Zoos and Animal Activists

Paper Summary:

While some may view the beliefs of animal activists as extreme, it does seem possible that as a result of pressure from such groups, zoos have become more sensitive to the true needs of the animals they hold and protect. This paper explains that, while critics maintain that zoos cannot teach anything useful or accurate about wild animals, others argue that, for the great majority of people, they will come across wild animals only in zoos or in books. It discusses how those who support zoos believe that by seeing these animals upfront people become more aware of the need to preserve the animals' natural habitats, to end poaching, and to take the other measures that will ensure the animals' long-term survival in the wild.

From the Paper:

"Zoos have come a long way in the last 150 years, moving from small, cramped cages to natural habitats. Zoos make sure that social animals live in groups, and they try to make the habitats as natural and comfortable for the animals as possible. However, animal activists argue persuasively that these settings are artificial and that visitors don't actually learn a lot about the animals in their natural environment from seeing them in a zoo (Staff writers, 1997)."

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