Are zoos jails for animals?

[Feanorcurufinwe]

Are zoos just places where we lock up animals or do they serve some greater purpose?

[unblock]

1. are jails zoos for humans?

hmmmmm.

[bigwillq]

3. That's great and

so true.

[bigwillq]

2. Unless they're injured, sick or endangered animals should not be in jails

But i still like to go look at the pretty creatures.

[EstimatedProphet]

4. Not really

But I have to admit I don't care for the ones that just have animals in cages on display. I think it gives people the wrong idea about animals in general.

[Beware the Beast Man]

5. I'm no expert, but

I think most zoo aminals these days are one that were unable to survive outside captivity, such as injured or endangered animals. Then again I could be totally wrong.

[Deja Q]

6. They get better fed than some people. And unlike some people they get fed

And sheltered.

They're penned in a confined area. But so are we. At least they can be themselves. We're trapped in a cube absorbing mass quantities of radiation.

They all have a job: Be themselves. We humans can't make jobs for everybody. And those with jobs have to work through so many 'regulations' that they can't be themselves.

If they're well treated, then I'm cool with zoos.

[Don_G]

7. They Used To Be

But my zoo is pretty good. Open space, cold water for the Polar Bears in the summer and involved in several species-propagation programs including the Black-Footed Ferrets out West.

With a 2-story walk-through terrarium and a F**KIN' UNRESTRAINED 35-FOOT ANACONDA SNAKE just waiting to suck me through its gullet!!!!

I just may carry a bag of quick-mix concrete on my shoulder just to make certain He/She has an impacted stool if the Zoo can't afford to toss in a Deer or two.

[Lisa0825]

8. It depends.

The trend in the US has been towards trying to creat habitats that seem as natural as possible. In the wild, the life expectancies of most these animals is probably much shorter. I think that if they are living in a place where they have safe and comfortable dwellings, and are not being abused in anyway, zoos are ok. They also serve some good purposes, such as breeding programs for endangered species, and educating the public. I think the zoos I have been to recently (in NYC and Houston) seem to be decent homes for the animals. In some other countries, especially those countries known for not treating their own citizens well, zoos can be really horrific. I think it was after Iraq War I that I saw footage of starving animals at abandoned zoos, but even accounting for the war, the zoo itself just looked like nothing but dry, dusty cages.

Now don't get me started on circuses.... that's a whole 'nother can o'worms!

[thebaghwan]

9. I once worried about that but I took a civil service test to work at the

L.A. Zoo a long time ago and I went and talked with some of the keepers and I did some suggested reading for the test and I got #1 on the test and I got offered the job and a cool behind the scenes tour of the facilities but in the end I turned it down to go to school. Let me tell you, those aninmals are well cared for. I remember reading this cool book they suggested I read. It was something like: "The keeping of wild mammals in captivity"

[Webster Green]

10. Looks like a good place to post this again....