Rachel Holle

Research Paper: Exploiting The Negative Aspects of Zoos

 

Going to the zoo is an activity countless families have enjoyed over the years. Whether for field trips, or just a fun summertime activity, almost everyone has been there at some point in their life. Researchers have estimated that over 600 million people visit zoos every year (PETA), that being said, it is a good idea the public know the raw truths about what they are supporting. Theoretically, zoos are meant for entertainment and animal rehabilitation purposes, but the harsh reality is that the animals are not receiving the proper care and maintenance they need. There are many hidden pieces of information that are blinded by the flashy attractions, which create a false representation of the atmosphere. Exploiting the three most important aspects would help the community realize the many negative characteristics about these zoological parks. Zoos are targeting funding towards the commercialized side instead of working to improve living situations; the animal conditions are far from close to their ideal environment, and most animals are actually becoming more ill from insufficient treatment. 

            Many zoos across the country are based on a donation entry fee. Meaning there is no one making sure a cost is paid upon each guest entering. With donation based funding, decisions must be made as to where and how much money is going towards the different aspects of the zoo: seasonal attractions, venders, new rides for children, and of course, the animals. Many times there is an imbalance in the funding system where certain categories are receiving more or less than others. This is the first red flag raised. For the amount of traffic that flows through every year and no steady income, it is harder to predict the budget for months to follow. Within the past decade government funding has been cutting costs all over the world. Zoos among many other establishments have been the first to see these new budget cuts.

One of the more horrifying stories about this issue comes from the Ukrainian zoo. There was an article written by the Huffington Post earlier this year explaining the incident. During the early weeks of March, citizens were coming together after an update on the zoo’s website had been made warning “the zoo only had enough food to last through the weekend due to a lack of funding.” Planning ahead is a major part in running a business especially when other lives are involved. Making a desperate plea for help, one of the zoo keepers posted on their Facebook cite asking for donations. The (translated) post read as followed:

Hi animal lovers and friends of Ukraine! As you've heard in the news, there is much unrest these days in Ukraine and funds for the Kharkov Zoo have unfortunately declined.

On Thursday, March 6th, the zoo sent out a plea for help to the local community. Zoo administration said that the animals would soon be in danger of dying.

People here in Kharkov have responded admirably, donating several thousand dollars and some food supplies to the zoo, but the struggle is not over. Many of you have contacted me from abroad (via my blog 8 Months in Ukraine) asking how you can help.

In 30 minutes, I'll be going to the zoo to meet with staff there and discuss how we can all work together to help the animals stay well-fed and healthy and keep the zoo running smoothly during this period of turmoil.

Let's use this page to keep in touch. I'll post again later tonight with an update. Thank you!

• Katherine in Kharkov

Responding with many generous donations, the animals made it through. This is a prime example that zoos need to be more aware of their funding (or lack there of) and plan accordingly. Another side of what happens when funding is cut is shown through a story of animal deportation. According to Henry Fountain, a journalist for The New York Times, the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore was dealing with said decreases, which lead to the abstraction of 10% of their animals. Removing animals creates a domino effect, “‘the moves were counterproductive’, said Donald P. Hutchinson, the zoo’s interim president and chief executive. ‘What happened was that there was a significant drop-off in our attendance … When people come to a zoo, they want to see a variety of animals, not just farm animals or big cats’” (In Zoo Cuts, It’s Man vs. Beast, Fountain). Decreasing the variety of animals made the zoo less appealing to guests, leading to less attendance and less income.

            When zoos decide they no longer have the resources to provide for certain animals, finding a new home for these creatures can be a long, strenuous process. Most look straight to other animal sanctuaries or zoos that will take them in. Hardly ever are these animals released back into the wild. In some cases it wouldn’t be safe. Animals that have been born and raised in zoos have no ability to fend for themselves. Finding food, shelter, and fighting off potential predators are not skills they develop when held in captivity. If each zoo had the end goal of helping to protect animals in the wild, they would be partnering more with the animal’s normal territory. The Captive Animals Protection Society (CAPS) “believe that zoos can be damaging to conservation efforts. Effective conservation is carried out by working in the animals’ natural habitat to protect individuals and entire ecosystems. Zoos do not save species from extinction. Instead, they divert much-needed attention away from important conservation work in the wild.” Conservation work needing to be done is being forgotten due to the fact people believe zoos are doing more than enough. As some animals are brought into zoos for rehabilitation work, most are kept there for entertainment long after their recovery time.

