The American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AWA) has accredited 233 zoos and aquariums. Including the 233, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has given licenses to about 2,400 “animal exhibitors.” Animal exhibitors use their licenses to operate roadside zoos and petting zoos, which are both notorious for animal abuse.

Serious conservation efforts begin with humans’ commitment to stop encroaching on and destroying wild animals’ habitats because we are pushing many species to extinction. According to the World Wildlife Fund’s 2018 Living Planet Report, between 1970 and 2014, humanity has been responsible for wiping out 60 percent of the global wildlife population, which encompasses mammals, birds, fish, and reptiles. This report corroborates that the planet is undergoing its sixth mass extinction, which scientists warn will have grave consequences for humans.

Breeding captive animals is the only alternative to capturing wild animals. Yet, successful captive breeding programs produce what zoos deem “surplus animals.” A surplus animal has “made its genetic contribution to a managed population and is not essential for future scientific studies or to maintain social-group stability or traditions.” When selling them to other zoos or private collectors, zoos don’t consider the trauma of separating the animals from their families and communities. The existence of surplus zoo animals perpetuates canned hunting ranches, which facilitate wealthy clients shooting drugged animals and having them stuffed as trophies.

Visiting zoos doesn’t send the right message to children about wildlife conservation and animal ethics. Most children visit zoos for entertainment, while some focus on education. Americans can learn more about wild animals from National Geographic than zoos, which often entertain children with playgrounds and videos anyway. Zoos teach children to value animals as property, rather than individuals that deserve compassion and fundamental rights, such as the right to bodily integrity and dignity. And the right to bodily integrity and dignity are both violated through zoos’ implementation of forced breeding programs and selling “surplus” animals to canned hunts.

A 2008 study from researchers at the University of Exeter in the U.K. found that most captive-bred carnivores released into the wild do not survive the transition, which raises questions about the efficacy of captive-based conservation efforts for carnivores, such as tigers, cheetahs, and brown bears. The study reviewed 45 carnivore reintroductions worldwide and found that only 33 percent survived. Their low survival rates have been attributed to their lacking fear toward humans and crucial hunting skills

Another significant contributor to the mistreatment of wild animals in captivity is the inadequate policies and implementation of policies regarding animal treatment. APHISAnimal Plant and Health Inspection Services; a federal body under the US Department of Agriculture that sets regulatory standards for facilities, operations, health, husbandry, sanitation, and transportation of zoo animals.2 They are also in charge of enforcing the requirements of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA)3 and the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).4 has been shown to be ineffective at ensuring that facilities are complying with the regulations outlined in the AWA and the MMPAMarine Mammal Protection Act; a federal law that limits the taking or importing of marine mammals except in the case of government-approved permits. The Animal Plant and Health Inspection Services (APHIS) is in charge of issuing these permits and enforcing the MMPA’s regulations.8, allowing animals to die from the negligence of their captive facilities.131 This inefficiency is likely due to the fact that APHIS is an extremely overwhelmed government body in charge of regulating a multitude of environmental issues.132 As of 2004, APHIS employed only 104 inspectors, but was in charge of inspecting over 2,000 facilities. The organization simply does not have the resources needed to adequately monitor animal treatment.133 When animal mistreatment goes unnoticed by those who have the power to enforce regulations, this allows mistreatment to continue because the establishments responsible are not facing the necessary consequences. Other organizations that set guidelines for animal mistreatment, such as the WAZAWorld Association of Zoos and Aquariums; an international body that creates guidelines for optimal wild animal care in zoos and aquariums. WAZA cannot enforce these guidelines; zoos and aquariums voluntarily join WAZA and choose to follow its guidelines.5 and the AZA, lack the power to enforce these guidelines, and gaining membership into these organizations is voluntary, meaning no captive establishment is forced to abide by these guidelines.134, 135 Moreover, less than 10% of American zoos are accredited by the AZAAmerican Zoo and Aquarium Association; a federal body that sets voluntary standards for animal care in zoos and aquariums and accredits organizations if they meet the credentials.6, meaning over 90% of zoos face very little oversight and do not have stringent guidelines to abide by.136

