Over the years, I grew up with a great appreciation for animals; I was always known as the ‘animal lover’. I had a need to pet every dog in sight and shocked my friends’ dads when they cowered in fear while I captured a spider to release it back outside. Like most kids, I was always excited to go to the zoo and just watch all different types of animals in their natural habitats. Little did I know, these are not their natural habitats at all. I’ve begun to rethink whether zoos, aquariums or circuses are a good thing or not. There has been much debate concerning whether or not these places are ethical and in the best interest of the animals. The more and more I’ve looked into this issue, it seems that many of these zoos, aquariums and circuses are more negative than positive.
Places where you can see animals are considered to be magical and educational entertainment. For my family, going to the zoo was one of the most fun things we could do. Learning about the different types of fish at the aquarium and watching the giraffes eat from the tallest trees was the highlight of my year. These experiences gave me an appreciation for animals; going to these places to learn more about animals is what made me an animal lover.
Having the opportunity to see wild animals in real life will have much more of an impact towards the education than will reading about them in a book. Only a select few children are privileged enough to actually go scuba diving or on an African Safari; zoos and aquariums provide easy access for everyone to witness these amazing animals.
Endangered species are often saved by human intervention. Humans can help save species in captivity by breeding and prolonging lives through medical care. In the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, senior staff writer Bridget M. Kuehn states in the journal: “Is it ethical to keep animals in zoos?”, “Zoos support conservation by educating the public, raising money for conservation programs, developing technology that can be used to track wild populations, conducting scientific research, advancing veterinary medicine, and developing animal handling techniques” (Kuehn, par. 11). Zoos and aquariums fulfill the need to protect animals who are affected by humans harmful actions on their habitats.
Endangered animal populations have been replenished by the human actions. According to a journal in the American Veterinary Medical Association titled: “In defense of zoos and aquariums: the ethical basis for keeping wild animals in captivity” claims that populations such as the California condor and the Oregon silverspot butterfly have benefited from research to rehabilitate and release these organisms. (Hutchins, Smith, Allard, par. 14). The use of zoos as breeding facilities has recovered species that might not have made it without captivity.
Zoos have many benefits for protecting endangered species, but many organizations don’t meet the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accreditation. According to the AZA website, fewer than 10% of animal exhibitors in the United States meet this accreditation (Benefits of Accreditation, Par. 4). The major zoos and aquariums throughout the United States provide safe environments for wild animals with proper care, but the other 90% do not.
On February 24th 2010, Tilikum, the great orca whale fatally attacked his second trainer at Sea World in Orlando, Florida. According to an article in Time, Tilikum grabbed his trainer, Brancheau, by her ponytail and dragged her to the bottom of the pool where she drowned (Chua- Eoan, par. 2). This brings up the question, are humans meant to work with and domesticate these wild animals? I think it’s shocking that after Tilly’s first murder, he was still expected to perform.
These amazingly intelligent animals are captured and put into tanks that would be proportional to a human living in a bathtub. According to PETA, Orca whales swim up to 100 miles a day in the wild and are imprisoned in confining tanks (Marine Animal Exhibits: Chlorinated Prisons, par. 5). Think about the natural habitat of a polar bear-the very cold Arctic Circle-yet there are polar bear exhibits in zoos all over the world, often nowhere near their natural climate. And I’m sure there aren’t hundreds of people passing by and tapping on the glass in the wild either. Richard Ellis, a marine conversationalist, states in a live Q&A for the Washington Post, “It is part of human nature to keep wild animals in small spaces and train them to do tricks. I'm against it because I think it humiliates the animals” (Ellis, par. 6). Animals in captivity aren’t the same animal they would be in the wild; often these creatures are living a life that nature didn’t intend for them.
Marine animal exhibits such as Sea World train whales and dolphins to jump through hoops, swim with the trainers and of course, splash the audience. As a little girl, I always left the aquarium in awe of the talent and intelligence of the mammals in these performances. But now I know these tricks and moves are not natural for these animals at all. According to PETA, “Animals forced to perform are subjected to rigorous and abusive training methods to coerce them into doing stressful, confusing, uncomfortable, and even painful acts” (Live Animal Acts and Exhibits: Anguished ‘Entertainers’, par. 4). Many zoos don’t show natural behaviors or natural interactions, we only see trainers handling and feeding the animals. These zoos and aquariums shouldn’t be applauded for teaching about wild animals; rather, they should only be given credit for showing how some animals are capable of adapting to such a drastic change.
