Animal Rights' Activists oppose keeping elephants in zoos for a number of reasons. Recently some zoos across the nation decided to close their elephant exhibits after these protests.
Do you think that elephants should be kept in zoos?
2 Comments
P Buff said:
I'm not sure that there is a right/wrong answer to this question. Some elephants seem to do fine in zoos, but others do not. In the cases of elephants that give clear indications that they are not happy in zoos, they should be relocated to sanctuaries that more closely resemble a natural habitat.
Astra said:
How else are we going to keep endangered species alive? Their native habitat is mostly destroyed or endangered by endless wars. It isn't the ideal situation, but what else can be done? Keeping these animals alive and breeding them requires a lot of money, and allowing the public, especially children, to see these animals not only pays for the care of endangered species, it also educates children to care for endangered species they never would be exposed to otherwise. Without that kind of caring, introduced at a young age, this planet will be a lot poorer. I took my children to zoos starting when they were a year old. When they were old enough I explained to them why we have zoos and what the true purpose of zoos are--and that isn't for people to gawk at the animals. The true job of zoos is to protect and preserve the animals for the future--so that the planet can have one. We know that the government will never allocate enough money to allow for all the needs of any zoo, and that's where the public comes in. Elephants can be a problem, but so can large cats and crocodiles. Unfortunately, the way the world is, not every animal can roam in it's native habitat any longer.
I'm not sure that there is a right/wrong answer to this question. Some elephants seem to do fine in zoos, but others do not. In the cases of elephants that give clear indications that they are not happy in zoos, they should be relocated to sanctuaries that more closely resemble a natural habitat.
How else are we going to keep endangered species alive? Their native habitat is mostly destroyed or endangered by endless wars. It isn't the ideal situation, but what else can be done? Keeping these animals alive and breeding them requires a lot of money, and allowing the public, especially children, to see these animals not only pays for the care of endangered species, it also educates children to care for endangered species they never would be exposed to otherwise. Without that kind of caring, introduced at a young age, this planet will be a lot poorer. I took my children to zoos starting when they were a year old. When they were old enough I explained to them why we have zoos and what the true purpose of zoos are--and that isn't for people to gawk at the animals. The true job of zoos is to protect and preserve the animals for the future--so that the planet can have one. We know that the government will never allocate enough money to allow for all the needs of any zoo, and that's where the public comes in. Elephants can be a problem, but so can large cats and crocodiles. Unfortunately, the way the world is, not every animal can roam in it's native habitat any longer.