I don’t want to be convinced that Zoos are bad or something, I want the points that might make them bad and the general thought you have on other things like that, I asked here because I want it from a point of view from people who also see human exploitation as a bad thing yk.
All of the listed things are generating income from access to captive animals. They are inherently exploitative.
Would you pay to visit captive humans if the reason for their captivity was “they can’t survive on their own”, “it’s what’s best for them?” or “it’s for research”?
Animals sanctuaries that are doing their best and are not speciest can exist, but the animals are residents and are not displayed.
Even if zoos did as much conservation work as they claim to, it won’t do much good with all the continued habitat destruction.
I don’t zoos as a concept just in general especially nowadays.
You can either:
Go to a zoo and watch a sad animal sleep all day
Or
Watch hours and hours of high definition video the same animal doing neat things in their own habitat.
There is value in seeing and putting into context real, actual, existing animals in front of your face instead of minimal-context videos of animals of ambiguous size on videos. But that’s why you should and go see animals in the real world.
Doug Stanhope sums it up perfectly
Most of all Zoos will gladly sell you meat products right next to their closest “protected (because few)” relatives while going on about conservationship. If Elephants were common, they’d sell you that shit, too.
If Elephants were common, they’d sell you that shit, too.
I’ve got bad news about trophy hunting and hunting in general in southern Africa… So you’re right.
I’d like to take a different approach than what information I usually see people give about the inhumane treatment of captive animals. And that is why is it acceptable to have animals in captivity for the sake of our enjoyment? The animals that get put in zoos get put there because people get enjoyment out of seeing them. Its not about conservation or however zoos try to play it up as. If it was for conservation, then why is there a lion in fucking Kansas instead of their natural habitat?
And sometimes people will describe zoos as a transactional thing between us and the animals. Like “we give them food and shelter, so looking pretty is the least they can do” kinda thing. And why is that appropriate for animals but people consider it bad of you said the same thing about women, or kids, or literally anything else.
And sometimes people will describe zoos as a transactional thing between us and the animals. Like “we give them food and shelter, so looking pretty is the least they can do” kinda thing.
That’s why I mentioned the “people who view human exploitation as bad” thing, other places wouldn’t bring this up because to them it’s similar to work
And for the more common talking point, it shouldn’t be too hard to find information about how captivity is bad for animals’ health. Or how zoos churn through anti depressants for the animals. Or how most of the money generated never makes its way in to conservation programs .
And sometimes people will describe zoos as a transactional thing between us and the animals. Like “we give them food and shelter, so looking pretty is the least they can do” kinda thing.
That’s the same argument carnists use to defend every other instance of keeping animals in captivity, and it annoys me so much. Animals don’t need humans to give them food and shelter, and they definitely don’t need to “earn a living” serving humans.
