DO ZOOS CAUSE MORE HARM THAN GOOD?
LINDA: The anticipated thrill of seeing animals at close range is dampened by the sight of a pacing rhino, an uncharacteristically shy hyena trying to hide from the public view, a crane with clipped feathers, a lame cheetah in a fitted enclosure or a lethargic lion oblivious of its strength and might.
Zoos present animals in an artificial constricting environment, reducing them to live exhibits akin to a sample under the microscope, without context. Visiting a zoo can never compare to seeing a pride of hunting lions or herd of migrating elephants led by a mighty matriarch, as one might see on a wild safari.
From an ethical and animal welfare view, the negative effects of animal confinement by far outweigh the perceived benefits. Animals in confinement suffer from zoochosis, a psychological condition which directly translates to the animal’s quality of life. The fact that this condition is never experienced in the wild shows that zoos are incapable of fully providing the right environment that a wild animal needs to
