Point Counterpoint “ Keeping Animals in Zoos Is Unethical”

Point Counterpoint “ Keeping Animals in Zoos is Unethical”

Necessary for life. It is becoming a common Free Them to culture of every state, to make a Saving Them big and huge zoo where Strengthen Gene Keeping animals in zoos is not animals are not given proper Pool unethical. It becomes unethical treatment. Zoos are ex situ conservation Most Inhuman when the animals are deprived Prafullit B Saxena sites but these are not definitely A Zoo is no longer a learning from proper facilities and are Sahibabad, Ghaziabad the abode for the animals. It is place—it is just like any other not maintained well. Sometimes seen that most of the animals in picnic spot or a hangout. You keeping an animal in zoo Free The Animals becomes necessary to save it the zoos are highly stressed due from extinction and the animal I totally agree with the fact that thrives there comfortably. keeping animals in zoo is Shayan Ghani unethical. Unlike human beings Patna, Bihar animals take birth in the natural environment and grow up in the lap of nature observing various For Entertainment & natural phenomena thereby Earning learning the rules of survival. If they are kept in a zoo, which is to many factors like go there, have your share of fun An emphatic NO. We do not feel only a slight of copy of their unavailability of adequate and leave behind the garbage. pity for slaughtering them when natural environment, probably amount of food, lack of proper Then you come home and talk we need proteins. We are not they will not show their natural space, lack of proper big on ways and means of kind to them while we play polo behavior. A Cheetah can run at maintenance etc. Most of the prevention of cruelty to animals. or some other adventure sports. a very fast speed but we can’t exotic species are either kept The moot question is why to eep We are not ashamed of killing see it doing so in a cell of 100 alone where as in some place the animals in Zoos at all? the defenceless animals for species population pressure is You want to study about making medicines from their sqft that is fenced all around. too much in a particular cage. It wildlife? Go and learn about it body parts. And we do have Lion is the king of forest, but his cannot be denied that in their natural habitat. These every right to kill them in the king-like behavior is not zookeepers are not well trained animals will show their natural name of religion. So, what is observable in a zoo. Basically, to handle all animals in very traits only in their natural unethical if we put them in zoos in a zoo the free movement of scientific manners. It is very true surroundings. If you keep them for doing some business? We animal is restricted, that a specific demographic and in the Zoo for study purposes, should rather be grateful to consequently they lose their climatic condition of a particular please keep in mind that your zoos at least on two counts: for natural behavior that makes area cannot be an ideal habitat observations will be totally giving us entertainment and them what they are. for most animals. Moreover, distorted. helping some families earn their A zoo is mere showcase overcrowding by visitors and You talk big about liberty. livelihood. of animals, which is like nature’s their unruly behaviour like Liberty is a two-way traffic. You Partha Sarkar beauty has been captured in teasing, mimicking etc makes need to respect the liberty of R.R & R Dept, Writers’ Buildings cages, just for amusement. One others, before you talk of Kolkata can see these helpless animals frightened. Each and enjoying your own liberty. creatures. However we cannot every animal should be free to Displacing animals from their No Proper interact with them and can never live its own life in its own natural natural habitat and keeping understand their social and habitat. This will make their them captivated in the Zoo is Treatment personal life. Preserving these gene pool stronger. most inhuman. This disturbs the Yes, keeping animals in zoos is animals is necessary but why in Dr. Biswajit Kumar Acharjee K V Dimapur, Nagaland order of Nature. You are doing unethical. These animals are a zoo? Why not in a sanctuary, no service either to wildlife or captured so that they can be which is probably closest to their to humanity by displacing them used to entertain the human home. Let’s break the Spacious from their roots. society. Zoos and other boundaries of the zoos and their Enclosures How can we have laws like botanical gardens usually fences, let’s free them from ‘Prevention of Cruelty to become picnic spots. Animals cages and give these incredible Zoo is a place where the fauna Animals’ on the one hand and are captured and kept in cages. creatures the best present that is conserved, protected and captivated animals in Zoos on These animals are being denied we can give – freedom. displayed for public knowledge. the other hand? their normal lives They are often Mritunjay Mishra According to the rules set up by Gaurav Sharma kept hungry so that they can Mechanical Engineering the government, the animals X-B, Bal Bharati Public School, make noise and attract people. Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institue of and birds are to be kept in Ganga Ram Hospital Marg, New They are not given proper Technology spacious enclosures with the Delhi environment to live there own Surat conditions therein simulating 22 SCIENCE REPORTER, August 2010 Point Counterpoint their natural habitats. If the zoos Nothing Unethical! are set up according to these On the face of it, keeping conditions, keeping animals in animals in zoos may zoos is not unethical as they are sound unethical as animals protected from extinction. are deprived of their Parasar H. Lenka freedom and Dadar (East), Mumbai natural life [email protected] style. However, unpleasant as they snatch and application of conscience then, to think steal the freedom of these in confining the innocent Make Zoos realistically, creatures. For example, polar animals? How would it be, if Ethical there is nothing bears are given 30 feet of those who indulge in such unethical about walking space, whereas in the practices are kept in cages We all know that keeping it as long as animals are Arctic they could roam freely for likewise. Nature is ethically animals in zoos is unethical but provided with sufficient space hundreds of miles. It is not meant for the welfare of all very few people raise their voice and proper food. When killing justified to remove them from species and not for Humans against it. Zoos are becoming thousands of cows, pigs, their home and family. Zoos only. It also cannot be denied very popular in every part of chickens etc. to protect are just another word for today that the human race world. Many types of animals ourselves from epidemics is not animal prison. emerged from the animals are kept in zoos for displaying unethical, how can just keeping Kuldeep Singh, Etawah, U.P. through a continuous process to public. But zoos are not good of evolution. animals away from their habitat for animals. Animals in the zoo Animals in zoos are, in but with all possible facilities miss their natural habitat. Zoo: An Absurd fact, being prevented from become unethical? In fact, The only way of making naturally roaming, hunting, animal’s safety and health are Idea zoos ethical is to only keep mating and many more well assured in the zoo as most Zoo is a concrete jungle made endangered species in it for activities. Think how many of the zoos are staffed with to accommodate animals in sometime for breeding and after crimes are committed in our qualified professionals. The zoo cages where people visit these that they should be released human society when these brings animals closer to man animals to know about their into wildlife sanctuaries and activities are denied. One, and there is no better way to habitats. But isn’t it foolish to national parks. It is the therefore, can’t encroach on appreciate the charm of wild remove an animal from its necessity and need of time to other species’ rights. animals, as every one cannot natural habitat, put it in cages awake and put in efforts to Accordingly, keeping the become a wild life and then try to know about its maintain ecological balance. animals in zoos is extremely photographer and venture into habitat, its hunting and living Parth Mahajan unethical. Let them live forests. One more advantage habits. It is just like shifting an Nurpur naturally. of keeping animals in zoos Eskimo from his home to a Anil Kr De, Hooghly (W.B.) is that it helps to protect desert and then trying to know Freedom is some endangered species, about his fishing skills. Also, For their Own Important which otherwise would face the humans are not put in cages threat of extinction in their unless they commit a crime. But Good Of course, keeping animals in natural habitats. Considering the person who himself has It is wrong to think that keeping zoos is unethical. Freedom is these factors, I strongly feel done a crime by putting these animals in zoos is unethical. very important for all human there is nothing unethical in animals in the cages is roaming Sometimes for their own good, beings, then why animals are keeping animals in zoo freely outside, visiting these protection or for breeding of provided they are given due animals often. The idea of endangered species zoos and care. putting animals in cages in zoos rescue centers serve a definite Dr. P. Venkata Rami Reddy is not only unethical, but Sanjay Nagar, Bangalore purpose. One of the useless, absurd and a sheer advantages of zoo confinement wastage of money also. is that school-going kids get Unethical & Cruel Harkishan Dua immense experience and S.B.O.A. Public School, Guwahati Zoos in my perspective are understanding of the behaviour [email protected] kept in cages? They should have totally unethical and cruel. If of exotic breeds. The their own habitat so that they we look at an animal, whether authorities on their part, should can reproduce and survive it’s a cat or a dolphin, it has the Let Them Nautrally strive to provide natural easily in the zoos. Just imagine, same qualities as humans. They It is often said: “Wild animals environment to the zoo- if a man is kept in a locked house have a heart, a brain, and are beauteous in the forests, as denizens. Zoos and sanctuaries with all facilities only for a week, thoughts. If we were animals the babies are on their mothers’ can be a good source of he can’t live there because he and had no way to speak up for laps.” What for then, are they revenue for the state/centre and needs freedom. Then, why our self, how would we feel? kept in cages? Is it for displaying the earnings can be ploughed animals are kept in cages, they All day these animals are the supremacy of humans? If back for the well-being of the also need freedom. supposed to eat and sit, locked intellect is the father of zoo-inmates. Abhijeet Anand behind bars watching people supremacy, conscience should Dr Shiv Kumar Patna, Bihar watch them. Cages are be the mother. Where is the Jaipur SCIENCE REPORTER, August 2010 23 Point Counterpoint For Their Care & proper