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Smart, Social and Erratic in Captivity (Published 2013)

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A film, a book and a trainer’s death have renewed debate among scientists and animal advocates on the wisdom and morality of keeping killer whales in marine parks.

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California bill would ban orca shows at SeaWorld | CNN

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A California state legislator wants to ban the orca killer whale shows at SeaWorld, in the wake of CNN's controversial documentary "Blackfish."

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A couple of weeks ago, there was an accident at Cincinnati zoo. A child fell into an enclosure with a gorilla named Harambe, and to protect the child the gorilla was shot. I'm not going to recount the story, for three reasons:

1. Dozens and dozens of articles have poured over the minutia of the events already.

2. I very much doubt I have anything new I could add.

3. This one event, however tragic, simply doesn't interest me very much, when there are vastly more important things to write about.

Yet what this events has done, is reignite the debate over the role of zoos (and aquaria). Whilst much of attention that generates is unfortunately negative, it does give folks like me an opportunity to shout about the great and critically important work zoos do for conservation (and how they might get better at it in the future).

Normally, one would hope that zoos themselves would be proudly showcasing their work, but as I discovered last week on Al Jazeera given the barrage of attacks that Cincinnati experienced, many zoos are reluctant to speak up. So with the debate being a little one-sided, here's some of the reasons zoos are critical to conservation.

The Role of Zoos in Conservation

1. There are 39 animal species currently listed by the IUCN as Extinct in the Wild. These are species that would have vanished totally were it not for captive populations around the world, many of which reside in zoos. For me, this is the single most important role zoos can play. Incidentally, it's the same for botanic gardens too, but no-one seems to care about those!

2. For species whose survival in the wild looks in doubt, zoos often set up 'insurance' populations. These are captive groups of animals that could in a worst case scenario assist in reintroduction to the wild, should the original population go extinct. The Amur leopard, for example: There are perhaps 35-65 left in the wild, a species teetering right on the brink. But fortunately there is a long running breeding program with over 200 surviving in captivity. The Zoological Society of London, as an example, participates in over 160 of these programmes.

3. Reintroduction. It is often argued that zoos are bad because so few reintroduction actually happen. I would argue that it's not the zoos at fault, it's that a reintroduction can't occur if the reason they went extinct in the first place hasn't been resolved. Amongst the most well known and successful reintroductions are:

The Californian Condor, only 23 existed in the wild in the early 1980s. The last of the wild population was taken into captivity in a last ditched attempt to save the species, with chicks being reared at San Diego zoo. It worked. There are now more than 400 in the wild.

The Golden Lion Tamarin, perhaps the most famous of all reintroductions. In 2003, the Golden Lion Tamarin was downlisted from Critically Endangered to Endangered after thirty years of tireless conservation efforts involving the Smithsonian National Zoological Park and the Associação Mico-Leao-Dourado in Rio de Janeiro. More than one-third of the wild population are descendants of the reintroduction program which has contributed significantly not only to the numbers of living in the wild, but also to the protection 3,100 ha of forests within their range.

Indeed the very idea of reintroducing species is new, and fraught with difficulties. It's risky and hard. No-one wants it to go wrong, so give them your support.

4. In 2014, 700 million people visited zoos worldwide. OK, not all zoos are good at engagement. Indeed not all zoos are good full stop. But, surely that number of visits had to create some sort of connection with the natural world that might not have occurred otherwise.

5. Zoos are a living museum. What we learn about wild animals in captivity can help us manage and conserve them in the wild. From animal behaviour, to reproductive rates to dietary requirements.

6. Zoos raise money for conservation efforts. It's difficult to engage people with conservation efforts taking place half a world away, believe me, I know. But by enabling people to experience wildlife first hand, and using that as a vessel in which to tell a story, we can I hope increase participation in international conservation efforts.

7. Helping respond to emergencies. In the last 20 years, an estimated 168 amphibian species have gone extinct. In addition to habitat loss, chytrid fungus has emerged as a deadly threat to worldwide amphibian populations. Responding to threats such as this, especially in small or medium sized vertebrates is surely one of the greatest uses of zoos around the world. In fact, many zoos have set up specialist amphibian centers and are pioneering treatment and breeding programmes.