Post rehab recovery means keeping a special eye on the animlas to make sure everything continues to heal in a proper manner. However, in considerably different environments than the animal is used to, it is much harder for them to recover. The animal is trying to adjust to this new habitat along with trying to repair themselves. This tags along with one of the most important points animal rights activates are trying to convey: the insanely unrealistic living quarters animals are given. Large-scale animals such as wild cats, bears, and elephants are being trapped in confined areas. “Tigers and lions have around 18,000 times less space in zoos than they would in the wild. Polar bears have one million times less space” (CAPS). At the zoo many visitors wonder why every time they visit these creatures are always pacing in the same spot. Here is the answer for that: being restricted in small areas cause stressors that literally drive them insane. They have no way of coping which leads to the pacing and in extreme cases, banging their heads against the cage walls. Being stuck in a cage that is smaller than deemed fit causes many problems to the animal’s physical and mental health. Many have developed depression due to the lack of activities and space. Studies have shown that 54% of elephants in the UK zoos have some sort of behavioral problems (Kalani Naihe-Summerford). Wild cats are among the most popular animals to have at zoos, so many people have gone to extreme measures to get these animals into their zoo. The Humane Society predicts that there are about 10,000 large wildcats in private ownership within the United States alone. Many people are being attacked across the country because more frequently these large cats are being kept in captivity. Exotic animal trade is the second highest (first being drug trafficking) on the list for raw dollar exchange; because of this, many times the animals are kept in small, filthy conditions. Many are improperly fed with no veterinary care. This provides examples for where some of the zoo animals are coming from. Animals taken from these types of living situations are the type that needs the most care. They need to be properly fed and cleaned along with opening them up to a more natural and suitable environment.

            Animals in zoos aren’t living, they are surviving; studying the physical defects and certain unhealthy qualities, it is easy to tell when proper conditions aren’t being met. Studies over the years have shown that animals are dying prematurely due to captivity. According to Kalani Naihe-Summerford, African Elephants in the wild can live up to 3x longer than those kept in zoos. There is something to be said about that. Most elephant cages are no larger than 1 hectare (about 2.47 acres) so guests are still able to see them. These cages are being catered towards the viewing pleasure of the visitors instead of the comfort and needs of the animal. Zoos are not helping their case; in fact they seem to be making it worse. In pretend efforts to “save animals from extinction” breeding programs have developed. An article posted on PETA’s website talked about all the dangers of these: “Breeding programs simply produce cute baby animals to attract zoo patrons and generate revenue, creating a surplus of unwanted adult animals. As a result, zoos often become extremely crowded, and older animals may become ‘warehoused’ behind the scenes or shuffled off to shabby roadside/mobile zoos, animal dealers, or auctions.” Once an animal has reached the warehouse stage, there is almost no coming back. The same article makes some good points about this stage. Stating that, “warehousing animals for life is not the way to save them from extinction. Their salvation lies in protecting habitats, not in creating animal prisons.” Making the comparison that zoos are animal prisons could not be more accurate. The only difference is that these animals haven’t done anything to deserve being kept in these conditions.

            Mobile zoos are one of the most harmful living situations animals can endure. Last year a whistleblower from The Mobile Zoo in Wilmer Alabama came forward to PETA and spoke of the horrific conditions she witnessed during her brief period of employment. Noting the most appalling circumstances, the article written stated, “An ostrich who had fallen into a water tank was reportedly denied veterinary care and died of hypothermia, and even though she observed animals vomiting and showing other signs of illness, the whistleblower never once witnessed a veterinarian visiting the facility during her three months of employment.” Many more horrifying situations like this were present on the scene. A bear was in distress and panting due to the un-insulated building it had been found in. The temperature reported in that room measured 150 degrees. After the whistleblower came forward, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scoped and cited the unaccredited zoo with 17 violations of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) (Alisa Mullins, PETA).  Months later, an article categorized as ‘immediate release’ was posted on August 7th, 2014 stated this same mobile zoo hadn’t cleaned up their act from the previous citations. Being slapped with even more due to worsening conditions, the zoo is now under investigation. Since January of 2013, this one zoo had collected 43 AWA citations.

             Despite all the negative aspects shared above, zoos provide good knowledge and understanding about each different specie and what environment they thrive in. Many schools utilize them as a chance to study each animal up close. As people are able to watch Planet Earth multiple times and learn an abundance of information, seeing the animals in person really helps apply all the knowledge. Many zoos have optional tours and classes to further learn about each animal. Since so many people each year are visiting, it reaches out to a large audience. In an article on the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) they state, “The World Zoo and Aquarium Conservation Strategy recommends that in addition to approaching conservation issues from the view of biological sciences, zoos and aquariums should also develop educational programs that elucidate the socio-economic backgrounds of the threats to nature.” So not only talking about conservation efforts, but also actually teaching the material and showing how each individual can help.

            Zoos have provided much entertainment over the years to many families, however, it is important to know and understand the negative aspects brought upon by these sanctuaries. Many times animals brought to the zoo are coming for poor conditions yet are not improving after being transferred. Numerous animals are developing a whole new set of behavioral problems. It is also important not to buy into the commercialized side as it promotes the wrong original purpose of zoos. Instead of supporting the cramped cages and improper treatment of these captive animals, turn towards real animal sanctuaries that work with the animal’s natural environment to encourage conservation.