Zoos, aquariums, wildlife parks, sea world, nature centers, personal pets, we encounter animals around us all the time. Many of the wild animals we encounter today (especially in zoos and aquariums) are bred in captivity, rather than collected from the wild.
Animals have a host of needs that must be met in captivity. If the needs aren’t met, animals often start exhibiting stereotypies and other abnormal behaviors. I’ve blogged before about what animals need for a good mental life. I think animals can be happy and healthy in captivity, especially when the owner, trainer or facility is willing to consider the animal’s needs before focusing on their profit, ego or reputation.
I recently ran across a great passage in Karen Pryor’s book, Lads Before the Wind.
Perhaps as important, though, the keeping and display of porpoises in oceanariums has helped to awakened the public to the value of these animals. Conservation begins with understanding, and understanding can begin with personal contact: a child in the audience catching a ball that a porpoise threw, a governor or senator stroking Makua’s ample belly. I feel sure that no “sportsman” who saw one of our shows ever went out again and put a rifle bullet through a porpoise at sea just for fun. National conservation efforts by an informed public have recently brought all cetaceans in U.S. waters under federal protection, so that today you need a permit and a good reason to go out and catch a porpoise. U.S. whaling has stopped, and the importation of whale products is now illegal, a first step to halting the slaughter on a worldwide basis.
This passage was written in the mid-70s, when oceanariums and marine animal parks were a relatively new phenomenon; however, the words still ring true today.
When we come into contact with wild animals, we observe their beauty, strength and intelligence. We are more likely to value the animals and support conservation efforts if we can begin to understand the species.
I totally agree. One of my greatest “PET” peeves and heartaches is lawn ornament dogs. They most be out of their minds with loneliness and boredom 🙁
I love zoos also, it save me the money to buy a ticket plane to africa.
Thanks for commenting!I totally agree. Zoos are great in that they let us see animals up close that most of us will never get the chance to see in their natural habitat. This can help raise awareness for conservation and environmental issues and help people appreciate wildlife.
Thanks for this intelligent post.
I do have some comments.
If we would really focus on the animal’s need and not on profit, ego or reputation why would we want to raise them in captivaty?
Also does this only count for animals that we do not use for eating or do all animals deserve a better live?
The best way we would help animals is by removing their property status and stop killing and using them for our personal comfort.
Logically going vegan is the first step any person who really respects and wants to help non-human animals.
Thank you for your comment. “If we would really focus on the animal’s need and not on profit, ego or reputation why would we want to raise them in captivity?”Many animals are hard (if not impossible) to study in their natural habitat. By studying them in captivity, we can often learn ways to help them survive in their natural habitat. Also, breeding programs in zoos have been successful at rearing and reintroducing some species back into the wild. Many zoos are involved in research and conservation efforts with their captive animals. The animals in the wild are then able to benefit from what is learned in the zoos. Also, zoos help to inspire and educate the public. It’s easier to convince people that animals and natural habitats need to be preserved if they have been able to see some of these beautiful animals up close. Mary
I always liked the zoo, but it is sad when I really think about how the animals are not in their really natural environment. There aren’t zookeepers out on the african savanah throwing steak at lions.
Randy,
Many zoos do what is called “enrichment” where they hide the animal’s food or otherwise make the animal have to work to get the food. This more closely mimics the natural habitat, keeps the animal thinking and helps reduce boredom.
Thank you for your comment!
Mary
Its not a clear cut issue the idea of animals in captivity and while I agree with the quote from Karen Pryor I am saddened that many of our zoo’s and parks still havent improved the way animals are kept and don’t try enough to replicate natural surroundings/situations
Definitely Tom! There is still a lot of work to do to make captive animals happier and to better mimic their natural habitats.
Mary
I agree. And some people still believe that you can study animal behavior on animals in captivity. However this i a mistake. Nice page!
Why do you say this, Hunde?
I think much can be learned by studying captive animals.
Mary
très intéressant post, merci
I love zoos also, it save me the money to buy a ticket plane to africa, but i still think that zoo should put more effort on replicating their real habitat, not just cages and stone..
Sad but some animals that are rare have to undertake some tests and they have to sacrifice their freedom and.. life. It’s saddening too that there are still people around that capture exotic animals to be sell even they are endangered and illegal to market.
Thank you for your comment.
“If we would really focus on the animal's need and not on profit, ego or reputation why would we want to raise them in captivity?”
Many animals are hard (if not impossible) to study in their natural habitat. By studying them in captivity, we can often learn ways to help them survive in their natural habitat. Also, breeding programs in zoos have been successful at rearing and reintroducing some species back into the wild. Many zoos are involved in research and conservation efforts with their captive animals. The animals in the wild are then able to benefit from what is learned in the zoos.
Also, zoos help to inspire and educate the public. It's easier to convince people that animals and natural habitats need to be preserved if they have been able to see some of these beautiful animals up close.
Mary
Randy,
Many zoos do what is called “enrichment” where they hide the animal's food or otherwise make the animal have to work to get the food. This more closely mimics the natural habitat, keeps the animal thinking and helps reduce boredom.
Thank you for your comment!
Mary
Definitely Tom! There is still a lot of work to do to make captive animals happier and to better mimic their natural habitats.
Mary
Why do you say this, Hunde?
I think much can be learned by studying captive animals.
Mary
hi my name is Clara Oliver and i am a high school student in the state of Ohio. On an important test i had to take, there was a question asking this:
What are some advantages and disadvantages of animals being raised in captivity?
What would have been the correct answer?
Hi Clara,
Your question is a really important one to think about. However, I don’t think there is one “correct” answer to your question.
I’d encourage you to read back through the post, as well as some of the thoughtful comments left by some of the other readers. The post and comments contain many of the advantages and disadvantages to keeping animals in captivity and I think they will help get you thinking about other reasons as well.
cheers,
Mary
Great posting! Its really need to do something to takeout animals from captivity.