8. They remind us that we can succeed. Conservation is full of bad news stories, yet on many occasions I have stood peering through glass at a species that shouldn't exist. At WWT Barnes on the outskirts of London I have stood on a wet Winter day watching Nene, which was once the world's rarest goose (now, incidentally, successfully reintroduced). In Antsohihy, Madagascar I have peered through the mesh fence at the world's only population of Malagasy pochard, a duck thought to be extinct for years and then rediscovered. In the UK I've stood while a Bali Myna flew over my head, a bird numbering less than 100 in the wild (but thankfully more than 1000 in captivity). For me at least, zoos remind us that conservation does work, we just need more of it.

So where Do Zoos Go In the Future?

But zoos are not perfect. Should they continue to keep large predators, or intelligent primates? Over the next few decades, probably not. Should large new animals be collected from the wild? No, unless there is a compelling case to develop a captive breeding program. But are zoos changing and developing? Yes! More than ever, good zoos are aware of their evolving role in conservation and responding to it.

Would I rather have a species in captivity, than not at all. One hundred times, yes. What we don't need is knee-jerk reactions to tragic accidents.

It's easy to attack zoos

It's absolutely right that there are bad zoos too, both in the UK and around the world. But I would argue that it's easy to criticise something with a visible and physical presence. What is much, much harder is taking action to support conservation in the field, to reduce the impact of climate change or tackle pollution.

These things are a lot less tangiable, a lot harder to get to grips with. It's difficult for one individual to feel that they have made much of a difference, and so often we don't get the same feeling of satisfaction or achievement. That I think is why so many animal rights groups attack zoos, when instead I would argue that they could achieve a much greater net good by working together and protecting natural habitats.

Zoos are run by people who love animals, but as with any passion project, we might differ in our views on how best to achieve what we want. So I would urge you to support the good ones, improve the bad ones, don't tar them all with the same brush and remember: The focus should be on protecting natural habitats and that zoos can help achieve that.

Live Debate on Al Jazeera

Yet despite zoos popularity with the public, it seems that finding someone willing to defend and support zoos work on live TV is difficult. In fact the zoos themselves were reluctant to send their own representatives for fear of going head to head with vocal animal rights activists. And so instead, I volunteered to voice my views. Let me know what you think!

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8 Reasons that Zoos are Critically Important for Conservation

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A couple of weeks ago, there was an accident at Cincinnati zoo. A child fell into an enclosure with a gorilla named Harambe, and to protect the child the gorilla was shot. I'm not going to recount the story, for three reasons: Dozens and dozens of articles have

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Zoos have changed. Today, the best zoos provide a vital conservation lifeline for some of the world's most endangered species.

The threat is real and it's happening now. Across the world, numerous species are on the brink of extinction, and many more are facing an increasingly bleak future.

From the magnificent Sumatran Tiger to the tiny Corroboree Frog, species from all ecosystems, from many parts of the world are fighting for their survival - and many are losing. The reasons are complex but research shows a direct correlation between human population growth and extinction that is only going to get worse.

Whatever the reasons, the outcome is simple - the permanent loss of countless species. The WWF's Living Planet Index shows a 58 per cent decline in populations of vertebrates between 1970 and 2012. If this continues, it's estimated that this decline will be 67 per cent by 2020.

Thankfully, conservation organisations the world over are casting a lifeline to some of the most endangered species. And the world's best zoos are playing a significant role in helping many of these species fight back.

Zoos have changed. The very best have evolved into fully fledged conservation agencies that are leading the way in science, research, animal husbandry, breeding programs and conservation projects in house and in the field. Zoos worldwide work in collaboration to ensure some of the world's most endangered species have a viable insurance population should the unthinkable happen to them in the wild. The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums reports that the zoos and aquariums globally spend US$ 350 million on wildlife conservation each year. It's a far cry from the zoos origins as a menagerie for curious visitors.

Zoos make a difference. From large key species like Sumatran Tigers, Asian Elephants, Western Lowland Gorillas and Black Rhinos to lesser known, but equally important species like the Golden Lion Tamarin, the Panamanian Golden Frog and freshwater mussels, the species being helped by zoos are many and diverse, as are the roles that zoos play in wildlife conservation. Zoos are even using their expertise in science and research to help secure the future of Australia's Great Barrier Reef. What would happen to these species without the help of zoos?

