‘’Zoos should be banned.’’ Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
In 1765, the first known zoo, The Vienna Zoo in Austria, was officially opened to the public. By
1830, similar zoological parks had been founded in Paris, Madrid, London and Russia. Today, in the
modern era, the number of major zoological gardens open to the public around the world is
greater than 1,000, with around 80 percent of them located in cities. Various animal rights
organizations question the role and usefulness of modern zoos, often calling for them to be
banned. However, I believe that modern zoos should not be prohibited because they not only play
an important role in the conservation of endangered species, but they also help to educate people
about nature and the environment and serve as places of important research into animals,
endangered species and their habitats.
Firstly, zoos play a key role in the conservation of endangered species. Both natural and human
factors may lead to a situation where an animal’s natural habitat is greatly under threat. In this
situation, human intervention is necessary in order to preserve a species which would otherwise
face certain extinction. For example, the Giant Panda faces a very high risk of extinction in the
near future and is therefore dependent on conservation. There are certainly problems with trying
to conserve endangered species in this way but it is right that we should at least try to conserve
them.
In addition, modern zoos are now essentially places of education. The majority of licensed zoos
place considerable emphasis on education, which is the reason why so many schools take children
to zoos. Here, people can gain a rewarding and first-hand learning experience about nature, the
environment, endangered species, and conservation. Instead of promoting the bad treatment of
animals, zoos provide a direct experience of other species that will increase ecological awareness.
Finally, zoos hold wild animals in captivity for important research and breeding purposes. Zoos
have research programs that help expand our knowledge about animals, especially the
endangered species. Animals can be studied more closely, more rigorously, and over a more
sustained period of time in captivity. The information gained by these programs can then help
protect, and treat the species in the wild. Many zoos also have breeding programs for all kinds of
species which allows us to learn even more about the species during the breeding, and rearing
process. All this knowledge and information is shared with visitors, organizations, and other
programs.
To conclude, I firmly maintain that modern zoos should be allowed to continue operating and
welcoming members of the general public through their gates. Most modern zoos display wild
animals in order to conserve endangered species, provide the general public with a valuable
educational experience and carry out important research into a variety of different animals and
their diverse habitats. Perhaps national governments should even consider how the conservation
and educational roles of their zoos can be further strengthened in the near future.