About 180 million people visit zoos and aquariums in the United States every year. But many Americans have long questioned whether animals belong in those places at all. Supporters of zoos say the institutions play an essential role in conservation, inspiring visitors to care about wildlife and protect the environment. Opponents says zoos are cruel and that animals should be allowed to live in thier natural habitats. Are zoos ethical? After reading the article from Junior Scholastic, what other reasons can you think of to support each side?
30 Comments
leah
1/9/2017 11:23:12 am
Yes,zoos are ethical.Animals need zoos because they probably are about to have a baby.Also a weasel might get hurt by a lion and just be sitting there so a lion might eat it.Yes animals do have people to spend time with.These are my reasons about the zoo.
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Tricia
1/15/2017 08:51:57 am
I agree Leah. Zoos are ethical because they allow people to see animals up close and in turn enjoy animals and this will indeed inspire them to want to care and protect animals.
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Allie
1/9/2017 11:23:55 am
No,I don't think zoos are ethical. Zoos keep animals in tiny glass cages.Some zoos only keep popular animals to get more people to go to the zoo witch gets the zoo more money.Animals can get 'zoochosis' a condition that makes them chew their own limbs till they bleed or chew their own fur or feathers off. Last but not least animals can eat when they want to unlike in the wild.That is why I believe animals should be left in the wild.
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Emma
1/9/2017 11:24:42 am
No,I don't think zoos are ethical. Because animals have to live in cages. If they put them in cages then they get zoochosis and they can make them bleed then they have to go to the animals rescue center and have to. Animals who are forced to live in an unnatural setting.
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Reed
1/9/2017 11:27:09 am
No,I think zoos are unethical because animals could have something called zoochosis a condition that can cause them to sway or pace continually chew on their own limbs until they bleed or pull out their own fur or feathers. Most animals in zoos are not endangred. Most animals have not even been released!
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Aidenn
1/9/2017 11:28:46 am
I agree with Marta because she said yes. Animals form or develop zoochosis which means when animals start to chew on there limbs until they bleed.Some zoos get animals that are not even endangered.They just get them for there population.Also for more money,and they act like they love the animals.
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Aiden
1/9/2017 11:30:12 am
I think that zoos are ethical.Some of our favorite animals are at risk of vanishing.Some animals are even sick with zoochosis. And some might get hunted.This is why we need zoos.They help with all these problems.
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Brooklyn
1/10/2017 10:40:52 am
No, in my opinion zoos are unethical. I think so because zoos are for learning, but nobody ever learns anything because the animals have to stick to the routines zookeepers give them. Also, animals need room to roam free, but some zoos don't give animals enough space to do that. The main point is, zoos are unethical!
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Lydia
1/10/2017 10:46:47 am
No, based on what I read, I think zoos are not ethical because zoos don't provide enough space for animals to roam around and feel comfortable and animals might get "zoochosis" and go crazy. In fact, zoos don't even use the endangered animals,they only use the popular animals just to get more money.Also, if the zoo releases the animal out into the wild, it won't be able to feed itself since it might get used to the zookeepers feeding it thus, making the animal starve to death and eventually die.This is why I think zoos are unethical.
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Edith
1/10/2017 10:46:54 am
Yes, zoos are ethical for many reasons. For example, many people think zoos use the money they earn for their own reasons but, if you think about it, zoos use the money to feed the animals and improve the zoo. This is why you see many zoos upgrading some animals spaces. Also, zoos are supported by the U.S. laws meaning no one can go destroy zoos to make new houses, which happens to many forests, which destroys animal habitats. To wrap this opinion up, zoos are helping the wildlife and providing homes like no other, which is why I think zoos are completely ethical.
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Haven
1/10/2017 10:47:10 am
Zoo's are not ethical because they don't give animals enough room to roam around like they would in their natural habitat. And when the animals are freed by the zoo, they might not know how to fight in the wild or feed themselves. No animals should live in captivity, because there are wild animals that try to kill that animal, and it won't be able to fight back, because it doesn't know how. If a snake is in a glass box in a zoo, it does not know how to hunt for mice in the wild, and will not survive. Zoo's are unethical.
