10 Reasons Zoos Are Bad for the Planet

---

10 Reasons Zoos Are Bad for the Planet 
Most people have fond memories of going to the zoo. The experience of 
waiting, in anticipation, to see a lion or a tiger come out of its cave. Leaning 
close to the glass as a chimpanzee or orangutan comes closer.
However, the animals we witnessed on those visits didn’t feel the same thrill 
that we did. They were, quite possibly, in great pain. We’ve come to accept that 
other sentient beings can be used for entertainment or pleasure, but it may be 
time to re-evaluate that belief. It turns out that zoos have a dramatically 
negative effect on the animals they’re supposed to protect. And although zoo 
advocates would argue that endangered species are protected by zoos, the 
overwhelming consensus is that it’s just not true.
1. Propagation, Not Preservation
One of the initial moral justifications for erecting zoos was that it protected 
species that were endangered, and allowed them to reproduce in a safe 
environment before being sent back into the wild. This argument has proved to 
be incorrect on several accounts. The truth is that most animals confined in zoos 
are not endangered. In addition, animals born in captivity have small survival 
chances if they’re released into the wild. Even so, most zoos have no intention 
of releasing baby animals and parents into the wild. Zoos, as we sometimes 
forget, are businesses and what drives business is new products. The arrival of a 
baby chimpanzee or cub brings in customers, which torpedoes the narrative of 
breeding for preservation.
If we want to become serious about protecting endangered species, we must 
protect them in the wild. Studies have shown that “without conservation in the 
wild there is no point in captive breeding.” If we’re serious about protecting 
animals, let’s start in their natural habitats.