Category: Animals

I remember when I was 10 years old, I have fun memory of going to zoo with my family during the school holiday. The magnificent species in the zoo had surprise my view about the world. The birds, Orangutans, even the elephants and camel are all my impressions about zoo. Zoo is an interesting place. Since 2,500 B.C.E in Ancient Egypt (https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/the-role-of-river-nile-in-thedevelopment-of-ancient-egypt/), wild animal has been captive by king and conquerors used as status symbol. Nowadays, zoo become a place where keeping animals as a display with the purpose of education, conservation and scientific research. Zoo also can be a place with distortion reason. In the world where capital is particular about the goods and benefits, zoo then cannot escape from degraded as a tool for lawless person’s hands barely of their selfishness. Due to the rising number of the people with the awareness of morality, zoo has become a place that is being argued of both Pros and Cons sides. In this essay I will take you through some of the question on this issue, and not let the truth continue to be covered under the name of excuses.

You will not believe that the king of the jungle, tiger, can be so obedience in the zoo. It’s just like a cat in the house, cute and delightful. This scene is totally made my mind upside down as it is not the same with what I am thinking about the tiger when I went to visit back the zoo in high school. The wild behavior of tiger has been changed entirely after it sent to the zoo as an animal that captive for displaying to the public and amusing the people over there. With the curiosity, I search on the web and I found something incredible. They trained the tiger with bamboo stick if the tiger behaved badly, this training will repeat every day before the tourist come to visit. As time passes, this big cat has been trained to be cute and they lost their brutish nature eventually. Somebody might say, the tiger will kill the people with their brutish nature. If we are not going to train as soon as possible, who will take full responsible once the case happened? Well, the tiger is always belonging to jungle, so, its brutish nature is what it has born to be. Whereas, captivate tiger as pet is not what human should do at the beginning.

Another case is happened in Taiwan. In year 2013, 10th of July, a whale shark captive in the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium was already set it free from the aquarium to the nature sea. In just six hours, the whale shark, which had been kept in captivity for eight years, was stranded twice before finally sinking to the bottom of the sea with its innocent life to be a pet whale shark for human. 11th the next day, the company unexpectedly giving a falsely claim stated that the whale shark has already been swam to the ocean successfully. The whale shark made hundreds of millions of dollars for the company, and was treated rudely. This is no longer an isolated case, and the public has been saddened by the company’s response. Distrust of the company has once again raised the issue of animal rights in the eyes of the world. In fact, when the animal already gets used to with an environment for long times, it will lose its surviving ability and finally become a strong dependent animal that only can live under the captivity of human. What so shame of human behavior made one supposed to be free become contrary.

One of the missions of zoo is for scientific research. Well, I have a big question of this point. Look, zoologist usually doing scientific research is according to the nature behavior of animal. Take up the argument above, the behavior of animal will be so much change after lived in the zoo. Then, how the zoologist or whoever wanting to do behavioral research on animal can have a correct research report for it. On the contrary, the wrong report will not bring any benefits for human even all the living creatures lived in the world. This statement is not true even it does not hold the water at all. Moreover, many funds that support zoologist to do research is based on field research, this is no bond with zoo. There are two common ways the scientist does the research in the zoo, anatomy and pathology. The research usually for two purposes: to improve the health of animals in the zoo and serves for human health experiment. Once again, this is another excuse nothing to do with zoo. If there is no zoo, there is no need to establish an experiment for improving the animals in zoo. Furthermore, human DNA is not same with animal DNA, there is no reasons to do human experiment on animal. I believe with the latest technology, human is no longer to solve calculation in that such a wrong statement.

Even though I have a fun zoo experience when I am still a primary school kid, but I do not have learn any knowledge about zoology. I have fun because the circus event has performance by the animals. I have fun because I did not realize those funny, silly, dumpty actions performed by animals are not their nature behavior. They trained the animals can perform a show to attract even more visitors who can provides them a big amount of income. Information contributed by the Reid Park Zoo in Tucson, Arizona shown the ratio within the expenses at the zoo. It is only 1.2% for animal’s medicines and 6.7% for animal’s food in perhaps every ten or thousands of million dollars. The data was amazed me that the animals in the zoo were always just a money-making tool. The purpose of education is no longer exists. And another thing based on my experience I found that the board show up the information in each animal only stated out the common information about the animal. In this information explosion era, I can check the information on website is better than I go to the zoo. Although this behavior is not enough of experience to touch the real animal, but the situation of the zoo today is tending to amusement and given a wrong reason and doing the failed action about the purpose of education.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), more than 40% of species in the world will be extinct from the world. Species are classified into 9 levels, based on the rate of decline, the total number of species, geographical distribution, and the degree of group dispersion. There is a level called Extinct in the Wild (EW), which meant those animals were already extinct in the wild but still can found in captive breeding center. A process that keep those animals which has been extinct in the wild and avoid the species extinct completely from the world is called captive breeding, this process is usually conducted by zoo. From my opinion, this process conduct in the zoo is the best choice for prevent the conservation become a commercial method that allow the lawless person take the opportunity earn illegal income. Because the transparent process displaying to the public and give no chance for them to do that dirty thing. But, also, captivity breed take risk. It is difficult to release species that have become extinct in the wild, even if their habitats have been restored. One of the main reasons is that they may not have the survival skills they need. These survival skills, usually taught by his parents, have been lost in captivity. In other words, even if the genes of the species survive, the causation among the populations has been lost.

Should we really keep animals in captivity and away from the wild? Or do we return them to the nature, to where they really belong? This argument will always have different opinions on both sides. In my personal opinion, animals should not be caged in the zoos, stripped from their freedom. It does not matter if it is for research purposes, preservation or education, animals should not be exhibited in zoos, but instead should be sent to national park or natural reserves to be protected from the brink of extinction. Animal lives are precious and they should have their rights to live in the wild which was meant to be instead of hunting them and bringing them into the grasp of mankind, and this act alone, is not at all precious. Some people believe that because of environmental disasters happening all around the world, nature is not what it used to be, therefore one of the reasons to keep the animals from extinction is captivity breeding, and although it is not encouraged to do so, we do not have much choice unless we want to see certain species of animals vanish forever. This results in the question of how we regard this matter as. To prioritize the profit without any care of the consequences is just wrong, and instead of discussing the rights and wrongs, wouldn’t it be better to start thinking about the cause of this problem and further understand the truth of the matter before we can effectively solve the problem.

Water is essential for all life. Not only is it necessary for staying alive but in today’s society almost everything depends on water. Water is necessary for things such as plumbing and bathing. Water is used for pleasure, such as in alcoholic beverages, and in sports, such as swimming. This list goes on as to why the world needs water, but the humans, which need water the most, pollute it, destroying the most crucial resource. The amount of pollution in the oceans is truly revolting when one realizes how crucial it is for life. Although people may assume that ocean pollution only affects marine life, it actually affects humans as well as their surroundings.