A significant contributor to the widespread mistreatment of wild animals in captivity is how human society as a whole has historically viewed and continues to view animals as largely existing for human benefit and entertainment. Animals have been kept in captivity in zoo-like establishments, such as menageries, as far back as Ancient Egypt,92 and for much of human history were kept to demonstrate the power and status of kingdoms or leaders.93 Although much has changed since then, this history of animals being objects of status or entertainment has established a precedent for the continuing captivity and mistreatment of animals. It has created a culture wherein the public cannot imagine not having access to viewing animals in captivity as a recreational activity and accept captivity as normal and acceptable.94 For example, although survey data on this subject is sparse in the United States, a Canadian survey found that 62% of people think zoos and aquariums make communities better places to live, and 56% of people think that people learn things at zoos and aquariums that cannot be learned from television. Moreover, 40% of people say it is acceptable to keep non-endangered and non-injured animals in captivity.95 These positive attitudes of captive establishments, even when there is no clear reason for keeping the animals in captivity besides human entertainment, perpetuate the issue of captivity and animal mistreatment because they drive the public to continue to support the captive industry.

One of the most common forms of mistreatment is inadequate and limited living conditions. For example, tigers and lions have about 18,000 times less space in their captive enclosures than what they would have in the wild, and polar bears have one million times less space.

It was the most awful experience imaginable: Two wretched polar bears sharing a glass-walled pool with sort of grottos at each end, poor, beautiful, green-eyed jaguars in pitifully small cages...It just made me cross.

at a zoo in Cumbria is having its licence revoked as a result of nearly 500 animals dying there over a two-year period comes as no shock

About 70% of adult male gorillas in North America have heart disease, the leading cause of death among gorillas in captivity, although the condition is almost completely absent in the wild. Other great apes have similar health problems in captivity. [4] Captive elephants live about half as long as wild elephants: 18.9 years versus 41.7 years for Asian elephants and 16.9 years versus 35.8 years for African elephants. Of 77 elephants in 13 zoos, 71 were overweight and spent 83% of their time indoors, contributing to early death

A study of 35 species of carnivores, including brown bears, cheetahs, and lions, found that zoo enclosures were too small for the animals to carry out their normal routines, which led to problems such as pacing and increased infant deaths. Polar bears, for example, had an infant mortality rate of 65% due to small enclosures

Arabian OryxThe Arabian Oryx was hunted to extinction in the wild. However, from just a handful of animals in captivity the species was brought back from the brink thanks the conservation efforts of Phoenix Zoo and others.

Like many captive male gorillas, Mokolo suffers from heart disease—specifically, fibrosing cardiomyopathy, a condition that turns red, healthy heart muscle into bands of white scar tissue too rigid to pump blood. Although heart disease is nearly absent in wild populations, it’s the leading killer of captive male gorillas around the world. Roughly 70 percent of adult male gorillas in North America have heart disease, and many die prematurely as a result. Other great apes, such as orangutans and chimpanzees, suffer at similar rates.

ust before 8 o’clock on a snowy Wednesday morning, deep in a maze of doors and steel fencing in the basement of the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, a 30-year-old gorilla named Mokolo is getting a heart exam. He’s voluntarily shambled up to a stainless-steel fence, squatted on his stout legs, and pressed his belly to the mesh. Now he looks at the ceiling with thinly veiled exasperation, like a kid who wants to play outside but knows he has to stand still long enough to get slathered with sunscreen first. His expression is so recognizably human that it’s disconcerting.

Captive breeding of endangered species makes zoos valuable places for animal survival. Animals such as the black soft-shelled turtle, native to India and Bangladesh, are extinct in the wild. But they survive in several zoos around the world, with their health looked after by biologists.The goal of many captive breeding programs at zoos is the re-introduction of animals into the wild. The California condor, a very large bird native to the west coast of the United States, has been re-introduced to its native habitat after breeding in zoos and wildlife parks. There are several breeding pairs of California condors in the wild today.Critics of captive breeding programs say that releasing a few animals into the wild does little to help the species population. Animals are extinct in the wild largely due to loss of habitat. The re-introduction of animals, especially large mammals that require vast territory for survival, does nothing to recover lost habitat. People continue to develop land for homes and businesses.

