Zoos: good or bad??

[Abigail]

I'm in the middle.

I don't think it's fair for an animal to have to live it's life in one, I wouldn't like it, and animals have a life as well, but if the animal wouldn't be able to survive in the wild due to an injury or if the species is in danger of becoming extinct, they need to be protected.

I think a zoo or safari park is a far better place for seriously endangered animals, such as some species of tiger where there are only a few hundered left. If they were left to their own devices in the wild some animal species would be extinct by now, either by poaching or illness/injury.
Fair enough, animals bred in captivity very rarely return to the wild because they don't have the survival skills and instincts to cope. That means that eventually endangered species will only exist in zoos but if it stops them from dying out altogether then I'm in favour.

[Grant_fan]

there are some really horrble zoos i have been to a couple that the animals are not happy and the whole zoo is really to small. the chimps had a cages that looks like a dog kennel.

The best zoo there is monkey world they have a big park for all the animals to play. the other good zoo is colcested zoo that was really billiant all the animals are happy

i would let my kids go to a good zoo.

[JustJodi]

I have good and bad thoughts,,, I have a problem with the birds,, I hate to see those beautiful creatures in a cage,, some times I see them staring at the sky, I want to go and free them,, then at the same time I look at where they come from,, places where people are tearing down rain forests ( their homes ) or water foul... their homes polluted or taken over by industuries or homes,, same goes with the animals,,
Hubby and I are big patrons for the zoos here in Holland, we have seen 6 zoos so far and we try to do the ZOO crawl during the time all the kids are in school,, so we can move around freely rather than be around abunch of kids....................
So the Zoos are good and they are bad,,, so I am just going down the middle here,,,
As Alan said Zoos are better equipped these days to take care of the animals than they were about 10-15 yrs ago..

[Siobhan]

I love Zoo too and got to atleast 3 a year.. dublin one and 2 in germany

[Richie_lecturer]

If it wasnt for zoos and Safari Parks how many of us would have had the chance to see these animals at close quarters. Modern Zoos are well run and regulated. The animals are well cared for.

Fully agree. It's the same for circuses too, on the whole.

[Pinkbanana]

I think that a lot more energy and money should go into preserving the habitats of endangered species, and combating the reasons why they are killed by us humans. Then hopefully we can go about phasing out zoos.

When people in this thread have written about the only time a person might get to see a wild animal is in the zoo, then that’s pertaining to the needs of the human and not really about the needs or what is best for the animals. I believe that everyone (animal and human) have rights, and wild animals shouldn’t be captured for the purpose of being put on public display.

I would say I disagree with zoos in a perfect world, but seeing as it isn’t, then I do concede they serve a purpose.