Should Animals be Kept in Zoos?

Recommend (0) Comments (0)

Zoos do vary in quality. My comments are restricted to well run modern facilities like those accredited by the Associations of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

Global human activity is the source of an increasingly rapid rate of species extinction. Humans are also the only possible hope for a solution to this crisis, so attracting visitors into zoos is nothing I’d apologize for. We strive to bring people to zoos not simply to pay our salaries or for the economic impact these visits can create within our communities -- but to support the care of our animal collections, as well as animal conservation and humanitarian programs in the field, and to expose people in our communities to wildlife in a relaxing, enjoyable and, yes, an educational environment.

Obviously, I’m also a proponent of taking some animals from zoos out to audiences that may not otherwise take advantage of what zoos have to offer. As I just mentioned, I believe that while humanity has become a problem for wildlife, what we do as individuals plays a huge role in resolving those problems. Zoo animals, acting as ambassadors for their cousins in the wild, can be catalysts for needed changes.

Regarding attendance trends in Zoos, although I don’t recall the article, The Wall Street Journal quote provided seems to be just a snapshot at a very specific moment in time back in 2003 and I’m not sure that it’s pertinent to this discussion. I don’t believe that zoo attendance has been generally declining since then. However, attendance does often vary from year to year and zoo to zoo. In fact, the factor that consistently has the greatest impact on yearly zoo attendance is weekend/holiday weather. So, in some ways, The Farmers’ Almanac may be another valuable reference to consult, in addition to the Wall Street Journal, when predicting future attendance.