One of the main causes of pollution in water is the many toxins taht are discarded there. Records show that 850 million meters cubed of liquid and solid wastes have been dumped into the ocean in the past 85 years. (Ocean Dumping, 51) In addition to this, debris enters oceans during natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, volcanoes, and fires. (Hepple) Oil is another serious and potentially deadly source of ocean pollution. Oil is almost constantly being spilled into the sea, mostly from non-accidental sources. Some of the greater sources respectively include down the drain, up in smoke, natural seeps, big spills, and offshore drilling. There are many procedures used to clean up oil spilled in marine environments: chemical dispersants to break down the oil into small droplets; oil can be combusted via scorching; oil can be mechanically removed; oil can be washed off the shoreline using hoses; and oil can be skimmed off the top of the water. All of these procedures further damage marine ecosystems and sometimes increase the amount of time required for ecosystems to recover from the oil spill (Foster et al. 1990). The chemical dispersants used to break down oil are toxic (Judson et al. 2010), and the combination of oil and dispersant can have stronger negative effects on marine species than the oil alone (George 1961).

The many toxins plaguing the water have a pronounced effect on marine life. Marine mammals such as dolphins, seals, whales and sea otters are killed by the many oil spills that plague the ocean. The damage done to these animals can take different forms. The blowholes of dolphins holes are sometimes covered by oil making it hard to breathe and communicate. The oil also coats the fur of seals and otters leaving them to the frigid temperatures and leaving them with hypothermia. When animals eat infected fish and marine creatures, they die or experience other problems. Another issue that many species of marine life are affected by is debris, and as much as 80 percent is plastic. It is estimated that 4 to almost 12 million tons of plastic are dumped in the ocean each year. (J.R Jambeck) Turtles, Fish, Birds, and other creatures become caught in plastics which causes suffocation and drowning.

Pollution effects animals severyely but how does it affect humans? When an animal swallows plastic you expect it to only affect the animal. This is not true. The small pieces of plastic affects not only the animals but the humans who later eat them. Plastics take hundreds of years to decompose and some of them break down much quicker into tiny particles, which in turn end up in the seafood we eat. Oil spills also affect humans in multiple ways. When an animal becomes covered in oil, when it cleans itself it will swallow the oil. Though oil isn’t always immediately lethal, it will cause long-term harm. This harm goes down the food chain, affecting humans that may eat the sea creatures. Humans can also be affected through inhalation or through direct contact. inhalation of oil vapours can have on a human. “In terms of physical health, direct contact with crude oil, or indirect contact through, for example, inhalation of vapors or consumption of tainted seafood can cause deleterious health effects ranging from dizziness and nausea to certain types of cancers and issues with the central nervous system” (Jenssen 1996). Oil spills also have an impact on the economic activities of the people that depend on the sea for a livelihood. The very livelihood of fishers is threatened when oil tankers spill.

Water polllution also has an affect on the water humans drink. In fact, it caused 1.8 million deaths in 2015, according to a study published in The Lancet. Waer that is contaminated cna make humans severly ill. Every single year, contaminated water causes about 1 billion people to be sick. People in low income communities are more likely to be at risk since they live closest to the polluting industries. There are many diseases that are soread through water. “Bacterial, viral and parasitic diseases like typhoid, cholera, encephalitis, poliomyelitis, hepatitis, skin infection and gastrointestinal are spreading through polluted water.”

There is a crisis that is sweeping America. One might ask, what crisis? A forest fire, a hurricane, climate change? No, this crisis is quietly destroying life as we know it. It is an invasive species. Invasive species are animals or plants that are not native to an ecosystem and cause harm to the animal and plant life that lives there. Lionfish and Burmese pythons are eating all of the prey in their areas. Nutria are destroying habitats while northern snakeheads are invading them. Invasive species in the United States like the nutria, lionfish, northern snakehead, and Burmese python are causing chaos for humans and animals in our society.

One invasive species that is threatening America today is the nutria. The Nutria looks like a mix between a rat and a beaver. Their fur looks very shaggy. Nutria can weigh anywhere from 15 to 22 pounds, can be 17 to 25 inches long, and their tails can grow up to 16 inches. Nutria are mammals which means that they don’t lay eggs. They are omnivores so they eat both plants and meat. Their diet is made up of small creatures, snails, and mussels. Nutria can live up to 10 years. Female nutria can have 2 to 3 litters a year and can have 5 to 7 young in each litter. The young remain with their mothers for 1 or 2 months before going out. Nutria are not solitary and live together in large colonies. Nutria live in the water and on land. Most often they burrow near water along riverbanks and lakeshores. They have webbed feet and can stay submerged for up to 5 minutes (National Geographic). Nutria first appeared in the United States in Washington during the 1930s (Nutria, Invasive Species Council Priority Species). Nutria were farmed for their undercoat of fur also called nutria. Some of them escaped from fur farms and established a rapidly growing population (National Geographic). Nutria eat the roots and stems of plants so they destroy 10 times more plants than they eat. Nutria are also destroying habitats. They wreak havoc on marshes that provide a habitat for animals like birds and fish. Riparian areas are turned into bogs because of nutria. When nutria constructs their burrows in places like embankments and dikes it causes the banks to erode and collapse (Nutria, Invasive Species Council Priority Species).

A second invasive species that is threatening America is the lionfish. Lionfish have a mix of brown, maroon, and white stripes covering their bodies and heads. They have 13 dorsal spines that stick out of their backs (What is a Lionfish). Lionfish can weigh up to 2.6 pounds and can be anywhere from 11.8 to 15 inches long. Lionfish are carnivores which means that they eat only meat (Red Lionfish). (7)Lionfish eat almost any prey species in coral reefs (What is a Lionfish). Lionfish can live for up to 15 years (Red Lionfish). They live in coral reefs in depths from 1 to 300 feet. Lionfish first appeared in Southern Florida in 1985 and may have been intentionally released. They are the top predator in Atlantic coral reefs and eat over 50 species of fish. This hurts the coral reefs because prey species are declining. Lionfish can also be harmful to humans. Their spines are extremely venomous and if you get stung the effects can last for days. The stings cause extreme pain, paralysis, sweating, and respiratory problems (What is a Lionfish). 

A zoo is a place where captive animals are put on display for humans to see. While early zoos (shortened from zoological parks) concentrated on displaying as many unusual creatures as possible—often in small, cramped conditions—the focus of most modern zoos is conservation and education. While zoo advocates and conservationists argue that zoos save endangered species and educate the public, many animal rights activists believe the cost of confining animals outweighs the benefits, and that the violation of the rights of individual animals—even in efforts to fend off extinction—cannot be justified.