Zoos have evolved. The contribution world zoos have made to conservation is immense. One of the most well-known contributions is the incredible story of the Arabian Oryx. Once listed as extinct in the wild, it was brought back from the brink thanks to the painstaking work of Phoenix Zoo and others. Through this incredible work, we now have over 1,000 of these magnificent animals back in the wild and thousands more looked after by zoos worldwide.

Przewalski's Horse, the only truly wild horse left in the world and once declared extinct in the wild, has made an incredible comeback thanks to a breeding program only made possible due to the international cooperation of zoos.

The California Condor, once on the brink of extinction, now fill the Californian sky in their hundreds thanks to the dedicated conservation efforts of San Diego Wild Animal Park and the Los Angeles Zoo.

In Australia, there were only a handful of Corroboree Frogs left in the wild until a breeding program was set up at Taronga Zoo Sydney. After years of work, Taronga has so far released thousands of frogs back into the wild and continue this work behind the scenes every day.

But these success stories are just the tip of the iceberg. Zoos, from the big to the small, are showing an unprecedented commitment to conservation that is helping to secure the future of species in their home countries and around the world.

And these conservation programs aren't just limited to on-site projects. There are hundreds of in-situ conservation projects across dozens of countries happening in the world right now - managed, financed and staffed by world zoos. The best of these take a holistic approach to conservation: ensuring a viable breeding population in zoos, working to protect habitat and build capacity in local communities in the animals' natural environment to co-exist with wildlife, while educating and empowering zoo visitors to take action and make choices that result in a real-world difference.

While not all animals in zoosare on the endangered species list, it's important to remember that people come to zoos for the experience of seeing animals for themselves. Every year, around 700 million people visit zoos and aquariums worldwide to do just this - and this gives zoos an incredible opportunity - in fact an obligation - to promote and campaign for conservation measures and environmental education that ultimately will help those species that are endangered.

But of course, not all zoos are equal. Just like any industry, there are good practitioners (who continuously seek improvement) and ones that need to shift in both practice and philosophy. The best zoos are putting conservation outcomes at the top of their priorities and are consistently striving for better animal welfare.

The best zoos are setting a precedent for others to follow. They are changing the very notion of what a zoo is, the role they play in society and are the best defense for some of our most endangered species.

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Why the world needs (good) zoos more than ever - For the Wild - Medium

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Zoos have changed. Today, the best zoos provide a vital conservation lifeline for some of the world's most endangered species. The threat is real and it's happening now. Across the world, numerous species are on the brink of extinction, and many more are facing an increasingly bleak future.

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Blackfish is a documentary which focuses on Tilikum, an orca whale held captive in SeaWorld, who went on to kill three individuals. It looks at the negative consequences (for orcas and humans) of keeping these highly intelligent, emotional and social animals in captivity for their entire life. These orcas would attack each other, as well as the trainers, which sometimes resulted in serious injury and life-threatening situations. The documentary sparked controversy and has made many people determined never to visit the place.

I remember going to SeaWorld when I was younger and thought nothing of it. All you see is a crowd of happy people, an enthusiastic trainer and an orca whale which looked like it was having fun doing some tricks. But behind this veneer is cruelty and exploitation. Keeping an intelligent creature like Tilikum captive led to highly aggressive, violent and psychotic behaviour - wild orcas are usually non-threatening towards humans. Keeping other highly intelligent creatures, such as chimpanzees, in confinement can lead to similar neuroses and psychological dysfunctions. Although many decided to boycott SeaWorld after seeing the documentary, unfortunately, SeaWorld's profits have not been affected - they've actually improved. On the other hand, this is not due to an increase in attendance but an increase in ticket prices. Attendance has actually dropped, most likely due to the effect of this documentary. In the near future, we may see attendance rates drop even further as this film becomes more widely circulated.

This documentary raises an important question: is it ever right to put a wild animal in captivity, in a zoo, for human entertainment? I aim to show why the apparent innocence of zoos is illusory. Zoos are institutions which remove wild animals from their natural habitat and force them to live out an unnatural life in an artificial enclosure. Such animals are usually separated from their family as well which can induce a feeling of sorrow (elephants and orcas have also been observed to experience grief at the loss of a relative). When I was younger I also remember visiting London Zoo, but again, the point of view of the animals never entered into my mind. They were just something interesting, cute and entertaining to watch. Nothing suggested that they were beaten or tortured by the employees, so what could possibly be wrong with this setup? Well, it turns out that a level of torture does exist.