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Hannah D
1/10/2017 10:47:53 am
Yes, I think zoos ARE ethical because some zoos do protect wildlife. In addition to that, zoos allow scientists to study endangered species closer, with a result of how we can protect them in the wild. For example, a Golden Lion Tamarin. Also, while zoos do house mostly popular animals to make more money, most zoos use that money to improve animal enclosures, get more food and water for the animals, get more things for the animal to play with, (to reduce chances of zoochosis), an to make room for more endangered animals! That is why I think zoos are not only ethical, they a critical. <3
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Grace N.
1/10/2017 10:48:29 am
No, zoos are not ethical because when scientist try to research about animals in zoos the animals will most likely not be in their natural state.What I mean by that is the animals could have "zoochosis" which is a condition that can cause animals to chew on their limbs until they bleed or even pull out their own fur or feathers.Did you know that most animals in zoos are not actually endangered but are just in zoos to earn money because they are popular?Well now you know.These are some reasons of why zoos are not ethical.
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Regan
1/11/2017 10:51:33 am
Yes i do think zoos are ethical. Zoos can save endangered animals or ones scientists do think will become endangered. Space is not a matter of favoritism but a matter of size and money. I'm not saying a bird should have a very small space but one reasonable buy size and money. I fell bad for all of these animals but zoos provide work for us and help all of them whether they know or not. Also the reason zoos keep them forever is because if they take them from baby to adult they wouldn't last a day out in the wild. This is why zoos are ethical and important.
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Kelsey
1/11/2017 10:56:07 am
I believe that zoos are ethical. Zoos save animals from extinction. Some animals are about to become extincted,so we have to do something about it. Scientists can study animals closely if they can see them everyday. When people look at these animals they learn how to love and care about them. When they keep the animals in zoos they release them after they are done caring for them.These zookeepers don't just feed them they take care of them. I really believe that zoos are ethical.
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Ella
1/11/2017 10:57:12 am
Yes, I do think zoos are ethical because it helps many people to understand more about animals. Also it helps animals to be cared and well attended to. Many animals in the wild may get hurt from dangerous causes, so zoos keep animals safe from dangers. I personally love the zoo and it gives many people around the world to see something they love. Zoos are also a perfect way for animals to interact with people and not be afraid by them. In my personal opinion, I do think zoos are ethical and should stay around.
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Matthew
1/11/2017 10:57:35 am
Me personally I think zoos are ethical. I think this because zoos are built to hold animal they sometimes hold them to care for them if they are extinct and wounded. In fact after the animals are cured they are released. Another thing is that zoos are things that may help visitors to care for wildlife, and zoos can provide jobs for people.There are down sides to zoos though. The animal enclosures are too small. A way of improving this is by giving the animals a huge place to roam with other animals such as prey and predators. This gives the animals ways to learn to eat, hunt, and to learn other things that are needed to survive. When I think of this I think of Wilderness Lodge that is a Disney resort here the animals have huge land and eat on their own sleep on their own and do whatever they want. for us humans there is a terrace to watch the animals. This is how i feel that zoos are ethical and ways to improve it.
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Cameron
1/11/2017 10:59:03 am
Yes I think that zoos are ethical because it helps endangered and hurt animals. Most U.S. zoos and aquariums spend $160 million every year to save many species. Since the animals are tamed it allows scientists to study these animals up close and learn more about them. In the 1980's a few dozen black-footed ferret, which was thought to be extinct, were discovered in Wyoming. thanks to zoos there are over one thousand black-footed ferrets alive today. That is why I think zoos are ethical.
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Taylor
1/11/2017 11:01:15 am
I think that zoos are in fact ethical. I am not saying that they are amazing or anything but, zoos protect thousands of animals every year from extinction and the many natural dangers they would if there were no zoos. Every year hundreds of thousands of animal species die out and zoos are trying to change this. They also allow wildlife scientists to study the animals up close, a chance they would never get anywhere else. Not only do scientists get to study these magnificent creatures, but zoos provide a chance to learn to the general public. They return their animals to the wild once the population crisis is fixed and the animal has healed. This is why I think that zoos are ethical.