A Brief History of Zoos

Humans have kept wild animals for thousands of years. The first efforts to keep wild and exotic animals for non-utilitarian uses began about 2500 BCE, when rulers in Mesopotamia, Egypt kept collections in enclosed pens.1 Modern zoos began to evolve during the 18th century and the Age of Enlightenment, when scientific interest in zoology, as well as the study of animal behavior and anatomy, came to the fore.

Arguments for Zoos

• By bringing people and animals together, zoos educate the public and foster an appreciation of the other species.
• Zoos save endangered species by bringing them into a safe environment, where they are protected from poachers, habitat loss, starvation, and predators.
• Many zoos have breeding programs for endangered species.2 In the wild, these individuals might have trouble finding mates and breeding, and species could become extinct.
• Reputable zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums are held to high standards for the treatment of their resident animals. According to AZA, its accreditation guarantees that the organization has undergone strict evaluation by recognized experts to ensure the highest standards of ‘animal management and care, including living environments, social groupings, health, and nutrition.’3
• A good zoo provides an enriched habitat in which the animals are never bored, are well cared for, and have plenty of space.
• Seeing an animal in person is a much more personal and more memorable experience than seeing that animal in a nature documentary and is more likely to foster an empathetic attitude toward animals.
• Some zoos help rehabilitate wildlife and take in exotic pets that people no longer want or are no longer able to care for.
• Both accredited and unaccredited animal exhibitors are regulated by the federal Animal Welfare Act, which establishes standards for animal care.4

Arguments Against Zoos

• From an animal rights standpoint, humans do not have a right to breed, capture, and confine other animals—even if those species are endangered. Being a member of an endangered species doesn’t mean the individual animals should be afforded fewer rights.
• Animals in captivity suffer from boredom, stress, and confinement.5 No pen—no matter how humane—or drive-through safari can compare to the freedom of the wild.
• Intergenerational bonds are broken when individuals are sold or traded to other zoos.
• Baby animals bring in visitors and money, but this incentive to breed new baby animals leads to overpopulation. Surplus animals are sold not only to other zoos, but also to circuses and hunting facilities.6 Some zoos simply kill their surplus animals outright.7
• The vast majority of captive breeding programs do not release animals back into the wild.8 The offspring are forever part of the chain of zoos, circuses, petting zoos, and the exotic pet trade that buys, sells, barters, and generally exploits animals.
• Removing individual specimens from the wild further endangers the wild population because the remaining individuals will be less genetically diverse and may have greater difficulty finding mates.9 Maintaining species diversity within captive breeding facilities is also a challenge.
• If people want to see wild animals in real life, they can observe wildlife in the wild or visit a sanctuary. (A true sanctuary does not buy, sell, or breed animals, but instead takes in unwanted exotic pets, surplus animals from zoos, or injured wildlife that can no longer survive in the wild.)
• The federal Animal Welfare Act establishes only the most minimal standards for cage size, shelter, health care, ventilation, fencing, food, and water. For example, enclosures must provide ‘sufficient space to allow each animal to make normal postural and social adjustments with adequate freedom of movement. Inadequate space may be indicated by evidence of malnutrition, poor condition, debility, stress, or abnormal behavior patterns.’10 Violations often result in a slap on the wrist and the exhibitor is given a deadline to correct the violation.11 Even a long history of inadequate care and AWA violations, such as the history of Tony the Truck Stop Tiger, does not necessarily ensure abused animals will be freed.
• Animals sometimes escape their enclosures, endangering themselves as well as people. Likewise, people ignore warnings or accidentally get too close to animals, leading to horrific outcomes. For example, Harambe, a 17-year-old western lowland gorilla, was shot in 2016 when a toddler accidentally fell into his enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo. While the child survived and was not badly injured, the gorilla was killed outright.
• Petting zoos have been linked with numerous incidents of diseases including E. coli infection, cryptosporidiosis, salmonellosis, and dermatomycosis (ringworm).

In making a case for or against zoos, both sides argue that they’re saving animals. Whether or not zoos benefit the animal community, they certainly do make money. As long as there is demand for them, zoos will continue to exist. Since zoos are likely an inevitability, the best way to move forward is to ensure that zoo conditions are the best possible for the animals that live in captivity and that individuals who violate animal care health and safety sanctions are not only duly punished, but denied any future access to animals.

The present study sought to understand how Zalophus Californianus, the California sea lion, reacts to directions when swimming. In this case, the hypothesis for the research was that there is no particular direction of swimming that the sea lions swim towards. The hypothesis was based on the fact that among the issues that have been covered already by other researchers and observation stances, there is no particular investigation that addresses the issue of directions. Some of the background facts that relate to the point in issue have been covered by NOAA Fisheries. The institution aids in the conservation of California sea lions. Research evidence alludes to the fact that this organization developed collaborative frameworks that are fused with the other entities in California to protect the species. In terms of the methods and materials used in the research, I visited the Central Park Zoo on November 06, 2019, at 11:22 AM, when the average temperature was 50 degrees. The sampling methods used included the Ad libitum sampling and focal animal sampling. At the close of the investigation, it is concluded that that the sea lions swim in the clockwise direction more than the anticlockwise, as shown by 63% and 37% respectively. Therefore, the findings of the research object to the hypothesis.

Following the research that is already documented on the Zalophus Californianus, the California sea lions, it is evident that there is already information concerning their habitat, how they breed, their social settings, and their appearance. However, the previous studies miss out on addressing the issue related to the swimming direction often adopted by the Zalophus Californianus. Therefore, the paper seeks to address the research question relating to the directions taken by California sea lions when swimming. At the close of the observation, I hope to find that there is no particular direction of swimming that the sea lions swim towards.

Literature Review

The California sea lions are identified as the “eared seals” that are native to the West Coast of North America. The species are found in the sea, beaches, buoys as well as jetties. Research evidence points to the fact that the lions that are found in zoos happen to be intelligent as compared to those that are not trained. In this case, the one phenomenon that is directly linked to the lions is the fact that they can bark, just like ordinary dogs (NOAA FISHERIES). This is one of the key features that can be used to identify and distinguish sea lions from other organisms. Given the fact that sea lions are mammals by nature, they are protected under the Marine Mammals Protection Act, which is a key law that guides how people interact with such organisms. This regulation serves to ensure that the mammals are protected and s safeguarded to the extent that they do not fall prey to the imminent challenges and concerns that are likely to be experienced like extinction. In this quest, human encroachment into the natural habitats of such animals has been linked to the greatest threats to the existence of such organisms.

As it stands, the NOAA Fisheries aids in the conservation of the California sea lion about the fact that it has set up collaborative stances with the other institutions in the land to create a framework that protects the species. In the efforts to come up with such stances to protect the environment through the preservation of the California sea lion, it is integral to highlight that the entities make use of innovation to come up with the key strategies to solve problems (Kastelein et al., 2000). The institutions are aware of the fact that it is not enough to protect the California sea lion from human encroachment, but there is also the need to have decent strategies that would be invoked when it comes to the protection of the organisms from distress. For instance, it is common for the California sea lion would get trapped in the nets because they are used to the marine environment, where such conditions are not manifest in any given way. Still, pollution is the one concern that the NOAA Fisheries serves to limit given the fact that it pauses negative effects on the survival of the California sea lion.