The Captive Animals' Protection Society (CAPS) last year exposed London Zoo for carrying out the cruel practice of pinioning birds. This is an operation which involves amputating part of the bird's wing so that it is rendered permanently flightless. Fortunately, the zoo responded with a promise to stop pinioning, which may, in turn, encourage other zoos to do the same. The campaign to outlaw pinioning continues to enjoy support and progress. However, as great as outlawing pinioning would be for the animal's welfare, CAPS are still opposed to the holding of wild animals in captive zoos.

Peter Tatchell, the famous human rights and LGBT rights campaigner, has in the past demanded London Zoo to be shut down. Tatchell argues it is cruel to keep a wild animal in an enclosure, no matter how large it is. In the case of gorillas, for example, even though their enclosure has grown over time, this still does not match the size of what their natural territory would be like in the rainforest. Many exotic birds have no room to fly; camels, zebras and giraffes cannot wander as they would in the wild, and smaller animals are confined to tiny glass display cases. These animals live a life of imprisonment and constantly suffer from boredom, frustration and stress. The open plan design of the enclosures also means they can never escape the noise and attention of tourists. Another campaigner, Damian Aspinall, has similarly boycotted London Zoo. He stated that:

The fact that we have to keep animals in captivity is a sign of the abject failure of us as a species. The long-term goal should be that we do not need to keep animals in captivity...The idea that zoos should be for the education or entertainment of mankind fills me with horror.

Regarding the point of zoos educating people, it is doubtful whether zoos do have this effect. After all, what can we learn about an animal's natural behaviour if it is forced to live in an alien environment? Frustrating an animal's needs, desires and preferences has no benefit to the animal or for educational purposes. Dale Jamieson is a Professor of Environmental Studies and Philosophy from New York University and has spoken out passionately against the zoo industry. He tackles this issue in his essay Against Zoos. Jamieson contends that any argument in favour of zoos - whether they be appeals to amusement, education, scientific research or conservation - are flawed and don't carry much weight. In regards to research, Dale has the following to say: "...the claim that captive animals are more interesting research subjects than those in the wild is not very plausible." Besides, very few zoos carry out research anyway.

It is also questionable whether zoos do act as a force for conservation. As Jamieson goes on to say, "...it can be argued that they [zoos] continue to remove more animals from the wild than they return." Furthermore, after a few years in captivity, an animal will diverge both behaviourally and genetically from its relatives in the wild, suggesting that the same wild animal has not been preserved. Zoo breeding programmes can also lead to many unwanted animals. This surplus of animals is a financial burden for the zoo and many are sold to individuals or institutions which lack the proper facilities to take care of them. In America, we find that this surplus has led to the trading of exotic animals.

The philosopher Bryan Norton argues that putting a captive-bred animal in the wild is "equivalent to dropping a contemporary human being in a remote area in the 18 th or 19 th century and saying, 'Let's see if you can make it.'" In other words, zoos do little to conserve endangered species. Zoos have a poor track record when it comes to successfully re-introducing species into the wild and producing self-sustaining wild populations. The real solution is to preserve the wild habitats in which these animals belong. Given the arguments against zoos I have outlined, it's time that we boycotted zoos. They are a manifestation of the belief that animals can be used for human purposes. They force animals to live a life of misery for the trivial purpose of human (mainly child) amusement. If you're thinking about making a trip to the zoo, aquarium or a marine mammal park like SeaWorld, please re-consider.

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Blackfish is a documentary which focuses on Tilikum, an orca whale held captive in SeaWorld, who went on to kill three individuals. It looks at the negative consequences (for orcas and humans) of keeping these highly intelligent, emotional and social animals in captivity for their entire life.

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Here at peta2, we get a lot of questions about animals in zoos. Most people understand that confining a beautiful wild animal to a cage a mere fraction of the size of their natural habitat is wrong. And many were furious after watching the eye-opening documentary Blackfish, which detailed the suffering that marine animals endure in captivity. However, there are many common misconceptions about zoos that make some people question why PETA doesn't support them. We're here to answer those questions.

