Hello everyone! Today, we move on to the next phase of our tour: the criticisms of zoos.
Aside from criticisms that zoos do not actually deliver the benefits that were discussed in earlier posts, other criticisms mainly involve ethics. I will be discussing 2 main aspects, namely the animal rights view, and the animal welfare view (thanks Anna for providing this paper).
In this post, we first look at the animal rights perspective. First and foremost, animal rights here refer to how we must, at all costs, avoid doing things to animals deemed as morally unacceptable, such as using them for entertainment.
“Dolphin Show” by benji2505, licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
So why do zoos violate animal rights? Well, one main point is that zoos essentially use animals for human benefit, namely entertainment, and that is improper treatment of animals. This point is exemplified by how only 15% of animals in England zoos are actually threatened, meaning the remaining are simply kept for entertainment rather than conservation purposes. Furthermore, by placing animals into artificial environments, we take control of their lives and deprive them of a natural life, to live freely in their habitats.
Another way of looking at it is that zoos accentuate the idea of human superiority over animals (thanks Dr Coleman for linking me this paper!), which arguably is a violation of animal rights.
“The idea of human superiority expressed by speciesism undoubtedly influences the human-animal relationship and affects what forms of interaction are considered to be legitimized, such as holding animals in captivity for humans to look at for pleasure.”
To be honest, the relationship between zoos and animal rights stirs up a conflict within me. On one hand, I definitely see how zoos violate animal rights, forcing them into enclosures that can never truly replicate their natural habitats; and treating them as means of human entertainment seems to objectify them too, which is morally unacceptable. At the same time, I feel that the potential that zoos have to contribute to conservation is important, especially captive breeding programs of endangered species.
Some species that went extinct, made using Canva
As I have shared before in comments on my previous posts, in an ideal world, there shouldn’t be a need for zoos. Alas, that’s not the case. We are experiencing an ongoing sixth mass extinction, one that is human-driven. With that comes the responsibility of reversing the current trend, and zoos present an avenue to do so, to safeguard endangered species and restore their numbers via captive breeding programs.
Ultimately, I opine that we have to pick our poison. Do we avoid keeping animals in zoos and allow them to roam in the wild, and possibly go extinct? Or do we keep animals in zoos to save them from extinction, but in doing so violate their rights as free individuals? Personally, I think that the utmost priority should be preventing animals from going extinct.
This is no doubt a complex issue, and this is just my take on it. If you have a differing opinion, please feel free to share them in the comments below!
Next week, we take a look at animal welfare in zoos. Fellow course mate Amanda made a post on it here (do check it out!), but I will be tackling this issue from a different perspective.
Cheers!
Jeng Wei
References:
Featured image sourced from Wikimedia Commons
Canva image
Bottom: “Bramble-cay-melomys” by Henry Gonzalez, licensed under CC BY 2.0
Left: “Ecnomiohyla rabborum (Rabb’s Fringe-limbed Treefrog)” by Brian Gratwicke, licensed under CC BY 2.0
Top: Po’ouli, sourced from Wikimedia Commons
Right: Achatinella Apexfulva, by the Department of Land and Natural Resources in Hawaii
sherrymerlot October 9, 2020
Hi Jeng Wei. I love how you presented this controversial topic in such a concise manner.
Personally, I feel the need for conservation but this can be done without the presence of zoos. Instead, people could build wildlife sanctuary or protected forests
Other than that, since you mentioned animal rights in the third paragraph, I can’t help but ask for your opinion about plant rights and whether the creation of botanical gardens equate that of zoos.
Thank you <3
Jeng Wei October 10, 2020 — Post Author
Hi Sherry!
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment! Indeed, I agree that places like nature reserves and protected forests definitely achieve more than zoos in terms of direct conservation of species, given that we allow animals to live in their natural environment undisturbed (or kept to a minimum) by humans. That said, I think zoos can achieve something they may not be able to too, and one of them is perhaps the conservation of critically endangered species. This is just my own speculation, but perhaps certain animals that are critically endangered may face an uncertain future out in the wild even in protected areas, and zoos can maybe step in to help the species reach a more stable population via captive breeding before releasing them in the wild. Of course, this will need to be well managed, to ensure gene diversity, and that the bred animals are exposed to their natural habitat and have the relevant survival skills. The second is in terms of public outreach. While venturing into the natural habitats of animals (with minimal disturbance) will no doubt be a better learning experience compared to observing animals in zoos, the latter is probably a far more accessible place for the general public, especially in heavily urbanized cities. That public outreach (which I discussed in a previous post hehe) may also have a value to conservation too, by making people more aware of the threats facing animal species and encouraging them to contribute. Lastly, as Dr Coleman have shared in her comment on my previous blog post (pardon the self-advertisement hehe), an important contribution of zoos is the funds that go towards conservation, supported by the revenue of zoos.
