Why Do Zoos Keep Animals In Captivity?

Through centuries, zoos have evolved from menageries to modern conservation institutions. Today, when someone mentions zoos, we automatically form an image of an animal stuck in a cage: A very typical thought. Although the main idea of keeping animals in captivity remains the same in most zoos, the purpose has shifted from captivity to conservation. Before, zoos were places to view exotic animals, but today zoos serve a purpose to inform and spread awareness about species in danger. In terms of the future, zoos will remain to keep species within in-situ institutions, as zoos have been evolving to act as a modern ark. Currently zoos are doing a great job at conserving different species and reintroducing endangered species back into the wild. This conservation tactic should remain the same. Zoos
are also working on ex-situ conservation programs in which they can conserve and provide for endangered species without the invasive process of captivity. Ex-situ conservations also lack stressors that can occur in-situ conservations, allowing the species to adhere to its natural behavior (better for studying). These conservation practices should continue in to the future as they are genuinely working to help the species stabilize their populations.
Zoos are changing year by year. From reintroducing black-footed ferrets to pandas, zoos are expanding their conservation tactics to animals that can benefit from them. In the future, zoos might introduce more technological visuals that could replace certain wild animals that face stress in-situ conservations. Big social animals like elephants require large groups that are hard to maintain in zoos that are limited in terms of space. So, zoos will probably introduce more 4-d entertainment or holographic animals that could mimic the actual animals in the wild. Zoos, for the most part, are expanding to benefit endangered animals/ human beings. This will continue on in the future too, as different zoos have plans to incorporate better conservation tactics to their institutions. For example, Toronto Zoo is working on an institution that will cater better to the animals—they are also introducing behind-the-scenes programs that will show public what zoos are actually doing to help the animals that are usually kept for display.
I believe that the evolving zoos actually stand for a cause that could work to protect animals; however, I feel they should do that by being less invasive to the natural habitat.
Although many zoos are working towards ex-situ conservation through in-situ conservation, not enough emphasis is being placed on it. Zoos are knows as the modern ark, which means that this type of conservation will involve the species to be exposed to a controlled environment and climate—ultimately leading it to be less experienced during predation risks or other stressors occurring in the wild. A large problem that surrounds zoos involves climate change. Certain zoos keep animals like polar bear or penguins. These animals require a certain type of climate, making this a problem for conserving the animal in mimicry to the wild. In conclusion, I feel that zoos should work to be less controlling of the natural wild habitat of the animal. If their role is to conserve the species they should mimic their natural habitats as much as possible. In terms of the climate change, I feel that more emphasis should be placed upon ex-situ conservation or to even keep them in countries that have a similar
climate.