the literature, while 95 percent of freshwater fish are bred in captivity, 95 to 99 percent of marine (or saltwater) fish in the aquarium trade are collected from the wild. Globally, it is estimated that over 1 billion ornamental fish (freshwater and marine) from some 5,400 species are traded annually for the aquarium industry. This does not include the invertebrates, crustaceans, live rock, corals, and plants that are also part of the ornamental fish trade.

The United States is the number one importer of ornamental fish, followed by the European Union and Japan. The majority of captive-produced freshwater fish come from Southeast Asia and Florida, while most marine fish are exported by Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brazil, the Maldives, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, the Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste. In the United States alone, according to a detailed examination of import invoices undertaken by Dr. Andrew Rhyne and colleagues, 10.5 million fish from over 1,800 species were imported into the country in 2004-2005. For comparison, at least 10 million ornamental fish were imported into and 1.3 million exported from the United States in 2014, with over 83 percent of these fish caught in the wild. Yet, this understates the number of fish in the US aquarium trade, as it doesn't include fish traded domestically.

Unfortunately, credible, long-term studies assessing the impact of the ornamental fish trade on most wild-caught freshwater and marine species in trade are sparse. This makes it difficult to fully analyze the biological and ecological impact of trade, particularly in light of other natural and anthropogenic threats to these species and their habitats. Even obtaining accurate species-specific global trade data is nearly impossible. The United Nations collects such data, but all species are combined and trade is reported in kilograms, not in number of fish.

For ornamental fish, particularly those from the wild in high demand, the biological and ecological consequences of the trade can be devastating, resulting in localized species depletion and extinction. Fish endemic to a particular area and those with life history characteristics making them slow to respond to population perturbations are particularly at risk.

Other impacts from the trade include destructive fishing practices and the significant capture-to-tank mortality of many species. The use of toxins like cyanide to capture fish can kill or impair both target and nontarget species, while also killing coral or impairing its ability to provide shelter or food to marine life. Although the industry has established guidelines to try to eliminate such practices, reportedly such poisons continue to be widely used. In addition, some collectors physically destroy coral to capture target fish.

If the fish don't die during collection, a large number die in captivity both before and after they are sold to hobbyists. Depending on the source of the fish, many wild-caught animals spend days or weeks in transit before arriving at your local pet store; mortality rates from stress, injury, disease, or mistreatment can exceed 80 percent. While industry guidelines are intended to reduce capture-to-sale mortality, it is unclear how many traders are complying with the standards, or if they are effective.

For those fish that do survive, some are intentionally or accidentally released into the wild. In some cases, these species can become invasive and adversely impact local ecosystems by outcompeting native fish, disrupting predator-prey dynamics, and transmitting diseases. An analysis by Drs. Whittington and Chong of the disease-transmission potential of the ornamental fish trade in Australia revealed a number of diseases in imported fish that had cleared quarantine, as well as the presence of nonnative fish and their introduced diseases in the wild. The same impacts have been documented in other countries, including the United States, which has no known quarantine process for imported ornamental fish. Imported lionfish, for example, have been dumped into the wild by home aquarium owners for the past 25 years, and have become an enormous ecological threat to Atlantic coastal waters in the United States and the Caribbean.

Freshwater species tend to be easier to maintain in captivity, generally have lower mortality rates and, since most are captive bred, don't pose as great a risk to wild fish stocks. Nevertheless, they too suffer in captivity and the conservation implications of their trade are not benign. The International Union for Conservation of Nature issued a report in 2003 indicating that a large number of freshwater fish are collected from the wild, particularly in Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Peru, and East African countries. For these species, overcollection can result in localized depletions and extinctions, capture-to-tank mortality can be high, and they also can become invasive species if released.

Despite the massive trade in fish for aquariums, there are very few aquarium species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Given the quantity of fish in trade, evidence of overcollection impacts, and lack of credible information about the impact of trade (and other threats) on many species, CITES protections may be warranted. Without international restrictions on trade, the fate of thousands of fish species is controlled by national laws which, in many countries, are woefully inadequate.

Ultimately, the consumer has to decide whether to keep fish in captivity. While many people around the world rely on the ornamental fish trade for all or some of their income, is this worth the ecological and ethical costs of captivity? Perhaps if you are considering a fish tank for your home, you should think like a fish and ask if you would prefer a life in the wild or behind glass walls.