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Gannon
1/12/2017 10:42:59 am
No, I believe zoos are not ethical. There are many reasons to support my opinion. First of all, the zoo's main mission is to breed more captive animals to make more money. Half of the people who work at zoos wouldn't be working there if they did not get paid or there was no money involved. Also, scientists say they that they can study animals better in captivity, but you can't study an animal that is not in it's natural habitat. The climate can effect an animals behavior and appearance. Next, law only requires a animal enclosure to be the size of a small box for some animals, while in the wild, they would have tons on open land to roam. Finally, zoos say they protect animals from dangers and extinction. When Harambe was shot, he was one of nine silver-back gorillas still alive in the world. This obviously proves that zoos are not looking to protect all animals. Even if they did, imagine someone telling you that you will live in a small box for the rest of your life for safety, and you didn't have a choice about it.
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Jason
1/12/2017 10:44:13 am
I think that zoos are ethical. There are many reasons why I think this way. Some reasons are that zoos protect endangered species and release them back into the wild after their population has increased. Zoos also inspire others to help animals in their everyday lives. Some people think that zoos are unethical because they keep animals in captivity and don't let them into the wild. I think that this idea is wrong because if zoos were to release their animals into the wild most of them would die because of things like hunters, predators, poachers, and diseases. Zoos also let scientist study animals that they would not be able to study in their everyday lives. Another reason why people think zoos are unethical is because they think that you can't study animals if they are not in their natural habitat. I also think that this idea is wrong. Unless you are trying to study the nature of animals in their natural habitat then you can study animals in a zoo for other things. People think that zoos take priority on exotic animals so they can earn more money. This is almost true but zoos show off exotic animals to raise money to help endangered animals and improve their living conditions.
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Gannon
1/12/2017 10:50:58 am
I understand why you(Jason)would think that zoos release animals back into the wild after the population has increased, but if an animal was raised in captivity, then it will not know how to survive in the wild. You also can't release a new born animal into the wild, because it will have no one to protect it.
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James
1/12/2017 10:51:07 am
Zoos in my opinion are ethical. Yes some zoos keep animals in tight spaces, but most have large enough spaces for the animals to be comfortable. Zoos are usually very helpful to scientists because they allow them to study animals in an environment that is not only healthy for the animals, but easy to get to for the scientists who want to study them. While zoos have much more "exotic" or popular animals, some say that they only have them because they attract more money, but they need the money to build more habitats for the endangered animals that are most likely more expensive to take care of and breed. These zoos also protect the animals that they care for, keeping them from the dangers that they would face usually in the wild. This factor in zoos also help the endangered animals repopulate, after they reach considerable numbers the zoos even release them back into the wild instead of keeping them and making more money off of them. This is why i think that zoos are ethical.
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Chris
1/12/2017 10:52:44 am
In my opinion, I think zoos are not ethical. I do not think that they are not ethical because zoos are what is causing animals to become extinct. If you have watched the news, you might have heard about Harambe; a silver-back gorilla held captive in the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens. Harambe was shot because of a child that fell in to the gorilla cage. Harambe was 1 of 9 silver-back gorillas in the world! Silver-back gorilla are endangered and because the zoo kept Harambe captive, there are now only 8 silver-back gorilla's left. Another reason I think zoos are not ethical is because the animals have the bare minimum space to live in. Laws only require that animals have enough room to stand up, lie down, turn around, and take a few steps. Some zoos only give the animals that much space. The next reason I think zoos are not ethical is because the animals have nowhere to roam. The animals stay in a cage for their entire life without seeing the outside world. Imagine if your mother told you that you had to stay in a dog cage for your entire life and never get out. This is basically what zoos are "telling" the animals. The final reason why I think that zoos are not ethical is because climate affects animals. In Africa, where most animals live, it is more than likely not cold. Zoos down south, like in Louisiana, have cold winters. You can't fit a giraffe in a room to keep them warm... they have to face the weather. Certain conditions like this may cause animals to get "zoochosis." Zoochosis is a condition that can cause them to sway or pace continually, chew on their limbs until they bleed, or pull out fur or feathers. These are only some of the many, many reasons why I believe that zoos are not ethical.