With regards to plant rights, I don’t think I’m in the position to give a really informed opinion, given how little I know about plants and plant rights. I looked through these 2 articles (here and here), and I do think that plants have rights too. They are living beings as well, even if they are not as expressive as animals (which is perhaps a reason why people do not consider plants to be sentient beings); and thus they have a right to live free from humans, at least in my opinion. The creation of botanical gardens and the likening of them to zoos is an interesting question. The way I see it, plants may have fewer requirements compared to animals, given that they are far less mobile than animals and may not require as much taking care of, as they rely on natural processes that are still available even if they are in botanical gardens, which is not the same for animals. In that sense, having plants in botanical gardens is not the same as keeping animals in zoos, as it is perhaps “more natural” than the latter. That said, botanical gardens are still a collection of plants artificially put together by humans. For me, putting animals in zoos is a definite violation of animal rights, but putting plants in botanical gardens isn’t as obvious a case. Honestly, I’m not even sure if what I’m saying makes any sense, but that’s the gist of what I think, and I’m by no means an expert on plants and plant rights. Regardless, thanks again for stopping by, and see ya next time!
Cheers!
Jeng Wei
bangwenhan October 9, 2020
Hi Jeng Wei
Wen Han here! This is an interesting post on opinions on zoos. When I visited the Asahiyama zoo in Hokkaido, I personally came up close with a bear that was trying to escape climb out of its cage. It gave up after numerous attempts but even thinking about it now gives me shivers. This got me pondering that animals are not meant for captivity, especially wildlife that couldn’t be domesticated.
Certainly, conservation is important to many ecosystems in the world. However, I am with the stance that no matter how important conservation is, wildlife is called ‘wild-life’ for a reason and they do not intrinsically belong to urban landscapes (with exceptions of species that have adapted into the urban habitats), locked behind bars. Instead, they should be left wandering in the wild and letting nature take its course. In fact, humans should be the ones changing since we are making the environment uninhabitable for many species, isn’t it?
Really loving how this post tugged at my heartstrings for a bit;)
Jeng Wei October 10, 2020 — Post Author
Hey Wen Han!
Thank you for dropping by! I’ve had my own share of experiences at zoos where I left feeling really sad for the animals, especially when the animal welfare seems to be rather low (I’ll be sharing a little bit of my own experience, in the next post where I cover animal welfare). Indeed, I agree with you that many animals kept in zoos are simply not suited for captivity. Also, I can definitely see where you’re coming from when you mention how wildlife should remain free from human intervention no matter what, and that was a struggle I faced when I was writing this post. One part of me knew that it wasn’t right to remove animals from their natural environment and place them in artificial ones, while the other part of me thought about how leaving them in the natural environment may lead to their extinction, and hence keeping them in zoos, while wrong, is justifiable.
It is sad that this is the current state of the world, where animals are faced with an uncertain future all because of humans. I must say though, while I understand what you mean when you say “letting nature take its course”, my take is that what the animal faces in the wild may not be so natural after all, given the imprint that humans have left on habitats globally. If we let an animal simply stay in an area where deforestation is ongoing, or where poaching is rife, what happens to the animal may not be decided by nature in the end. I wholeheartedly agree with your final statement, that humans should be the one changing given how much we have modified the state of the natural world. But change does not come easy, and it also takes time. In the past decade, 467 species have already been declared extinct, and who knows how many will join their ranks in the time humans take to change, and for the change to take effect. Personally, I feel that conservation of species to prevent its extinction should take precedence, even if animal rights are compromised along the way, for I think that causing their extinction is a more severe crime to commit. Of course, this is my opinion, and I can definitely understand why you would have the opposing viewpoint. Thank you so much for sharing your opinion Wen Han, it certainly made me reflect quite a bit on my views, and I hope to see you again soon!
Cheers!
Jeng Wei
Joanna Coleman October 15, 2020
Jeng Wei,
I love what you’ve done here, including how it provoked some deep discussion and thinking with Sherry & Wen Han.
Would you agree that most people feel conflicted about zoos ?
I certainly do.
While I understand and appreciate the many benefits, especially the opportunities for public education and contributions zoos make to conservation, the drawbacks are, to me, horrifying. Even many zoos that belong to the AZA maintain animals in substandard conditions or make devastating husbandry mistakes.
When I was living in Calgary, the Zoo created a 250 000 CAD exhibit of cow-nosed rays and within a very short time, all the rays died. It was shocking to me.
There are other models for zoos, and I’m going to focus on my hometown, because I believe this is one thing Montréal has done right.
Google Montreal Ecomuseum – all the animals in the collection are native to Southern Quebec and are unreleasable rescues – meaning, individuals that are either injured or orphaned and, after rehab, can’t be returned to the wild.
Next, Google Biodôme de Montréal. Here, you walk through exhibits that are essentially smaller versions of natural ecosystems – there are no large animals.
You might also be curious to Google the Montreal Insectarium.
My point is, there may be room to strike a balance that is much more palatable to diverse stakeholders. What do you think ?
jc
Jeng Wei October 15, 2020 — Post Author
Hi Dr Coleman!
