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Do you remember the tough time period which we all had spent because of Covid -19 ? It was like we were caged in a zoo. All of us were locked in our houses like animals are being locked into their cages.
Did you enjoy being locked into your house ? Your answer would be ' No..' indeed. It was such a terrible experience which we all had to experience.
Then how is it about animals ?
The vast majority of animals held captive inside their compounds are depressed. They live in perpetual captivity and lack access to all of the things that make life interesting and enjoyable. Often, they die far earlier than they would if they lived in their natural habitats.
There are 10,000 zoos around the world and they have over 600 million visitors annually. Many of us were taken to zoos as children and it was there that we had our first encounters with many different members of beautiful species. Even though the primary aim of zoos is to ensure that endangered species are maintained, researched and protected, Zoos are too focused on the visitors' entertainment and care more about profits than they do about animals.
Critics of zoos would argue that animals often suffer physically and mentally by being enclosed. Even the best artificial environments can't come close to matching the space, diversity, and freedom that animals have in their natural habitats. This deprivation causes many zoo animals to become stressed or mentally ill.
Once a species is brought into a zoo, zoos often use captive breeding programs to produce younger animals who are a steady draw for visitors. Zoos often keep animals in solitary confinement for long periods of time or sometimes for an animals’ entire life.
On the other hand, animal performances are part of zoos and aquariums too like sea lion or dolphin shows, but they are a big part of circuses specifically, including big cats jumping through burning rings, apes riding motorcycles and bears standing on their hind legs. But of course, these tricks are behaviorally unnatural and physically uncomfortable for the animals. They’re forced against their will to perform by being beaten and tortured.
Do animals exist for our human entertainment ?
No, they have their own lives, they should not require our permission to live. Animals were given the right to be here long before we arrived. Zoos should concern the conservation of animals and their wellbeing more than the profit.
In conclusion, I think the concept of zoos is great, saving animals from dangers and preserving species, but they're applied in the wrong way. I feel like animal sanctuaries are a better alternative to zoos. If the problem is that animals are in some kind of a prison, where they don't have freedom, an animal sanctuary is a better option than zoos. Let's create a beautiful world for animals.
Written By: Rtr. Chamika Nilakshi
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