Morality of zoos

T

Twinnie

Member
How moral, ethical and welfare efficient are zoos. Are they just caging animals for the benefit of humans or are they integrating them into human society for a benefit on both sides?
What views do we have on this?
 
Morals, Ethics and Welfare

We should continually question the moral, ethical and welfare reasoning behind zoos. If we do not we should not be in this line of work. There are good zoos, bad zoos and those which have completely lost their sense of direction.
 
While an interesting topic, if I was a teacher I would not be impressed with you citing an Internet chat side in the Bibliography. There have been many books written on the subject, by schoolars that (as far as I know) have no connection to either side: the Pro-Zoo or Anti-Zoo side (as schoolars should remain neutral). Garry Marvin's book is a classic one springing to mind but I haven't bought many such books though. He is or was a professor at the University of Surrey close to London and I once met him at a zoo history conference in the USA.

Be careful about Internet sources. If you are in school or high school (not sure what it is called in the UK) your teacher may allow you to cite Wikipedia and other online sources but once you get higher in the school system, that may see you get a lesser grade. Forget about it if this is for an undergraduate or graduate project.

Should this not be a school project (your question makes it sound like one) then I would like to point out that the topic has been raised many times here before, in one way or another. For an interesting and relevant recent thread, see for instance:

http://www.zoochat.com/38/will-dolphins-other-marine-mammals-ever-147712/#post314637
 
Views aren't really that obvious as most people who are fans of zoos completely avoid the subject.
and yes it is an assignment as i need to know a range of different views so i thought this would be the best place to post. :D
 
i don't require factual information i only whant to know what the opinions are of people who take an interest in or are involved in this industry. This isn't directly for an assignment as it is for a debate and i need to include other peoples opinions as well as my own.
 
Which side are you on?
 
Twinnie said:
Views aren't really that obvious as most people who are fans of zoos completely avoid the subject.
and yes it is an assignment as i need to know a range of different views so i thought this would be the best place to post. :D
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Have you spoken to “most” zoo fans?
If you knew how many books I’d read on the subject, how many zoos I’ve visited (Which enables me to have a balanced view of zoos), how long I’ve spent considering the lives of animals I’ve seen living wild compared to those I’ve seen in zoos, and how I took on loads of student debt to study zoology and gain a knowledge of animals based on science (not Beatrix Potter); then you’d know how bloody offensive I find your assumption
 
Twinnie said:
How moral, ethical and welfare efficient are zoos. Are they just caging animals for the benefit of humans or are they integrating them into human society for a benefit on both sides?
What views do we have on this?
Click to expand...

They are enclosing [caging] them for the benefit of the animals - not humans.

It is difficult to imagine what "benefit" say a Gorilla or a Lion would achieve by us "integrating them into human society".

This whole thread seems to be a waste of time - Twinnie getting his/her homework done the easy way.
 
Twinnie, there are several threads here debating zoo ethics, priorities, etc. Why not join in the discussion and create your answer rather then attempting to siphon off other peoples'? You might actually learn something from your assignment
 
I look at it this way: another ill mannered person who popped in asking others to do his/her work for them and didn't even bother to say thank-you :mad:
 
1 thing which you will notice on this forum is that there are lots of strict members and there's varying ideas on the welfare of animals here.
 
Personally I think there is nothing wrong with helping students out, provided they show at least some curiosity for zoos and wildlife conservation.

But what Twinnie did was to copy a question right out of her home assignment without showing the slightest noticeable interest in what this forum is about. If you look at the question, you will see nothing from the heart, just copy-paste and job done.

It is in fact no different from taking the math homework to a family member who is an engineer or something. You will get an A but will you learn anything?
 
Zoos don't just put animals out on display to be gauked at. They are there so that they can be studied, so they can be bred to be reintroduced, so that people can be inspired to try to conserve them. Any good zoo provides the animal with enough hiding places to feel secure, so they aren't always under the microscope... and they are happy and healthy... I think what zoos and aquariums do is amazing. The people that run these facilities are heroes, and make the world a better place.
 
Im sorry if i offended people as this wasn't my intention by posting this thread, i just wanted to know other people opinions and as for the comment on saying i am using this as an easy way to do work i had no intention of using this as a shortcut to get my work done as anyone who has a done any sort of course even a little similar to the one i am taking part in would know that this site would not be accepted as a reference. I only wanted to know for my own interest on the assignment i had been given so if that is wrong of me can some 1 tell how?
 
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