Why does PETA say that animals don't belong in zoos?

Zoos generally regard the animals they keep as mere commodities. They're regularly bought, sold, borrowed, and traded with little regard for their established relationships. Think about this: One member of a loving family herd could be shipped off to another zoo! Removing animals from established social groups and forcing them to adjust repeatedly to new routines, different caretakers, and unfamiliar cage-mates is disruptive and traumatic for them.

A major reason that zoos choose to breed animals is because people LOVE seeing babies. A new baby can draw in zoo visitors and boost revenue. However, the animals' fate is often bleak once they outgrow their "cuteness." Zoos often become crowded, and older animals may be kept in warehouses behind the scenes or shuffled off to shabby roadside zoos, animal dealers, or auctions.

Even large, well-known, and popular zoos engage in unethical practices, such as dumping unwanted animals or acquiring them from the wild. The San Diego Zoo and Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo imported a combined 11 African elephants from Swaziland. And accredited zoos in Denver; Houston; Litchfield Park, Arizona; San Antonio; San Diego; and Tampa, Florida, imported a combined 33 monkeys who had been illegally trafficked by poachers in Africa!

Aren't there laws to protect animals in zoos?

Some countries have no laws whatsoever to protect captive animals. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issues licenses to animal exhibitors in the U.S. The agency is supposed to enforce the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA), but licenses are issued to nearly ANYONE who fills out an application and sends in a fee.

In addition, the AWA only addresses basic issues. It states that animals must be fed, given water, and provided with shelter. However, cages are allowed to have concrete floors, and there's NO specific requirement for grass, greenery, or other natural vegetation. Cage space regulations are liberally interpreted and require only that the animals be provided with enough room to stand up, lie down, turn around, and move around a bit. Basically, this means that if YOU were only protected by the AWA, you could legally be locked inside a concrete closet.

Some animals, including reptiles, fish, and other cold-blooded animals, are specifically EXCLUDED from the AWA. Shockingly, even though Congress amended the act in 2002 to include birds used for exhibition as regulated (protected) animals, the USDA has yet to cite ANYONE for neglecting them-even though many birds are obviously suffering and some have died as a result of apparent AWA violations.

While local authorities do typically have the legal power to enforce state and local cruelty laws for animals suffering in zoos, the vast majority simply refuse to take action, often passing the buck to the USDA. Even though the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) PROHIBITS harming or harassing protected species held in captivity, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (the agency tasked with enforcing the ESA) ALSO typically defers to the USDA's inadequate enforcement of the AWA.

Aren't zoos critical to conservation efforts?

The first thing people need to know is that most animals kept in zoos are NOT endangered. Those who are endangered may have their plight made worse by zoos' focus on crowd appeal.

The second thing you need to know is that animals kept in zoos are almost NEVER being prepared for release back into their natural habitats. It's nearly impossible to release captive-bred animals into the wild safely. Think about this: How are we going to help save animals from extinction if we're displaying them in tiny cages and never releasing them to replenish the species? Animals who are reared in zoos live in unnatural environments and can't learn survival skills-and often, they have little or no natural habitat left to return to because of human encroachment.

Many zoos are holding endangered species primarily as spectacles for tourists. Basically, most endangered animals in captivity are being exploited for the profit of zoos.

Won't children be deprived if they can't see animals in zoos?

Sociologists in the U.K. gathered data from children between the ages of 7 and 15, both before and after they visited the London Zoo. The researchers found that 59 percent of children who took an educator-guided tour of the zoo had no positive educational outcomes. That number jumps to 66 percent when the children went on an unguided visit. In many cases, the trip to the zoo even had a negative impact on children's understanding of animals and their habitats.

Taking kids to the zoo may actually HURT conservation efforts, too! In fact, numerous studies have shown that exhibiting animals in unnatural settings may undermine conservation by causing visitors to believe that the species must not be in jeopardy. This is especially the case for displays in which humans are allowed direct contact with animals.

What CAN we do to save endangered animals?

Ultimately, we'll only be able to save endangered species if we save their habitats and stop animals from being hunted and killed-not by breeding them in captivity. Zoos regularly squander millions of dollars erecting statues and amusement rides and building gift shops and concession stands. This money would do far more to help animals if it were spent on habitat-preservation projects.