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Ethical and Ecological Implications of Keeping Fish in Captivity

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Fish tanks are ubiquitous-found in doctor's offices, Chinese restaurants, corporate headquarters, and in millions of homes throughout the world. Some studies report that they reduce anxiety, stress, and blood pressure, calm hyperactive children, and provide some relief for those suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

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Psychological Effects of Zoo Life on Animals

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Psychological Effects of Zoo Life on Animals

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Examines how captivity can cause stress and unnatural behaviors in zoo animals. Written with academic vocabulary but accessible explanations for intermediate readers.

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Blog

By Hannah Goldstein

Research shows that captivity has an impact on animals' brains and the way they behave. Here's how.

If you've ever been to see a mammal in captivity, you've likely seen them exhibit behaviors they wouldn't engage in in the wild. Repetitive, often destructive behaviors like swimming in circles, grinding their teeth, and bobbing their heads are all symptoms of the effects of captivity on the animal's brain. How does an animal's brain change in captivity, and why is it detrimental them?

In Captivity

Captivity strips animals of their natural habitats, families, and daily activities. Dolphins, for example, are forced to live in containment 200,000 times smaller than their natural habitats. Elephants, who usually walk up to 20 km in the wild, are unable to do anything other than pace around in their enclosures. Researchers, from psychologists to ecologists, have observed strange behavior as a result of captivity, and recent research shows that this behavior is linked to changes in brain structure and function.

Changing Brains

Living in an unstimulating, stressful environment has been shown to change the brains of animals from rabbits to humans. Such an environment has been linked to thinning of the cerebral cortex, reduced blood flow in the brain due to thinning capillaries, decreased length in dendritic branches, and less efficient synaptic connections, to name just a few examples. A thinner cerebral cortex, the part of the brain involved in voluntary movement and higher cognitive function, can result in poor decision making and worse memory. The change in dendritic branches and synapses means that captive animals process information less efficiently than those living in their natural habitats.

The chronic stress of living in captivity without any control over their environment leads to learned helplessness, a trauma response that affects the hippocampus, which handles memory functions, and the amygdala, which processes emotions. As a result, a captive animal's memory and emotions are irregular and some animals have been shown to become emotionally unpredictable. Prolonged stress also disrupts the balance of serotonin and dopamine in an animal's brain, which can lead to repetitive and often damaging behavior.

A Change In Behavior

These brain changes do not happen in a microcosm. As an animal's brain changes, so too do their behaviors. The primary change is that animals lose their some of their natural behaviors including food-finding, avoiding predators, and rearing young, and replace them with stereotypic, destructive behaviors brought on by chronic stress and boredom. These new behaviors are often self-destructive, like gnawing on bars and running headfirst into walls. They also show a marked difference between a captive animal and their wild relatives.

Why Defend Captivity?

Many zoos, aquariums, and other spaces that hold animals captive say they do so with the intention of preserving species. The reality is that the majority of zoos do not meaningfully contribute to conservation and that captivity hurts animals more than it helps them. Make sure to avoid seeing animals trapped in captivity so as to not contribute to these changes in brain and behavior. Instead, look for accredited sanctuaries that allow animals to roam free in their natural habitats.

The reality is that the majority of zoos do not meaningfully contribute to conservation and that captivity hurts animals more than it helps them.

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Here's How Captivity Affects Mammals' Brains

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Research shows that captivity has an impact on animals' brains and the way they behave. Here's how.

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Explores other ways to protect endangered species without keeping them in captivity, such as habitat preservation and wildlife reserves.

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Sophisticated analysis of both benefits and drawbacks of contemporary zoos, examining their evolution from entertainment venues to conservation centers. Challenges advanced readers with complex sentence structures.

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Weighing Conservation Benefits Against Animal Welfare

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Weighing Conservation Benefits Against Animal Welfare

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Academic examination of the tension between conservation goals and individual animal welfare in zoo settings. Features advanced vocabulary and nuanced arguments.

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Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science

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Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science

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The Future of Zoos: Adapting for the 21st Century

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The Future of Zoos: Adapting for the 21st Century

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Forward-thinking piece exploring how zoos are changing to address criticism while maintaining their conservation and education missions. Written for advanced intermediate readers.