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Nathan
1/12/2017 11:04:05 am
People of any age have enjoyed either going to zoos or taking there kids to zoos but does this truly mean that they are ethical for animals.In my personal opinion I do not believe zoos are ethical for their treatment of animals in captivity.First off they can not truly mimic the environment which the animal would live in while they are in the wild, because of this the animals in a zoo can develop the human version of depression called "zoochosis".Zoos also say that they are there to help endangered animals but most of them would rather house exotic animals for the money.Animals can also die at zoos like Harambe the rare Silverback gorilla that was shot because of a child's careless act of climbing into the pen with the gorilla.Zoos also provide animals with few opportunities to engage in their natural behavior, this is because they try to manipulate their behaviors to satisfy their visitors.With this being stated I will now ask you the question who's side are you on.
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Lilly
1/13/2017 10:54:12 am
Yes, I think zoos are ethical. I think this because zoos help some species if they are endangered and eventually release them to the wild when they see the species has gone up. I also think zoos are ethical because zoos give people the option of seeing animals they can't see in their everyday lives and that lets people love these animals more and wants to help protect them. It also helps scientist study these animals and get to see them up close because scientists usually don't have the option to do this in the wild. Zoos also give animals lots of space to walk around in and do what they naturally do even if it's not required to give them that much space they still do. Zoos also put things in the animals' places that are like what they have in the wild. Zoos also have many workers that actually care about animals and treats them fairly. Zoos also donate in total 160 million dollars a year to help animals. Also zoos protect animals from dangers like poaching, climate change, habitat loss, diseases, and other dangers. That is why I think zoos are ethical because they are a safe haven for animals.
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Blake
1/13/2017 10:59:10 am
I do not think zoos are ethical and I have strong reasons to back this up. First of all, some animals in restricted exhibits can have a mental breakdown called,"zoochosis". When this happens, animals can possibly hurt themselves. Also, if these animals have a mental breakdown, there may not any way to help them. This might also keep the animals from being released into the wild because of the effects of zoochosis. I have a personal experience that makes me feel this way as well. I was at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans when there was a cockatoo in an open exhibit. I was with my friend at the time and I asked him why the bird didn't fly off. An employee overheard me and told me that they clipped its wings so it can't fly away. I thought that was cruel and unethical. After that, every time I saw a bird in the zoo, I felt bad for the bird. The bottom line is that zoos just aren't the way to help animals and there has to be another way.
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Grace L.
1/13/2017 10:59:26 am
I think that zoos are ethical because they help to protect animals against natural threats like climate change, poaching, and habitat loss. Also, they allow scientists to study animals and find more ways to protect them. Zoos allow children and adults to see animals that they wouldn't have seen otherwise and experience things they can't experience anywhere else. Even though some may argue that they do it just to make money, they use the money they make to help save endangered wildlife. Zoo workers also provide stuff from the animals' natural habitat so they can behave as they would normally. People can also learn from zoos, some may say people don't learn but zoos provide learning opportunities. I think that zoos are ethical and that they are helpful to everyone.
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Bianca
1/13/2017 11:00:33 am
I think zoos are ethical because they can help animals. Zoos give animals a safe haven away from dangers like habitat loss, disease, and poaching. Zoos can also help endangered animals and let scientist study them up close so they know more about them and how to help them. People can go to zoos and learn about animals, which might make them want to help endangered animals. Did you know, most animals are returned to the wild after scientist know that they can survive on their own? Zoos can also let people see animals that they would never get to see if we didn't have zoos. Some animals can get a disease called "zoochosis", which is when an animal gets depressed from being in a zoo, but it does not happen often. That is why I think zoos are ethical.
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Seth
1/13/2017 11:01:05 am
I think zoos are ethical because in the wild, the animals have certain dangers such as poachers, change in climate, and possibly starvation. With zoos, scientist are able to study these animals up close and find better ways to protect them from the danger of the wild. The zoos make about 160 million dollars every year and some of the money could go toward the exhibits and give the animals something to if they get board. Also, the endangered animals that are in the zoos get released in to the wild once there are enough to be released (not all animals because they would lose a species in the zoo and they need at least two to breed and make more). Also zoos can be a safe haven to certain animals that are endangered. When people visit zoos, they can learn and love to protect animals. Zoos can allow people to see animals they never see in their lifetime (examples: peacocks, gorillas,and certain types of snakes). This is why I think zoos are ethical.
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