Zoo animals are kept in a very small areas. Breeding programmes are less successful than zoos claim. Zoo animals are exposed to many diseases and dangers. Primates, big cats and birds are confined in cages where they lack
exercise. Many animals develop unnatural habits such as
pacing back and forth. Zoo keepers say that they help to conserve animals,
but in fact that does not go not very well. Even the world famous
panda-breeding programme has been unsuccessful. The zoo is an unnatural environment that exposes animals to numerous
dangers. Diseases often spread between species. Zoo
animals are often exposed to chemicals and toxic
substances. Visitors tease and provoke
caged animals.
It is not true to say that zoos are
educational or they protect endangered species. They
teach us how wild animals behave when they are confined in small
spaces. Breeding programmes provide zoos with good publicity, but most of them are failures. Zoo animals are more
at risk of dying from disease or poisoning.
It is time to abolish these institutions.