According to the research completed by the NOAA Fisheries, it is presently estimated that the average population size for the stock of California sea lions is 6.2 percent (NOAA FISHERIES). It is important to note that the timeline identifying this figure is the year 1983. With time, research findings conducted by some of the reputable research firms on the land suggest that the number of California sea lions has been reducing over time. It is for this reason that there is a need to come up with regulative frameworks that can be used to cut down some of the factors that threaten the survival of the California sea lion (Kastelein et al., 2000). It is anticipated the adoption of working models in this case will create a desirable stance and perspective where the animals will not risk falling prey to extinction

Appearance of the California Sea Lions

While the adult females as well as the juveniles have slender bodies that are tan in color, the males are large and have dark brown colors. On the other hand, the pups assume a dark brown color and, hence, resemble the adult male species. Still, the color of the pups is never as constant as they undergo the molting process where the dark color now melts the moment they reach 4 months to some shiny appearance. As they grow on from the 5 months, the pups would also assume a silver color. California sea lions are often characterized by broad frontal flippers that are long and have rather narrow snouts.

When it comes to adult males, it can be seen that they are characterized by pronounced forehead crests, which are crowned by tufts of blonde or lighter hair. In addition, the California sea lions happen to have visible ear flaps as well as three to five claws that are located on the hind flippers. When it comes to dieting, it must be noted that California sea lions often feed on the offshores of the dominant coastal areas in the land. In this case, they feed on a wide variety of organisms that are located on the shores (Elorriaga-Verplancken et al., 2016). They include the squid, the anchovies, the mackerel, the rockfish as well as the sardines. The animals also feed on the fish that is located on the commercial feeding gear. This is one of the major reasons why fishing is discouraged in the areas where the California sea lion lives, as they could serve as supplements to the foods accessed by the animals.

From a social viewpoint, California sea lions are extremely social on the land. At the time of breeding, the male species assume the vigilant roles of protecting and defending their territories from the other male species to the extent that their female partners cannot be accessed by the other males. On the other hand, the females’ role during breeding is the protect their young ones from harm and attacks (Elorriaga-Verplancken et al., 2016). The latter further assist their cubs to hunt and obtain food from the available living creatures. However, the California sea lion fears the sight of human beings, hence, they run into hiding the moment that they perceive people approaching them.

About the available literature, it is indicative to note that the California sea lion males bark just like normal dogs to associate and communicate with others. When it comes to the female species, it can be seen that they often make decent communication by the use of vocalization. In this context, the language is unique and understood by the male species, the cubs, and the other female California sea lions (Kastelein et al., 2000). The pups and females are characterized by a peculiar scent, which is used in the identification of their presence. The female can locate the pup even when the latter is in thousands of other pups by using the visualization strategy.

The one other significant trait of the California sea lion is rafting. In this case, the animal assumes a stance that would be interpreted that it is caught in some form of net while it is using the flippers to stay afloat on the water. This phenomenon leaves the organism afloat on the water while it is motionless. At this time, the observer can’t see any buoy or net because the California sea lion is rafting.

Materials and Methods

For me to come up with a desirable research outcome, I sought to visit the Central Park Zoo on November 06, 2019, at 11:22 AM. The average temperature at my time of visit was 50 Degrees. In this quest, there was the need to sample a few California sea lions to observe as supported by the stance that it was rather impractical to make a decent review of all the animals in the zoo. For this reason, the sampling methods that were adopted included Ad libitum sampling and focal animal sampling. On the other hand, the behavior sampling recording rules were characterized by continuous recording, time sampling as well as periodic sampling stances.

There are several observations that I made while at the zoo. For instance, before feeders entered, a total of 144 “swims” were observed. On the other hand, the time when the sea lions jumped out of the water, was about 10 minutes into the video. This event was witnessed at 11:32 am. On the part of the feeders, I noted that they came in at 9 minutes and 30 seconds into the video respectively. The table below summarizes the swims in the clockwise and anticlockwise.

The mean of the behavior of the swims in the clockwise direction was

(90+91+90+89+88+93)/6

Mean =93

The mean of the behavior of the swims in the anticlockwise direction was

(34+31+30+39+88+93)/6

Figure 3 is an illustration of the frequencies of the observations on the animal. They include feeding, swimming, chattering, resting, and freezing respectively.

I also noted that while the male feeder pointed outside of the cave, the seal that was inside came out of the water to feed. I saw a feeder extending the hand out while the seal dipped its neck backward. Thereafter, I noticed that the zeal went back to the cave, but completed the same tricks in the interests of getting the feed.

Figure 4 shows the number of fish that was consumed by the sea lion at 5 min, 10 min, 12 min, 15 min, and 20 min respectively.

Limitations of the Study

While taking part in this research is one of the things that I have enjoyed doing in the recent past, it is still notable to point out that this particular research was limited by several aspects. First of all, the time for making the observations was limited such that I was not able to capture much of the behavior. Also, given the fact that the species that I observed were trained, it is possible that my observations were not accurate. As a remedy to the above concerns, the one approach that can be adopted is through conducting visitations in different zoos across the state as well as those in their natural habitats. Still, the time dedicated to such research endeavors ought to be sufficient.

As for the feeders and animal keepers, it is evident to point out that their role in the zoo is rather indispensable. It is not possible to do without them since they train, feed, and take decent care of the animals. Still, their mandates can be improved if they are provided with all the financial and working resources that they need. It is only possible for the observations on the animals to be completed if they are not distressed.

Conclusion

As seen in the research, it is evident that reinforcement is needed when it comes to the welfare of the California sea lions in the zoo. In this case, decent policies should be made such that the animals are protected well. When comparing the behaviors of California sea lions that are trained to those that are not, it is notable that the latter do not look for food themselves. Also, the female sea lions did not bother with their young ones like the case of those that exist in the natural environment.

About the above statistical analysis on the observations made on the California sea lions, it can be summed that the organism often swims towards the clockwise direction because the sampled species indicated 63% for this while only 37% indicated that they swim in a clockwise manner. Therefore, the outcomes of the research do not abide by the position held in the hypothesis that the organisms do not swim in any particular direction. In so doing, the research has been integral in filling the gaps manifest in society. As witnessed in the above deliberation, the observations made on the animal connect with what the literature says about it. For instance, the color of the mature male lions was dark, just as expressed in the literature. Therefore, the research outcomes conform to the conventional aspects of the subject.