Only recently has a single zoo, Gondwana Game Reserve in South Africa, offered all Big Five animals in one place. Gondwana sits on 10,000 hectares (24,710 acres) near the center of South Africa’s southern coast. Like many large game reserves, Gondwana has diverse ecosystems that occur naturally and has no need for landscape immersion. In Gondwana, grasslands coexist with shrubland called fynbos. Visitors to Gondwana, like many game reserves, can stay in hotels right in the park.

Safari ParksLarger than urban and open-range zoos, safari parks are areas where tourists can drive their own cars to see non-native wildlife living in large, enclosed areas. These attractions allow the animals more space than the small enclosures of traditional zoos.Fuji Safari Park, in Susono, Japan, offers a traditional zoo as well as a drive-through safari park. Visitors can take their own cars or one of the park’s buses. Fuji Safari Park offers night tours, so visitors can see nocturnal animals, or animals that are active at night. At the park, visitors can also feed some animals, such as lions, from bus windows. Not all parks encourage or even allow visitors to feed animals.Safari parks, especially in Europe, are often part of larger theme parks or resorts. They include golf courses and fairground attractions, such as games and rides.

The arguments against zoos Like the polar bear that’s haunted me for over 35 years, animals in captivity often suffer from boredom and stress. Captivity can in no way compare to being free in the wild. What gives humans the right to capture, confine or breed other species? If an animal is endangered does that justify us removing its freedom? Most captive breeding programmes don’t release animals into the wild. More often than not they become part of a never-ending chain of zoos, safari parks, circuses, canned hunting facilities and even the exotic pet trade. There are more tigers in American backyards than there are in the wild! Baby animals bring the public in in droves, but this often leads to zoos having too many animals. Surplus animals can be sold on to other zoos (or safari parks, circuses etc) but many are just killed. You might remember back in 2014 when the Copenhagen Zoo in Denmark killed Marius the giraffe. ‘Young giraffe unsuitable for breeding was shot, dissected in public and then fed to lions despite offers of a new home.’  The Guardian Bonds between animals are broken when they are sold to alternative facilities which exploit animals, causing further stress to them. The wild populations of different endangered species may become less genetically diverse due to the removal of individuals from the wild, causing them to become even more endangered. If you want to see wild animals behaving normally they should be seen in the wild. Watching a captive dolphin performing tricks at Sea World in no way compares to seeing a wild dolphin in the ocean. If you can’t afford to see animals in their natural habitat visit a wildlife sanctuary that does not buy, sell or breed animals. Sanctuaries take in injured wildlife, unwanted exotic pets or surplus animals from zoos. Wildlife encounters at zoos might be an unforgettable experience for children or adults but they are stressful and can be harmful to the animals. Zoo animals can escape. Not only is this dangerous for people and native wildlife, but the animals are often killed rather than tranquilised. Zoo visitors often don’t act responsibly. They can put the animals lives in danger due to their stupidity or lack of care. When a toddler fell into an enclosure at Cincinnati Zoo in 2016 there was a worldwide outcry that Harambe, the gorilla whose enclosure the toddler fell into, was shot and killed.

The arguments for zoos Zoos can help to save endangered species by keeping them in a ‘safe’ environment. Safe as in protected from poachers, predators, habitat loss and even starvation. Some zoos have breeding programmes. This is another way to protect endangered species which may have trouble finding suitable mates in the wild. Zoos have an educational aspect. It’s easier to learn about an animal by seeing them in person. Fostering empathy… By seeing an animal up close, the public might be encouraged to be more empathetic to a species that is facing extinction in the wild. They might put 2 and 2 together and realise the orangutan they saw is in jeopardy due to the products they buy. (Read about Palm Oil here). Good zoos have high standards of welfare for their animals. Visiting an accredited zoo is better than visiting one which isn’t. For example, BIAZA ‘members are dedicated to achieving the highest standards of animal care, conserving the natural world through research and conservation, and educating and inspiring their visitors.’ A few zoos take in abandoned exotic pets and rehabilitate wildlife. Zoos are a traditional family activity.