First off, let me say that I am definitely against wild animals in captivity. I am talking about wild animals (taken from the wild or bred by humans) in captivity for our "benefit." I don’t like the concept of zoos. I hate the idea of animals held in confined, unnatural habitats for people to walk by, watch the animal for a whole ten seconds, maybe snap a picture and keep walking. That concept is so incredibly barbaric and bizarre to me. We marvel at the beautiful creatures behind the glass, but then we have to step back and realize what’s going on.
Don't get me wrong – zoos also have the potential to protect wildlife and ecosystems. Sometimes, zoos are a species' last hope when they are so critically endangered in the wild. There are few zoos that actually do make real efforts for education and conservation. But most of the time, zoos depend on people assuming that they are doing work for wildlife conservation based on some vague suggestions on pamphlets or flyers about conservation efforts when in fact, they don't at all.
I just got back from a summer program where I had the amazing opportunity to spend a weekend at the Smithsonian Biology Conservation Institute in Front Royal, Virginia. SCBI is an incredible facility of over 3,000 acres which house some of the most critically endangered species on earth. SCBI also serves as a really important educational tool where students are able to come and learn the critical tools needed to save Earth’s endangered biodiversity, but it is not open to the public. SCBI also works as a breeding facility for many critically endangered species, and it does a lot of really great work for endangered species in many different ways.
Places like SeaWorld, Ringling Brothers and other circuses along with lots of other zoos across the country are perfect examples of the opposite end of the spectrum: menageries. Menageries are collections of wild animals held in captivity for the sole reason of exhibition or entertainment. Reaching the point of exploiting nature’s beauty in this fashion is disgusting to me. Take Tilikum, the orca from SeaWorld who killed his trainer, as the perfect example of when these menageries backfire. Tilikum had a history of being kept in unacceptable conditions – essentially, in a bathtub – for twenty years and he acted out of desperation and insanity. Another perfect example is Tyke, the elephant who escaped from the circus in Honolulu in 1994 and ended up being shot down in the streets.
Circuses make me sick. They abuse animals, put them in unnatural conditions and exploit the animals’ natural beauty and behavior for the sole purpose of entertainment and money. The worst part is most of society still considers these barbaric shows as entertainment. Children are raised to believe that going to circuses and SeaWorld is an entertaining and cheery experience. They’re not. That’s the root of the problem. Menageries are not okay, and the fact that we are raising generations to believe that they are wholesome and fun is the root of the problem. Yes, Ringling Brothers phased out the elephants in their shows – that really is great! It’s certainly a step in the right direction, but we still have a hell of a lot of work to do.
(Warning: This video is pretty heartbreaking, and contains some brief foul language.)
Zoos date back to European colonial expansion, but animal "sport" and cruelty date back even further. The first bullfight took place in 1133 to honor the coronation of King Alfonso VIII and, of course, everyone recognizes the "iconic" image of the gladiator fighting a lion in a huge arena. Animal "sport" and "entertainment" has been around a long time. It's cruel and obsolete and archaic, and it’s time to phase it out.
Bottom line, there is a really broad spectrum when it comes to wild animals in captivity in today’s society. We need more educational and conservation efforts like the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, and less circuses and "entertainment" zoos, which, despite what they claim, do not make any contribution to conservation or an animal’s well-being. When it comes to captive wild animals, there is a very blunt line that we crossed a long time ago. Here’s a thought: maybe, just maybe, instead of supporting these menageries, we should be supporting real conservation efforts. Who knows? Maybe we’ll be the generation to end this barbarous and archaic cycle of animal exploitation.
To support or learn more about organizations who are truly making a difference for wildlife conservation, (just to name a few) check out the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, World Wildlife Fund, Sierra Club and The Nature Conservancy.