References

1. Elorriaga-Verplancken, F. R., Sierra-Rodríguez, G. E., Rosales-Nanduca, H., Acevedo-Whitehouse, K., & Sandoval-Sierra, J. (2016). Impact of the 2015 El Niño-Southern Oscillation on the abundance and foraging habits of Guadalupe fur seals and California sea lions from the San Benito Archipelago, Mexico. PLoS One, 11(5), e0155034.
2. Kastelein, R. A., Schooneman, N. M., Vaughan, N., & Wiepkema, P. R. (2000). Food consumption and growth of California sea lions (zalophus californianus californianus). https://doi.org/10.1002/1098-2361(2000)19:23.0.CO;2-O
3. Masper, A., Gallo-Reynoso-Reynoso, J. P., Cisneros-Mata, M. A., & García-Hernández, J. (2019). Review of California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) abundance, and population dynamics in the Gulf of California. Revista De Biología Tropical, 67(4), 833-849.
4. McClatchie, S., Field, J., Thompson, A. R., Gerrodette, T., Lowry, M., Fiedler, P. C., & Vetter, R. D. (2016). Food limitation of sea lion pups and the decline of forage off central and southern California. Royal Society Open Science, 3(3), 150628.
5. NOAA FISHERIES. History of California sea lions. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/california-sea-lion
6. Zoo Biology, 19(2), 143–159.

The world’s best zoos offer face-to-face encounters with some of the most fascinating and rare creatures on the planet—an experience that few people would ever be able to pursue in the wild. Unlike the cramped cages that housed wild animals in sideshow spectacles of the past, the modern zoo has elevated habitat emulation to an art, carefully recreating natural environments and offering inhabitants challenging activities to reduce boredom and stress.

The evolution of zoos has also included programs dedicated to protecting endangered species, both in captivity and in the wild. Zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) participate in Species Survival Plan Programs that involve captive breeding, reintroduction programs, public education, and field conservation to ensure survival for many of the planet’s threatened and endangered species.

Conservation Breeding

AZA conservation breeding programs (also known as captive breeding programs) are designed to augment populations of endangered species and avoid extinction via regulated breeding in zoos and other approved facilities.

One of the primary challenges facing captive breeding programs is maintaining genetic diversity.1 If the population of a captive breeding program is too small, inbreeding may result, leading to health problems that can have a negative impact on the species’ survival. For this reason, breeding is carefully managed to ensure as much genetic variation as possible.

Six Species Saved From Extinction by Zoos

1. Arabian Oryx: Hunted to extinction in the wild, the Arabian Oryx was revitalized thanks to conservation efforts by the Phoenix Zoo and other organizations. As of 2017, 1,000 animals had been restored to the wild, while thousands more were living in zoo environments.
2. Przewalski’s Horse: The only truly wild species left in the world, Przewalski’s Horse is native to the grasslands of Central Asia. After being declared completely extinct in the wild, it’s made an amazing comeback.
3. California Condor: Not all that long ago, there were only 27 of these magnificent birds left. Thanks to conservation efforts from the San Diego Wild Animal Park and the Los Angeles Zoo, hundreds of California Condors have been reintroduced into the wild.
4. Bongo: The Eastern Bongo, a large antelope native to a remote region of Kenya was one of the last large mammal species to be discovered but poaching and loss of habitat nearly wiped them out. Zoos worldwide are working to establish a stable population to ensure their survival.
5. Panamanian Golden Frog: Beautiful but extremely poisonous, the entire species succumbed to the effects of a devastating fungal disease in the wild. Since 2007, existing captive populations abetted by collaborative conservation efforts by a number of zoos have staved off their extinction.
6. Golden Lion Tamarin: Close to extinction due to loss of habitat from logging and mining, as well as poaching in its native Brazil, there has been a steady effort since the 1980s to ensure this species doesn’t vanish from the face of the Earth. Currently, about one-third of wild Golden Lion Tamarins come from breeding programs.

The goal of reintroduction programs is to release animals that have been raised or rehabilitated in zoos back into their natural habitats. AZA describes these programs as ‘powerful tools used for stabilizing, re-establishing, or increasing in situ animal populations that have suffered significant declines.’

In cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the IUCN Species Survival Commission, AZA-accredited institutions have established reintroduction programs for endangered animals such as the black-footed ferret, California condor, freshwater mussel, and Oregon spotted frog.

Zoos educate millions of visitors each year about endangered species and related conservation issues. Over the past 10 years, AZA-accredited institutions have also trained more than 400,000 teachers with award-winning science curricula.

A nationwide study including more than 5,500 visitors from 12 AZA-accredited institutions found that visits to zoos and aquariums prompt individuals to reconsider their role in environmental problems and see themselves as part of the solution.

Field conservation focuses on the long-term survival of species in natural ecosystems and habitats. Zoos participate in conservation projects that support studies of populations in the wild, species recovery efforts, veterinary care for wildlife disease issues, and conservation awareness.

Today, 31 animal species classified as ‘Extinct in the Wild’ are being bred in captivity. Reintroduction efforts are underway for some of these species, including the Hawaiian crow.5 According to a 2021 study published in the journal Conservation Letters, at least 20 bird and nine mammal species have been saved from extinction through conservation breeding and reintroduction efforts since 1993.

A study recently published in the journal Science supports the establishment of specialized zoos and a network of captive breeding programs that target species facing an acute risk of extinction.7 ‘Specialization generally increases breeding success. The animals can be ‘parked’ at these zoos until they have a chance of survival in the natural environment and can then be returned to the wild,’ the study’s lead researchers told Science Daily.

Endangered species breeding programs will also help scientists better understand population dynamics critical to the management of animals in the wild.

1. The Bakas Equestrian Center staff can continue to serve a dwindling number of autistic children and teens and ignore the fact that there are many more autistic children that require social interaction and motor skill improvements outside of their surrounding environments. Both improvements have been researched and verified with autistic children that have participated in Creative Art Therapy.
2. Hillsborough County Commissioners should do their own research and bring in experts to understand and recognize that autistic children deserve equal opportunities for specialized programs just as other handicapped children. They also need to recognize the fact that a new Creative Art Therapy Program will enable autistic children and teens to have a chance at not just existing but flourishing in life.
3. Hillsborough County Equestrian Center adopt Creative Art Therapy Pilot Program that gives autistic children and teens the opportunity to be involved in the natural setting of the center by participation in related art activities. The pilot program will be instrumental in providing positive quantitative and qualitative data for the implementation of the combined equestrian and Creative Art Therapy Program.

Final Recommendation

I recommend that Horses for the Handicapped, Inc. and Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation staff adopt the new Creative Art Therapy Program. To do so, the program must be in compliance with applicable federal and state regulatory standards and expectations, as defined by

1. The Americans with Disabilities Act, Title I and Title II
2. the Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation Department, Chapter 38, Article II which defines Public Conduct in Parks and Recreational Facilities
3. the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services,
4. the Internal Revenue Service Exempt Organizations Reporting Changes Form 990
5. Title XLV, Chapter 828 of the Florida Statutes: Animals: Cruelty, Sales, and Animal Enterprise Protection, and
6. Special Programs for Exceptional Student Education.

