A tough topic. I remember a long time ago at Virginia Tech ethics class. Why should or why we shouldn’t have zoos. It was a rather big debate though I can’t remember the details. Both sides making great points. Is it a jail and death trap? Or is it a place of infinite food and medical care? Are they adored? But do they even know?
I hate to discuss it. A month ago, my family went to the St.Louis Zoo. We were in the city for a friend of my wife’s wedding. We thought it would be a good time to go outdoors and knowing how my son is an animal lover like myself. You love zoo’s and I love zoo’s as a child and growing up. Seeing the hundreds of different animals to gaze upon. You are keeping these animals from being free. Confined for life into a box which they can never get out. They won’t go beyond the box. Its a terrible thing.
But I look to the positives for now. Zoo’s appear to be here to stay. The research and study we can get from having these animals captive can one day the hope to save them. Its a bleak way of looking at it. But its a tough necessity. We wouldn’t be able to get such research and learn from them in the wild when its too late. A few will have to suffer for the benefit of the rest.
I look to my son now and other children who stare at these animals with wonder and amazement. There is such love in their eyes for these animals. The world’s plight for endangered species due to poaching and possible climate change might be solved by the spark lit in one of these children coming to the zoo. Pictures and video simply don’t match the aura and feeling from the animals you get seeing in person. Seeing the gorilla and how human like they are is eerie. Its us. These animals in nature are a part of us and we need to protect them.
For now, lets use it as a tool. Until the world becomes a better and more understanding place with our wildlife, we will get rid of the shackles of zoos then.