to state that keeping endangered species like tigers, animals in zoos is unethical, some rare birds and reptiles. If Comfort provided the animals are not we don’t want them to be extinct From earlier times till today, being ill treated in zoos. and want to provide them with people and other rich Niva Brahma a healthy environment, wild life fellowmen have been hunting Guwahati, Assam sanctuaries like national parks wild animals for their valuable are better than Zoos. We don’t skin, teeth and other materials. Denying the Right want to be caged like wild Extinction Taking away all the animals from animals in Zoos. Isn’t it? The the forests may be a wrong thing to Live same rule applies to wild or because its original habitat may It is true that zoos are for animals. It is highly unethical to Ethics? be lost. For example, one can conservation of biodiversity cage or confine them in Zoos, which make the animals The animal kingdom is an take the example of Bandipur where animals are thought to mentally and physically epitome of the grandeur and forests in Karnataka. In the year be safe. But it is quite unethical. disturbed making majesty of our planet. At first 2003, the number of tigers was Because zoos contain much them susceptible to several glance, keeping an animal in a only 58, but by this time smaller areas and they can’t diseases and affecting their zoo may seem unethical, even probably it would have become provide the animals the free and mating and breeding habits inhumane. However, one the least. On observing all natural lives that they have in thereby diminishing their needs to make a clear these facts how is it possible to forests. Zoos are nothing but numbers leading to extinction. distinction between reality and say that keeping animals in zoos artificial museums of animals Due to destruction of their morality. In light of the current becomes unethical? When and we claim that there we natural habitats by humans, trends of deforestation, animals are facing the danger provide them a natural recently some wild animals like consequent habitat loss and of extinction it would be right to atmosphere and thus conserve panthers preyed on humans in overall loss of biodiversity, go against the ethical values. them. But our claim is hundred Maharashtra’s border villages zoos offer a viable format of ex- When the zoos are providing so percent false and it is surely including some suburbs of situ conservation. Not only do much of care and comfort it unethical. By doing this we are Mumbai. zoos provide a safe haven for would probably be the right way denying the animals their right Ms. Nirmala P. Rao endangered species, giving of conserving the endangered to live. Instead, we should Hyderabad them a shot at renewed life and animals. develop the national parks and growth, but also serve as Prathibha Raghavan reserved forests in our country excellent platforms for Mysore, Karnataka thereby giving the animals a Maintain the Zoos interaction between naturalists fearless natural life under our Zoos are both necessary and and species. Thus, by gaining Information for guidance. unnecessary for many reasons. an insight into the various Dhritiman Kakati Zoos are necessary for nuances of an animal’s life we Humans Cotton College, Guwahati protection and conservation of can cater to its needs better and On earth, dominated by us many species. Many species are opt for a comprehensive human beings, it has become Sanctuaries Better conservationist approach. Of natural for animals to face course, on the other side of the trouble. Though animals are Than Zoos spectrum one can argue that by being protected in zoos mainly Yes, I absolutely agree with the delocalizing an animal it is for the greater interest of the above proposition. Animals stifled and is subject to sudden people, there are necessary would be healthy in their natural changes in behavioral patterns. provisions for the well being of surroundings joyfully playing Moreover, the unwarranted animals in zoos. Zoos provide and preying on their natural attention of the visitors only safety, food and space for the preys. There numbers would get already extinct, some are on the adds fuel to the fire. However, animals. Also the rare and multiplied in their natural way to becoming extinct. So, we must realize that zoos also endangered species are well surroundings such as forests. zoos can educate the public attune the general public to preserved in zoos. Breeding is They can be best kept in wild about the importance of nature, sensitizing them and also done preventing the rare life sanctuaries like National wildlife. But zoos are not being creating awareness and impetus species from being extinct. Zoos Parks. For example, Kaziranga kept properly, they are made to for conservation. Here it’s not also make people aware of the National Park and Jim Corbett starve, they do not reproduce a question of ethics rather it’s a importance of animals by National Park. because they are not living in battle between life and providing information and make To confine them to a their natural habitats. So zoos extinction of the wild. people realise that animals are limited space like Zoos would should be well maintained. Shayer Majumdar really assets of a state or be against ethics and against the Samarpita Pradhan Chandigarh country. So it would not be general well being of Keonjhar, Orissa

Now write in your thoughts on this topic for inclusion in the forthcoming issues: “Sports should be made compulsory in schools.” Be brief and be logical! Send in your photo, if you like. 24 SCIENCE REPORTER, August 2010