For Hillsborough County to consider the adoption of the Creative Art Therapy Program, certain pre-requisites must also be met. These include 1) Submission of a comprehensive and to the point business plan that will define how the non-profit will accomplish their goals 2) availability of county space 3) a county department that will back the non-profit and support its mission, and 4) the detailed general benefit to the occupants of Hillsborough County (Hillsborough County Florida, n.d.). In addition, if the Creative Art Therapy Program or any new program is approved for implementation, and the new program requires a new structure, regardless of whether it is a tent or solid structure, either at the onset of a new program or during any phase of an older program, a Building Permit Application must be filled out and submitted to Hillsborough County. (Hillsborough County Florida, n.d.). For the Art Therapy Program, there are plenty of areas available on the property at Whisper Lake Trail to hold classes (West, J., personal communication, February 16, 2019).

Additional regulatory standards include oversight of Creative Art Therapists and combined therapeutic equestrian activities by The American Art Therapy Association and Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education.

By adopting a new Creative Art Therapy Program, Hillsborough County, Florida will have the opportunity to reap the benefits of increased revenue by serving more autistic children and teens and will have the opportunity to receive recognition for qualitative improvements in the lives of autistic children and teens. More importantly, the new combined equestrian and Creative Art Therapy Program will be known as the trendsetter for new and innovative experiences in the State of Florida, where combining creative art with therapeutic equestrian activities will give autistic children and teens an experience that they will carry all their lifetimes.

Survey Questions

My survey questions for the feasibility of combining Creative Art Therapy with equestrian activities were submitted to participants using the St Petersburg College Survey Builder tool. I used both dichotomous, or open-ended questions, and rating scales from 1-5. In addition, some of my surveys were emailed outside of the Survey Builder tool via my college email account.

There is a total of ten survey questions: 1) Do you or a member of your family, or someone you know have autism? 2) Are you a St Petersburg College Student? 3) If you are a St. Petersburg College Student, are you registered with Accessibility Services? 4) Do you know someone who has autism and that has participated in horseback riding activities now, or in the past? 5) Do you currently provide care or therapeutic services to children and/or teens that have autism? 6) Have you, or someone you know been introduced to, or have participated in Creative Art Therapy either academically, clinically, or leisurely? 7) On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 the most unlikely and 5 the most likely, do you believe that various creative art activities can personally improve your quality of life? 8) On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the most unlikely, and 5 being the most likely, do you believe that Creative Art Therapy has the potential to improve, to a noticeable degree, both communication and motor skills of children and teens diagnosed with autism? 9) If you have a child or teen with autism that takes part in therapeutic horseback riding activities, do you believe that a free Creative Art Therapy Program is something you would like your child to participate in, and 10) On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the most unlikely and 5 the most likely, how likely are you to donate your time, money, or materials to the addition of a Creative Art Therapy Program to enhance horseback riding activities for children and teens with autism?

Data were gathered from multiple sources. It is important to note here that there were no college email survey responses received outside of Bakas Horses for the Handicapped’s staff, parents, and guardians. All other survey responses came via the St. Petersburg College Survey Builder tool.

All known survey sources include: 1) Parents and guardians of autistic children who participated in therapeutic riding activities at the Bakas Equestrian Center 2) the non-profit entity, Horses for the Handicapped, Inc., and Hillsborough County staff at the Bakas Equestrian Center 3) Jenna at Quantum Leap Farm 4) St Petersburg College students in the Public Policy and Administration Program 5) Kelli Mitchell with Accessibility Services at St Petersburg College in Seminole 6) Sara Hofman, a former St. Petersburg College Professor who taught Abnormal Psychology 7) Kelly at RVR Horse Rescue 6) Mary Uruquart at Horses for the Handicapped in Seminole, 8) and President and founder of TherHappy Therapy Services Andrea Clark and her staff

Survey Results

Surveys responses were received via the Survey Builder tool and emailed surveys. The quantitative data from the Survey Builder tool involved 48 views with 30 participating responses for determining the feasibility study of combining Creative Art Therapy with equestrian-related activities. The survey began on February 13th and ended on February 23, 2019. Eighteen respondents completed the survey with all questions answered; nine respondents answered nine out of ten questions; two respondents answered eight out of ten questions, and one respondent answered seven out of ten questions.

What surprised me the most was the question that asked, “Do you, a member of your family, or someone you know have autism? An astounding 56.67% of those surveyed via the Survey Builder tool answered in the affirmative. That is a little over half of those surveyed. More importantly and encouraging data involve the 62% of respondents who believe that Creative Art can personally improve their quality of life, with 70.83% believe that participating in creative art has the potential to improve communication and motor skills of autistic children and teens.

However, the Survey Builder respondent answers present several major flaws with the data proving that Creative Art Therapy is feasible when combined with Animal Assisted Intervention. For example, 80% of respondents do not know someone with autism that has participated in horseback riding activities, 90% of respondents do not provide care or therapeutic services to children with Autism, and 76.67% of respondents have not been introduced to, or participated in, Creative Art Therapy either academically, clinically, or leisurely.

The good news is that my feasibility study is focused on the non-profit entity, Bakas Horses for the Handicapped, Inc. General Manager Jennifer West went above and beyond what I expected and handed out my surveys to her therapy staff, parents and guardians of therapeutic riding participants, and a park ranger. The reason for this is that she forgot about the presentation she agreed to let me give at the ranch, despite numerous reminders (see emails). The following responses showed great promise for the feasibility of providing a Creative Art Therapy Program with equestrian-related activities for autistic children and teens at Bakas Horses for the Handicapped, Inc.

I received a total of 17 returned surveys via email from General Manager Jennifer West at Bakas Horses for the Handicapped, Inc. Here are the survey respondents by title 1) General Manager 2) Senior Recreational Therapist 3) two Recreational Therapists 4) one Recreational Therapy Assistant 5) one Park Ranger 6) seven guardians of disabled riders 7) one Special Education Teacher and parent of a rider, and 8) three unidentified respondents. All 17 surveys were completed.