When I was 6, my Dad took me to the circus and I was captivated by the animals. So much that I begged him for a T-shirt with all of the animals on it, which I still have today. But, now I’ve learned that circuses have the worst reputation for animal cruelty and are on a much higher level for abuse than most zoos and aquariums. I personally understand the lure and excitement as a child to see elephants balance on stands and see tigers jump through fire. But, the truth isn’t as glamorous as we are made to believe.
Not only do animals in the circus experience tough travel and living conditions, the process of training them is very disturbing. According to PETA, the most common method of training is physical punishment, often by hitting, electric shock, and whipping (Circuses: Three Rings of Abuse, par. 8). I don’t think anyone would want to support these helpless circus animals be beaten in order for our entertainment. According an informational pamphlet on circuses from the Humane Society, circuses travel all year round all over the world. Elephants, lions and monkeys are put in small cages and taken from town to town. These animals are often not given proper care and don’t have access to basic necessities while traveling. The animals are often only released from their cages in order to perform, and when performing they are sometimes leashed and shackled. (The Truth Behind the Big Top, page 2). We often hear from musicians how difficult and exhausting life on the road can be, but circus animals endure extreme circumstances.
The temperatures and climates these animals experience while traveling from town to town are definitely not what they would experience in a natural setting. According to PETA, “A young lion named Clyde died in a sweltering boxcar as a Ringling Bros. train crossed the Mojave Desert on a day when temperatures exceeded 100°F” (Circuses: Three Rings of Abuse, par. 3). There have been many other preventable fatalities of circus animals because lack of veterinary care and basic necessities for survival while on the road.
I don’t think these programs should be done away with, but I think something needs to be done to enforce the accreditation of all zoos and aquariums. I also think animals such as Tilikum who have not adapted very well, should not still be held in captivity. There are other options for him such as sanctuaries where he can live in a normal environment with other whales. There are other options to learn about these creatures, technology has come so far. I sincerely hope everyone can agree that circuses need the biggest intervention. There needs to be a conscientious effort to help the animals that suffer daily, circuses that travel all over the world should not be allowed to have animals in their shows, I think this issue needs to be discussed in order for a change to take place for these circus animals.
As I’ve seen personally, there are great benefits to zoos and aquariums. These organizations provide a place for people to learn about different species and gain an appreciation for them. But, within this great realm of educational facilities, come those who don’t have the best intentions. As I have learned, many of these venues are focused more on profit than the animals’ welfare. We all need to work for the best interest of these charming animals and be a voice for the animals who aren’t able to speak out. I know I will still take my kids to zoos and aquariums in hope of a similar love for animals; but I’ll be sure these organizations are accredited and have good intentions for their animals.
Works Cited
“Benefits of Accreditation.” Aza.org. Association of Zoos and Aquariums. n.d. Web. 14 March 2010.
Chua-Eoan, Howard. “The Killer-Whale Attack at SeaWorld: How It Happened.” U.S. 25 February 2010. New York Times. Web. 14 March 2010.
Ellis, Richard. “Sea World Killer Whale Attack.” 25 February 2010. Washington Post. Web. 13 March 2010.
Hutchins, Michael, Brandie Smith, and Ruth Allard. “In defense of zoos and aquariums: the ethical basis for keeping wild animals in captivity”. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. 223.7 (2003): p. 960. Web. 29 March 2010.
Kuehn, Bridget. “Is it ethical to keep animals in zoos?” Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. (2002). n. pag. Web. 14 March 2
PETA. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. 2010. Web. 13 March 2010.
The Truth Behind the Big Top. Washington D.C. The Humane Society of the United States. 2007.
Danielle, this is a truly impressive Rogerian argument. Your previous draft was very strong already, but the additional work you've done, especially your assiduous research, has paid off in an even more persuasive point of view. I'm really glad you were able to use this cooperative approach to reach a genuine understanding of your own. In fact, I think this essay would be a good candidate for e-Vision. With a little more revision (particularly with the introduction of a couple of your sources--I can point these out to you), you should consider submitting it at jmu.edu/evision. Great job.
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