This issue was put in front of the public with the story of Keiko, a killer whale that was badly abused in a Mexican facility. Eventually, Keiko was moved to a better aquarium in Oregon, but activists insisted that Keiko should be released to live in the wild (Staff writers, 1997). In fact, people have worked for animal rights since the 1860's when the first Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was established in the 1860's (Unti & Rowan, 2001), but until recently, most people did not consider holding captive animals in well-designed and well-maintained zoos as inhumane or cruel. Because of the attention Keiko received, including the animal being represented as the lead character in two "Free Willy" films, Keiko was eventually released. This action demonstrated the difficulty of returning captive animals to the wild. Although Keiko had begun life as a wild animal, he did not do well in the while and repeatedly sought out human companionship.
Keiko's plight resulted in heightened awareness among those who visit zoos that even in the best-designed habitat, the animal is still caged against its will (Paulson, 2004). The cumulative effect of all these criticisms has resulted in significant actions by some zoos. People are more aware that animals have highly specialized needs, and that those needs are not only physical but psychological as well, and most people find any form of abuse, however subtle, as unacceptable. The Detroit Zoo looked at all these issues, and then at their population of Asian elephants. They realized that they did not have a suitable environment for their animals. They needed more space than they could provide, and more elephants for companionship than they could provide adequate space for. In addition, Detroit's
They didn't breed well, a sign that they were not in good circumstances. Even though the elephants were one of the most popular animals in their zoo, the zookeepers at the Detroit zoo decided that for the sake of the elephants they had to let them go to a more suitable setting (Paulson, 2004).
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).
CONCLUSION
While some may view the beliefs of animal activists as extreme, it does seem possible that because of pressure from such groups, zoos have become more sensitive to the true needs of the animals they hold and protect. 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. Few people can actually go on an African safari and see huge herds of wildebeest, towering giraffes, and prides of lions. Those who support zoos believe that by seeing these animals in person, 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.
Bibliography
Diamond, Jared. 1995. "Playing God at the Zoo." Discover, March.
Paulson, Amanda. 2004. "It's No Longer a (Traditional) Zoo Out There." The Christian Science Monitor, June 15.
Staff writers. 1997. "Keiko the Killer Whale at Center of Debate over Animals in Zoos." Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Oct. 6.
Sunquist, Fiona. 1995. "End of the Ark? (Zoos)" International Wildlife, Nov. 21.
Unti, Bernard, and Rowan, Andrew N. A Social History of Postwar Animal Protection. The Humane Society International: Humane Press, 2001. Accessed via the Internet 12/7/04. http://www.sunyniagara.cc.ny.us/faculty/gerbasi/psy_180_links.html
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