Out of the 17 received surveys, only question #6 received the most mixed answers. The question is: “Have you or someone you know been introduced to, or have participated in, Creative Art Therapy, either academically, clinically, or leisurely?” Seven ”yes” and ten “no” answers were provided. The survey questions with the most affirmative responses for the implementation of the new program, were questions 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9. Question #4 asks, “Do you know someone who has autism and that has participated in horseback riding activities now, or in the past?” Responses: Fourteen “yes” answers and one “no” answer. Question #5 asks, “Do you currently provide care or therapeutic services to children and/or teens that have autism?” Responses: Thirteen “yes” answers and four “no” answers. Question #7 asks, “On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 the most unlikely and 5 the most likely, do you believe that various creative art activities can personally improve your quality of life?” Responses: Sixteen #5 scaled responses and one #1 scaled response. Question #8 asks, “On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the most unlikely, and 5 being the most likely, do you believe that Creative Art Therapy has the potential to improve, to a noticeable degree, both communication and motor skills of children and teens diagnosed with autism?” Responses: Fourteen #5 scaled responses, one #3 scaled response, and one not applicable scaled response. Finally, question #9 asks, “If you have a child or teen with autism that takes part in therapeutic horseback riding activities, do you believe that a free

The competitive environmental forces for San Antonio Zoo are largely from the local leisure industry. Notable competitors include Fiesta Texas, SeaWorld, and Doseum. However, the firm is in a relatively less competitive environment due to the nature of its operations. In this regard, the unique features of the zoo give it an upper hand in the sense that the experience package offered is not comparable to any other. Additionally, the notable animals such as the Asian Elephants are such a boost to the Zoo regarding uniqueness and keeping the able competitor at bay. The competitive environmental factors still impact the Zoo, and they include; the threat of entry, the threat of substitutes, the threat of the buyers and finally the threat of rivalry (Armstrong et al., 2015).

San Antonio Zoo’s threat of entry emanates from the other existing competitors’ expansion as well as new leisure industries developing. The expansion by its competitors may result in the introduction of species that are offered in the zoo. As a result, it will make the current visitors consider changing their places of enjoying leisure activities. New entrants also have a unique sense of competition in the sense that technology and other advancements may give them an upper hand regarding entry cost and subsequent operational cost. The implication of this will be cheap rates to view the animals as well as enjoying the ambiance in the zoo. However, entry into this industry is capital intensive and time-consuming hence it’s not a major competitive concern.

Substitutes are a real threat to the Zoo. The current competitors; Fiesta Texas, SeaWorld, and Doseum, are substitutes to San Antonio Zoo. As such the Zoo has to always aim at having its visitors contented with the experience that they receive to avoid being compared with a competitor, which will eventually result in a change of destination to the competitor. The other substitutes that affect the Zoo are leisure activities such as theatre that offer leisure experiences at the cost of what could have been spent on the zoo. Such substitutes can be countered by increasing awareness of the zoo and explaining the uniqueness of the experience in comparison to other leisure activities.

The buyers of San Antonio Zoo are the residents of the area and the tourists that pay a visit. Given that all the leisure industries target them, they pose a significant competition implication. A drop in their number means that the zoo may be forced to reduce the fees charged for various activities as a marketing strategy. However, this would also result in services being reduced putting the zoo at risk as a whole. As such, it is key to keep buyers motivated am always have a reason for coming back.

Therefore, the buyers, in this case, visitors to the zoo can be kept by maintaining a relatively lower price of all the Zoo activities as well as increasing the traffic flow of tourists towards the zoo.

The last competitive environmental factor is the threat of rivalry. Competitors may gang up to reduce the earnings enjoyed by one player in the sector. This as such may cripple the operations of the firm in question. For the case of San Antonio Zoo, the rivalry may come from the competitors such as Fiesta Texas that may deliberately direct tourist traffic to their side. Additionally, offering discounts to the locals may equally be considered as a rivalry move to reduce the number of customers that San Antonio receives. Such threat can be neutralized by having laws and regulations that prevent such activities towards a player hence having a neutral playing ground.

San Antonio Zoo marketing goals and objectives are centered around its mission statement, which is to “inspire its community to love, engage with, act for and protect animals, and the places they live” (“San Antonio Zoo – About the San Antonio Zoo,” 2018). The marketing objectives are divided into two that is the short-term and the long term. Short term marketing goals and objectives are meant to be achieved in less than one year and their implications used to make other decisions as well as be renewed as a measure for the next season. The long-term goals and objectives, on the other hand, refer to the aspirations that will be met in a duration longer than one year. As such, San Antonio Zoo marketing goals and objectives aim to attain both current and future success.

The short-term goals are quite a number with all geared towards loving, engaging, acting and protecting the animals and the place they stay. Engaging is one of the key marketing goals. This is achieved through various platforms, which include the zoo’s website, social handles as well as one on one interactions. Through engagement, the zoo can sell its works to the people and eventually attract them to be active participants in supporting the animals and consequently the mission of the zoo as a whole. The other one is website traffic, which in short translates to the people who have an idea about the zoo and the animals at large. This, in essence, leads to more customers in the long run who will in turn aid in the survival of the zoo. The other short-term marketing objective is conversions in the sense that they are the actual numbers that visit the zoo (Tomczak, Reinecke, & Kuss, 2018). By answering this question, the marketing team can see if they are on the right track through an increase in people coming into the zoo or they are not through a decline. These shortterm marketing goals and objectives then inform the long-term ones. Long-term marketing goals and objectives are those that once attained, the business is considered to have hit success. Reputation is one major goal. San Antonio Zoo views this as the best milestone that it will ever achieve. Reputation is built on the day to day activities that the zoo offers. By letting the public have various events in the zoo such as learning lessons, and experience with animals, the reputation of the zoo keeps growing. Its attainment will occur when the general public associates the activities to the zoo. The other marketing objective is to name recognition in the sense that people will easily pick San Antonio Zoo as a leisure destination regardless of the circumstances (Stewart, 2016).

The short-term and long-term marketing goals and objectives are consistent with the external environment and recent trends in the customer environment. The economic growth and stability indicators show that zoo visits increased by a huge number over the last ten years and that it is with marketing objectives of growing traffic. Increase in visitors to the San Antonio website also goes a long way to impress the technological aspects of the external environment. The zoo’s reputation grows as a result of keen consideration of political, legal and regulatory aspects. The customer environment is dynamic, and the marketing goals and objectives have been tailored to take this into account. Use of the online platform is as such a massive milestone regarding consistency. Additionally, current customers prefer being engaged to get the information first hand and reinforce their experience.

San Antonio Zoo has a huge portfolio of resources at its disposal. Of importance though is the huge land and animal population that it has. They range from lions, jaguars, to giraffes. It has also employed over 432 workers directly. The workers include animal caretakers, tour guides, medical personnel as well as animals, security guards, and also office-based individuals including the finance and IT teams. Indirectly, 264 individuals rely on induced jobs. The financial resource that San Antonio Zoo supported as per the 2016 report was a whopping 85 million dollars. This was as a result of sales made by local business people. The jobs created and the overall impact of marketing that attracted over 1.5 million guests (Love, 2016). However, the direct resources at the disposal of the zoo are not sufficient due to the huge and complex needs of the animals it supports. This range from food, medication to research and other projects that go a long way in keeping the zoo up to date regarding what the market requires. The zoo, therefore, requires additional resources but still, it is adapting to other methods that will mitigate the gap created. Technology is meeting a key role concerning security, hence reducing the wage bill and freeing current and future financial resources for other projects.

