For animal lovers, a family day out at the zoo at first seems like an easy and enjoyable way to get up close with some of our favorite animals.
But should a tiger, elephant, or monkey really be kept in an enclosure for human entertainment?
According to PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), they shouldn’t.
Keeping a tiger or lion in a cramped cage is detrimental to their physical or mental health, and it’s not always safe for humans either.
In the wild, a tiger can roam for hundreds of miles, in a zoo environment, this is simply not possible.
This forced tension can lead to boredom and a mental condition called “zoochosis.”
If you have seen an animal exhibiting stereotypical behavior such as rocking, swaying or pacing in an enclosure at a zoo, it is likely that they suffer from this condition.
According to PETA, some animals even chew their own limbs and pull their fur, leading some zoologists to administer antidepressants to animals.
Gus, a polar bear at the Central Park Zoo who was euthanized in August 2013 due to an inoperable tumor, was the first zoo animal to be prescribed Prozac.
Some animals can suffer from depression in zoos
Marine mammals such as killer whales, dolphins, and porpoises kept in marine parks such as SeaWorld are also vulnerable to experiencing serious mental health problems.
Tilikum—the late male orca subject of the documentary—allegedly killed three people in his lifetime in captivity, two of them his own trainers.
In the wild, an orc never attacks a human.
Many people believe that the constant frustration during the life of the orcs in captivity drove him to make the attacks.
While big cats have attacked people in the wild, in a zoo environment, there is perhaps more room for accidents to happen.
In March 2019, for example, a woman was attacked by a jaguar after climbing a barrier at the Arizona Zoo to take a selfie with the animal.
As the zoo itself recognized after the attack, the jaguar is a wild animal, behaving as a wild animal instinctively behaves.
How to tell the difference between a zoo and an ethical Sanctuary
Some zoos—particularly roadside zoos—use the word “trail” in the title in an attempt to mislead consumers into believing the facility is more ethical than it actually is.
Roadside zoos are particularly popular in the United States, where animals are often kept in cramped concrete cages.
They are also dangerous for customers, according to the Guardian, in 2016, at least 75 roadside zoos sold hands-on interactions with tigers, lions, primates, and bears.
“The number of roadside zoos named after the words ‘trail’ or ‘rescue’ has increased in recent years,” says PETA.
“Naturally, kind people are attracted to places that claim to rescue animals and offer them sanctuary, but many of these outfits are nothing more than breeders, dealers, and exhibitors exploiting the public’s goodwill and generosity .”
“The fundamental goal of any legitimate animal sanctuary is to provide animals with safe, comfortable living conditions that give them as natural an existence as captivity allows,” the animal rights organization continued.
“There are no legitimate animal sanctuaries to breed or sell animals.
There are no reputable exotic animal sanctuaries that allow any kind of ‘will’ interaction, and that includes taking pictures with animals or taking them on the road for public display.”
If you’re not sure whether the facility you’re planning to visit is a genuine sanctuary or a zoo, do your research.
ThoughtCo points out, “the important factor to consider is whether we are exploiting animals or saving them.
Shelters and sanctuaries save animals, while pet shops and zoos exploit them.
A recent report found hundreds of zoos accredited through the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums routinely mistreat animals—including making big cats play, elephants “play” basketball, and chimpanzees wear diapers while riding scooters.
The animal entertainment industry has made great strides in recent years; A number of countries have banned circuses that use wild animals, and a number of major tour companies have stopped promoting elephant rides, fake tiger sanctuaries, and SeaWorld due to animal rights concerns.
While many zoos are now standing strong, as more consumers become concerned about animal welfare, others are buckling under pressure.
According to the international animal protection organization In Defense of Animals (IDA), the zoo has made the list of “10 worst zoos for elephants” several times.
The Japanese aquarium Inubasaka Marine Park was forced to close as its ticket sales fell dramatically.
In its prime, the aquarium received 300,000 visitors a year, but as more people became aware of the mistreatment of its animals, this dropped to 40,000.
According to Time, scientists and consumers seem now more aware than ever about the lives of animals, and how they can feel and suffer.
The journal continues, “study after study shows that many species of animals are smarter and more emotional than previously understood, providing new insights into how they can suffer from anxiety and depression when removed from nature.”
“If we recognize that animals suffer in captivity, should they be kept in captivity?”
Some researchers believe that virtual reality may eventually replace the zoo industry.
People could enjoy getting up close and personal with wild animals, without actually having to leave their homes to go to a zoo.
“Not only will iZoo be more interesting and exciting than caged animals, it’s also a more humane way to raise money for wildlife conservation,” he said.