Thank you for your comment! I definitely agree that most people would feel conflicted about zoos; I myself did, as mentioned in my reply to Wen Han. I also agree that while zoos have great potential in delivering benefits, the drawbacks can sometimes be horrifying and heart-wrenching, especially when animals die as a result of mistakes. I wasn’t aware of the incident with cow-nosed rays, and so I decided to read more about it here. It is really sad to learn that 41 out of the 43 rays died, but what really sticks out to me was the last line by Gaviller (the zoo’s director of conservation, education and outreach), where she said “I think we do a good job of looking after our animals… It’s easy to sit back and criticize.”. To me, that is either ignorance or apathy. How can one say that when so many animals died? This really makes me questions if zoos are doing the right thing, but of course, perhaps not all zoos are like that.
Thank you so much for mentioning the 3 institutions in Montreal! It was definitely interesting to learn about the way they go about exposing wildlife to the public. I find it amazing how they have managed to incorporate animal welfare into the way things are done! For Montreal Ecomuseum, I think it’s great that only native species are kept, meaning that there is no need to replicate natural conditions in an artificial environment (which, if done poorly, can severely affect the animals); and that only individuals unfit for the wild are kept (which does not affect wild populations, and at the same time it helps to protect and save individuals). The biodome is equally as spectacular, and I watched a short video about it that I found on YouTube (check it out here). The fact that the exhibits are designed to allow visitors to walk through a miniature replica of the natural ecosystem is great, as it allows visitors to observe the animals’ natural behaviors, whilst maintaining animal welfare since they essentially live in the same (or at least very similar) environment as they would in nature. The insectarium looks great too, giving visitors a much deeper insight into the lives of insects, with a greenhouse that is similar to the natural environment of the insects. I think the recurring trend here is that where live animals are concerned, their environment is virtually the same as it would be in the wild, which is crucial for maintaining the welfare of the animals. That is probably much more difficult to achieve with large animals, especially those that inhabit a large range of their natural habitats.
With regards to your question, I definitely think that it is possible, and more can be done to attain a balance that can satisfy the various stakeholders. I recently found a TEDx talk pertaining to animal welfare and the future of zoos (I’ll be dedicating a post to this sometime soon, so I won’t share too much hehe), and a key takeaway message is that zoos should ONLY take in animals when they can ensure a high standard of welfare, and I think the environment the animal will live in is the most important factor here. Perhaps one problem (at least, the way I see it) is with threatened species that are unsuitable for captivity, particularly those that are critically endangered. While captive breeding may potentially be a solution to restore their numbers, there may have to be a compromise regarding animal welfare, which posits a dilemma yet again. On a side note, I think the model adopted by Montreal Ecomuseum is great, not just because the animals kept aren’t exposed to an unfamiliar climate, but also because it exposes visitors to the wildlife present within their country, which is a great way to introduce visitors to local biodiversity (which may prompt them to take more action)! Thank you so much for your comment, and for introducing me to those 3 institutions, it was such a great experience learning more about them!
Cheers!
Jeng Wei
Joanna Coleman October 22, 2020
What a great reply, Jeng Wei !
That video was a super soothing break in my day.
Perhaps you might even consider a grad trip to Canada, specifically to Montréal – obviously, it’s hard to be objective about your hometown, but many ppl agree it’s an incredible city with wonderful history, food and lots of beautiful people :-).
Besides visiting these zoological attractions, we have the world’s 2nd largest jazz festival (in early july) with an amazing diversity of fully free outdoor shows. Not just jazz – many musical genres.
I get what you mean about the Calgary Zoo Director’s statement. That said, I also understand the statement itself because there’s an element of “these incidents are rare, and hindsight is always 20-20”, at least to me.
Have you thought of interning at WRS, by any chance ?
Jeng Wei October 22, 2020 — Post Author
Hi Dr Coleman!
I’m glad you enjoyed the video, I enjoyed it very much too! I have not travelled to any Western countries before, and I would love to visit Canada one day (though that day might be in the distant future haha)! I think just being exposed to the vastly different culture will be an amazing experience in itself, and definitely hope to experience it one day!
With regards to the the statement by Calgary Zoo’s Director, I can definitely see where you’re coming from when you say that the accidents are rare, and hindsight is always 20/20. It’s just that when I read it, it gave me the impression that the zoo was seemingly abstaining from all responsibility, and feels that its procedures were all perfect with no need of reviewing. Perhaps what I was looking for was at least an acknowledgement that they messed up, and something along the lines of a promise to improve on their care for animals.
I think an internship at WRS will be a great experience! Earlier in January this year, I actually tried to apply as a part-time junior zookeeper at Singapore Zoo, to pass some time before Uni starts and to interact with animals, but with the pandemic and whatnot the position was no longer open. I think interning at WRS will definitely be something I’m down for if I get the opportunity, but of course I’ll have to weigh it against other available options too.
Thank you so much for your reply Dr Coleman!
Cheers,
Jeng Wei
Joanna Coleman November 1, 2020
Hi Jeng Wei,
If I’m not wrong, it might be harder to get an internship as a zookeeper than with, for example, the education department. You might try asking Eva (from BES year 2) about how she landed her role with Jurong Bird Park.
I can’t say I disagree with you when it comes to the statement by Calgary Zoo – I think it’s fairly typical behaviour to not fully own our mistakes, especially when those mistakes get a lot of bad press, as this incident did.
jc