Imagine a wild animal, for example an elephant. It has all the freedom in the world. Suddenly, the elephant is trapped and taken away from its family. It is put in a small crate, unable to move, starving, and alone for what seems like years. When the elephant is finally let out, all it can see are cage bars and children looking at the elephant as if it were wallpaper. There are over 2,000 zoos, just in America. The animals are not from America, and have been taken from their natural habitats. Some people think zoos are entertaining and help preserve endangered animals. However, this is how they are becoming endangered, because they are in the zoos. Zoos are inhumane because animals have to suffer to get to zoos, they are uncared for at zoos, and they are unable to live life naturally.

First of all, animals have to suffer before they even arrive at the zoo. According to Born Free USA,“many are captured from their native habitat and smuggled in or legally imported.” Traffickers take animals out of their homes and harm them, even though it is illegal. They are using the animals to get money. Born Free USA also stated, “Trafficking in rare and exotic wildlife is a global business, worth 10-20 billion (dollars) annually.” Trafficking has gotten big and it is not good for the animals. For example, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) wrote, “parrots might have their beaks and feet taped and be stuffed into plastic tubes that can be easily hidden in luggage.” The parrot could suffocate in the tubes and experience great pain. The pain for the animals starts way before they get to the zoo.

In addition to the pain while getting to the zoo, the animals are uncared for once finally reaching the zoo. PETA wrote, “precious funds that should be used to provide more humane conditions for animals are often squandered on cosmetic improvements- such as landscaping, refreshment stands, and gift shops- in order to draw visitors.” The money should be benefitting the animals, by getting nice living spaces, lots of food, and being protected from destructive visitors, since they are the ones attracting customers. PETA also reported that zoo compartments are “tiny, filthy, barren enclosures.” If the animals have awful living conditions, how will they not be in danger? While talking about zoo animals getting injured in their cells, Christian Draper, a program manager on captive wild animals at Born Free USA stated, “responsible facilities would do their best to absolutely minimize these things. However, some are irresponsible and that can lead the animal to becoming injured.” The animals are not cared for at zoos, and that greatly affects the animals.

Finally, the animals are unhappy at zoos. PETA stated, “animals are closely confined, lack privacy, and have extremely limited possibilities for mental stimulation or physical exercise.” The animals are unable to live a “normal” wild animal’s life. Instead of running loose, finding food for itself, and making its own choices, the animals has to sit still, behaved, and wait until they are given food, even if they are hungry before that time. PETA’s surveys have shown that 88% of animals at zoos become depressed, lonely, or anxious, causing their life span to be shorter. Sociologist Eric Jensen did a study and discovered that captive elephant’s lives are 17 to 39 years shorter. PETA again wrote, “some have reportedly even committed suicide by choosing to stop breathing or by slamming their heads against the walls.” The animals feel so unhappy with their lives at the zoo that they would rather die. The animals are very unhappy at zoos and are unable to live naturally.

In conclusion, zoos are cruel because animals are smuggled in the process, the animals are neglected at the zoo, and the animals are not fond of being at the zoo at all. Our local zoo, Franklin Park Zoo, made $7,000,000 in 2014, just from admission, and has been in business for 103 years. So you may ask, if they make so much money and have not been shut down, why is it so bad? Others may argue zoos present a safe way to observe wildlife. There are other safe ways, like videos on YouTube and television channels such as Animal Planet. As for an answer for zoo’s success, it may not harm us, the humans, but it does harm the animals.

Are zoos really created for what people think they do; conserve, research and education? Zoos have been around for a very long time since the 18th century, and I assume that you have either visited the zoo, heard of one, or seen one, at least once in your life. Personally, I strongly believe that the principal goal of conservating animals has changed into entertainment for humans, giving absolutely no respect for animals, therefore, we should not have zoos anymore.

First of all, enclosures for animals in zoos are only mainly built for us humans rather than the animals. We pay for donations and entry fees to see these animals and they claim to maintain, facility, maintenance costs as well as create better environments but shouldn’t the income be used to sustain and maintain the wildlife? As you can see the animals are for display and profit, in recent news shows animal cruelty, forcing them to do unnatural actions they would not do, by torturing; beating them. Some of the zoos have a program where visitors visiting can have the ‘experience’ by interacting with animals by feeding, petting, etc. Evidence according to the vittana.org animals truly feel stressed when being interacted with, zoos try to advertise this as if you are giving care, attention to these animals but the truth is, your not.

Conserving the animals to preventing them from extinction is what zoos stated, but are the animals there to conserve? No! Some animals aren’t getting extinct, and they are still forced to be in these enclosures. According to the website Petpedia, only 18 per cent of the animals in zoos are actually endangered. Why are the other 82% of animals still kept in the zoo when they could be free in their real habitat? You may think, what if people go to visit the zoo because they want to learn about animals, however, is that really how you want to learn about animals? Looking at them through a glass screen in a small enclosed area? How dare you!? Haven’t we been able to learn so much about dinosaurs even though they have been extinct for many years now, but we have still been able to proceed with research and educate others with this? Can’t we let the non-endangered animals go and learn about them from their habitats, wouldn’t you still be able to get research?

Right now you may think that isolation and being quarantined because of the coronavirus is difficult, terrible and unbearable, but how would these animals be feeling? Imagine if you are around 4-6 years old and a stranger kills all your family members and separates you from your loved ones. How would you feel? You’re brought into an environment which is unknown, has a lack of space and where visitors visit for their own entertainment. How would you feel? Some of them having to spend their whole lives in these small areas. Unfortunately, this is the case for many animals which causes them so much stress, discomfort. Inside these small areas, some animals only get social interactions with only humans. Confirmation, according to the freedomforanimals.org zoos provide 18,000 times less space than they would’ve in wildlife.

Finally, the zoos don’t provide enough space compared to the original natural habitat animals are supposed to live in. As they don’t have enough space, they aren’t able to have their necessary amount of exercise. For example, polar bears have one millionth less space compared to what they would have in the wild. The living space which they are provided with being that great either as transparent screens are placed between visitors watching them causes them to have a lack of privacy making them more stressed and overwhelmed. You may be thinking, can’t they hide behind trees, rocks, etc. No, they aren’t allowed as staff tortures them to not do that. Some animals get poked at with sharp objects or get thrown rocks to get out of those areas. Having not enough space resulting in little exercise also affects their diet. If animals are constantly trapped in these circumstances, they will not be able to survive in the wild.

Conclusion

After reading above do you really still think that we should still have zoos? Do you really think that tearing them apart from their childhood, then putting them in a small room, with little privacy, constant attention and torture are morally right? They didn’t need to have this life, us, humans created this life for them for money, not conservation, they could have been together with their family, lots of space in their habitat. In conclusion, zoos are bad for animals they are purely for humans and our privileges, would you like to be in an animals perspective? I strongly believe that zoos should be illegal as they do very minimal benefits to animals and more benefits to humans. Do you really think we still need zoos?