Your opinion of zoos
- Thread starter Miss Chicken
- Start date
It depends on the zoo. Modern zoo's generally serve more good than harm and can be wonderful things. However, there are still a lot of zoos around that are still classic menageries. These should be closed down.
Yes. Not long before I moved to Boston, my wife and I took the opportunity to see the Baton Rouge Zoo after having lived there for months. I was shocked at the sorry state of it. It looked dreadful and depressing with underwhelming concrete walls and buildings.
It was beyond me why it still got some great reviews. Probably by individuals who never saw San Diego, Cincinnati or National Zoos.
It was beyond me why it still got some great reviews. Probably by individuals who never saw San Diego, Cincinnati or National Zoos.
Zoos are like orphanages. If they're run badly, their like prisons for the kids. If they're run well, they are great replacement homes for orphan kids.
Depends on the animal. As a result of domestication it's our responsibility to care for dogs, cats etc but exotic pets should not be allowed IMO
I have no problem whatsoever with nature taking its course. There are instances in which we should step in and help but removing the animal from its natural habitat so that we can wander around and gawk at them isn't one.
My favorite animal in the Melbourne zoo is the binturong. I always go and see them, but once there was no binturong because it had escaped and was roaming the suburbs. Luckily they caught it and it was fine.
eh, different strokes and all. To me, zoos are educational, and they give the animals a better life than they would otherwise have.
Please fill us in when the final decision is made. I really am hoping the Toronto Zoo is in there, but frankly, I don't even know if they asked.
I'd never heard of a binturong. Turns out it's just the Malay name for the animal we Yanks call a bearcat. Kind of silly, since it's neither a bear nor a cat.
You should have bit him back.
I'm kind of torn on the issue of zoos. Even in zoos that are well run, I always feel bad for the animals, especially those that need room to roam. I don't think they're the solution to saving endangered species since very few have programs designed for releasing animals back into the wild (and without habitat preservation, that does little good anyway). But I do see the value of zoos as a means of educating people and perhaps making them more aware of some of the issues facing wildlife. And some zoos also do research that can help some species in the wild.
The last zoo I visited was a little zoo in Flores, Guatemala. It was such a depressing place. The people were so proud of the zoo but it looked to be severely underfunded. The animals were in tiny cages and obviously very distressed (they were either listless or agitated and continuously circling their cages). We were all feeling pretty miserable when we left.
The last zoo I visited was a little zoo in Flores, Guatemala. It was such a depressing place. The people were so proud of the zoo but it looked to be severely underfunded. The animals were in tiny cages and obviously very distressed (they were either listless or agitated and continuously circling their cages). We were all feeling pretty miserable when we left.
I love Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo. The animals are well-treated and seem to have enough space. Ideally we wouldn't need zoos, but we do need them, I think.
A
Amaris
Guest
I'm fine with zoos as long as the animals are well cared for. We have the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens, where conservation research is done, among other things. I've only been twice, and the last time was about 25 years ago. Of course, two hours away is the Columbus Zoo, but I've never been there.
I was almost molested by a chimpanzee once.
Likely just a lack of genetic diversity.
Should we still have them in this day and age?
I don't see why not. Like some folks here have already mentioned that zoos do serve a purpose to learn about animals.
Is it cruel to keep animals in captivity?
Yes and no. It's cruel to take them out of their natural habitat and force them into captivity and then expect them to behave accordingly and not expect them to lash out.
Would you like a zoo near you to get a couple of Tasmanian Devils, so that you, or your children, could see one?
It would have to be more than just that reason.
When was the last time you visited a zoo?
It's been a while.
If you have recently been to a zoo, what animals did you enjoy seeing? Did you feel sorry for any animal you saw?
Ducks. They were all around though. There were some elephants I felt bad for...one of them died two months later.
I don't see why not. Like some folks here have already mentioned that zoos do serve a purpose to learn about animals.
Is it cruel to keep animals in captivity?
Yes and no. It's cruel to take them out of their natural habitat and force them into captivity and then expect them to behave accordingly and not expect them to lash out.
Would you like a zoo near you to get a couple of Tasmanian Devils, so that you, or your children, could see one?
It would have to be more than just that reason.
When was the last time you visited a zoo?
It's been a while.
If you have recently been to a zoo, what animals did you enjoy seeing? Did you feel sorry for any animal you saw?
Ducks. They were all around though. There were some elephants I felt bad for...one of them died two months later.
I was curious, so I found a picture of a Tasmanian devil:
On a more serious note: zoos can be very helpful by not only protecting species, but for studying ways to help them survive.
Zoos which recreate animals in their natural habitat are good, IMO. Those which cage them in small spaces do more harm than good.
The North Carolina Zoo is an example of the good kind. Coincidentally, it is located in our state.
On a more serious note: zoos can be very helpful by not only protecting species, but for studying ways to help them survive.
Zoos which recreate animals in their natural habitat are good, IMO. Those which cage them in small spaces do more harm than good.
The North Carolina Zoo is an example of the good kind. Coincidentally, it is located in our state.
Good zoos that keep the animals in an appropriate environment are vital for the future of a number of species that would otherwise go extinct. They also serve an educational role. As long as an animal has enough space to move around, a place to get away from the crowd and enough stimulation to keep their interest up, access to food and water and a mate or mates depending on species, they'll be happy enough.
Last time I visited a zoo was about 6 years ago, for a feline night. They fed the animals later than normal and the zoo was open at night, when most big cats are at their most active.
Last time I visited a zoo was about 6 years ago, for a feline night. They fed the animals later than normal and the zoo was open at night, when most big cats are at their most active.
I bought up this thread to let Americans know that four devils are about to be sent to the San Diego Zoo and another four to the Albuquerque Biopark.