Instead of supporting zoos, we should support groups such as the International Primate Protection League, the Born Free Foundation, and other organizations that work to preserve habitats, not habits. Warehousing animals for life is not the way to save them from extinction. Their salvation lies in protecting their homes, not in creating animal prisons. Instead of visiting zoos, you can help animals by supporting organizations that work to protect them from exploitation and preserve habitats.

We should also help nonprofit sanctuaries, such as The Elephant Sanctuary and the Performing Animal Welfare Society, that rescue and care for exotic animals who cannot be released back into the wild and don't sell or breed them.

If you love animals, it's only natural that you want to be close to them, but animals shouldn't have to live in misery because of our curiosity! They don't belong to us and they're NOT OURS to confine in zoos. Pledge never to support zoos, and urge your friends and family to stay away, too.

No chains. No cages. No tanks.

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Here at peta2, we get a lot of questions about animals in zoos. Most people understand that confining a beautiful wild animal to a cage a mere fraction of the size of their natural habitat is wrong. And many were furious after watching the eye-opening documentary Blackfish , which detailed the suffering that marine animals endure in captivity.

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Animals in Entertainment: Circuses, SeaWorld, and Beyond | PETA

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Animals in entertainment suffer immensely. Find out how PETA is putting an end to elephant rides, horseraces, roadside zoos, and safari parks.

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Should People Support or Boycott Zoos? - Reading: Argument and Advocacy

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Should people be allowed to protest at sporting events?

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Smithsonian's National Zoo: We Save Species

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Learn more about the Association for Zoos and Aquariums’ members, educational programs, and conservation efforts, as well as the kinds of facilities we support.

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Newsela | Some clever chimps stage escape at Kansas City Zoo

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It took a branch, a wall, and a smart chimpanzee ringleader to cause a “Code Red” at the zoo.

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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These photos of unexpected animal friendships will melt your heart.

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How do you feel about keeping animals in zoos? Read both sides of the argument to help you decide.

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Back to Animals

A zoo can be an awesome place to see animals first hand and learn about what they eat, their habits, environment, and all sorts of other interesting facts about animals. Another name for a zoo is zoological garden.

Today zoos are becoming better and better places for animals. In the past some zoos were somewhat cruel to animals. Placing animals in environments they were not suited for and often not keeping the animal's best interest in mind. However, today many zoos do wonderful work in animal research and take great care of their animals.

Photo by Ducksters

Some good things that many Zoos do today include:

Acting as sanctuaries for endangered animals. They provide a safe environment for animals that are being threatened by changes in the environment. Often zoos will work to breed and maintain endangered animal populations. Sometime animals are nearly extinct in the wild and the only place they survive is in zoos.

Education on wildlife. Zoos provide a great opportunity for us to learn more about creatures from distant lands.

Research on wildlife and how we can help animals survive radical changes. Zoos do veterinary medicine research as well.

Today's modern zoos house animals in enclosures that are similar to the animal's natural habitat. This can include buildings made for nocturnal animals where they are bright at night, so the animals can sleep, and dark during the day, so zoo visitors can see the animals moving about. Also, climates are controlled in some zoo enclosures for animals like penguins and polar bears. Many zoos have great open spaces as well where animals may graze together. Some zoos have an area where you can take a mini-safari or ride around in a truck or bus to hopefully see the animals up close.

Perhaps the most famous zoo is the San Diego Zoo in Southern California. Many modern zoo practices were pioneered at the San Diego Zoo. The largest zoo in number of animals is the Bronx Zoo with over 6000 animals. The largest zoo in land size is the North Carolina Zoo with 535 acres.

Photo by Ducksters

Seeing an elephant, giraffe, lion, polar bear, penguins, seals, or other incredible creatures at the zoo can be an amazing experience. Be sure to check out your local zoo and get the opportunity to see some awesome animals and learn more about nature.

Another great place to see animals, similar to a zoo, is at an aquarium. Most states have an aquarium where they display all sorts of fish and some sea mammals.More on endangered species:
Amphibians in Danger
Endangered Animals
How Animals Become Extinct
Wildlife Conservation
Zoos

Back to Animals

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Learn about the zoo. History and types of zoological gardens. List of Zoos with interesting animals.