Can zoos be redesigned for a more ethical generation?

[jcf190]

The animals in zoos are bored, fat, stressed and lack mental stimulation. Many of them are animals that travel hundreds of miles a day are now forced to stay in cramped enclosure to be gawked at. If a species is endangered and in need of human intervention, keep them in some sort of sanctuary where they have room to roam and breed. These "huge" enclosures zoos claim to have are not big; not to these animals. It's a cage where they get little privacy from the public.

There’s no need to keep animals that aren’t endangered. It’s inhumane, imo.

While I agree with your sentiment for the most part, there isn't an animal on this planet (other than humans) that travel "hundreds of miles" by choice. They do it out of necessity. If all their needs are being met in their little patch of earth, they wouldn't leave it.

[Martymark]

If zoos disappear, children will care less about animals, those animals will then be less protected when those kids grow up, and they will be wiped out. At least that's what I think.

[Mafic]

If zoos disappear, children will care less about animals, those animals will then be less protected when those kids grow up, and they will be wiped out. At least that's what I think.

You know children can see animals in the park and in the wild. It doesn't have to be in a zoo.

[Martymark]

You know children can see animals in the park and in the wild. It doesn't have to be in a zoo.

Pigeons and rats are not quite on the same level as endangered rhinos and tigers.

[Unholyground]

Well we will need zoos because of how the environment is going there won't be animals in the wild other than insects and rodents/birds by 2050.

[The Stormbringer]

You know children can see animals in the park and in the wild. It doesn't have to be in a zoo.

A lot of these animals don't live in or near environments that children can see, especially not safely or with anything approaching reasonable costs.

Ideally, zoos should be large, walled in enclosures that give a lot of space for the animals to roam around in and replicate their natural habitats. There would be lots of cameras, and possibly even a single path through it that closed vehicles can move through slowly to show off how they live.

Yes, the animals deserve more respect and room, but it's unrealistic to expect all these different animals from all over the world to just be roaming around in the wild for people and children to see.

[Queen of Hamsters]

Many zoos already did that though, so the "ethical generation" is seemingly a bit tardy. Conservation and education above entertainment? Already in motion.

And sorry, but certain parts of the world will never start putting the animals welfare first.

[Thunderball]

SJW generation more likely? Yeah, no. Also, a lot of people seem to miss a point why a lot of animals end up in the zoo: they simply cant be brought back to the wild, even if it's a very large fenced area (which is not much different from a zoo).

[Deleted]

local zoo here treats animals more ethically then the average pet owner. zoos are also quite important for the survival of a number of endangered species.

animal welfare is a primary concern and has been for decades, there are no small enclosures, wherever possible multiple different animal species live together in the same enclosure and they build a new domed ecosystem to replicate native habitats every decade orso.

[Super Kami Dende]

I enjoy Zoos. They allow me to see Animals up close I would otherwise never be able to.

[Checkt]

(Source)

I think eventually we will see a complete change in the way animals in captivity live, which I ultimately think is good.

I think the documentary ‘Blackfish’ did a lot to expose the treatment of orcas in captivity and SeaWorld's failure to adequately take in account the importance of cultures, communities and family. Honestly I think with sufficiently intelligent animals, they should be removed from zoos altogether and be placed in reserves.

they already have been, they're called reserves.

[Doctor Amadeus]

I think a more ethical generation might be the ones that don't require zoos to be necessary in the first place. Or at least that is my take away from the whole BlackFish Saga.

[Deleted]

The animals in zoos are bored, fat, stressed and lack mental stimulation. Many of them are animals that travel hundreds of miles a day are now forced to stay in cramped enclosure to be gawked at. If a species is endangered and in need of human intervention, keep them in some sort of sanctuary where they have room to roam and breed. These "huge" enclosures zoos claim to have are not big; not to these animals. It's a cage where they get little privacy from the public.

There’s no need to keep animals that aren’t endangered. It’s inhumane, imo.

this is true of a lot of pets too.
and lets not even start about animals in agriculture or food production.

all things considered for an animal living in captivity, you are best of in a zoo by far.

[Deleted]

Zoos already are becoming more ethical (in UK anyway)

[callipygoustp]

Zoos, like Circus', a thing of the past.