The Problem with Zoos

Mika Yatsuhashi
English CAP 9
Blue
5/4/14


The United States Congress must make further amendments to the Animal Welfare Act,
because cruel conditions in captivity will never be adequate for wild animals, removal of animals
further damages the wild population, and zoos often lack conservation education. Conservation
education is the promotion and teachings about preserving populations of animals that exist in
the wild. Today in the U.S., almost every state has a zoo, and they are popular with families,
tourists, and schools. Zoos and aquariums, however, are harming both wild and captive
populations of animals, as well as misrepresenting them to the public.

Zoos have a long history and can be found in many different countries. The first zoo was
in ancient Egypt around 3500 B.C, where rulers used the captive animals for entertainment and
as a display of power (Rose). Zoos continued to be used for that same purpose up until the 19
th

century. It was then that zoos began the gradual transformation from a place that displayed
animals to organizations that focused more on education (Introducing the Modern Zoo). Steel
bars and cages evolved into much more natural habitats and conditions. Another important part
of zoo history in the United States is the Animal Welfare Act, which was passed in 1966 and has
had seven amendments since (Animal Welfare Act). While the act includes a section on zoos
and aquariums, that section is non-specific, and leaves many important factors in the hands of
those who manage and run the zoos. Further amendments to the Animal Welfare Act must be
made to improve the conditions in zoos across America.
Although zoos are much more humane than they were 100 years ago, the conditions in
modern zoos still inflict chronic stress on zoo animals, according to a study by Kathleen Morgan
and Chris Tromborg, two psychology professors who specialize in animals. While short term

stress, also known as acute stress, may be helpful to an animal adjusting to a new habitat,
chronic, long term stress can be seriously damaging. Physiological effects of chronic stress
include suppressed reproductive cycling, suppressed immune responses, inhibited growth rate,
and reduced body weight (Morgan and Tromborg), all factors that are routinely experienced by
captive animals. Behavioral responses to chronic stress include increased abnormal behavior,
aggression, vigilance, and self-harming, and reduced curiosity (Morgan and Tromborg).
One of the many factors that may be causing this stress is forced proximity to humans.
Morgan and Tromborg write that forced proximity or contact with humans can be deterious to
animal well-being. An example of this involuntary closeness is forced lockout, a practice that
some zoos enforce, that prevents animals from returning to their off-exhibit areas while the zoo
is opened so that paying customers are able to see them. Another possible source of stress for
animals is that they are routinely exposed to temperatures for which their species is not
adapted (Morgan and Tromborg). Since each species and age group within that species requires
a certain thermal range, that range is often difficult to find and manage (Morgan and Tromborg).
Along with temperature, light is also hard to manage and generally suits human needs and does
not reflect natural light conditions (Morgan and Tromborg). In zoos, animals are often exposed
to either constant light or dark, or 12 hours of light followed by 12 hours of dark. These
abnormal lighting schedules can disrupt sleeping patterns, causing stress (Morgan and
Tromborg). A stress factor that is often overlooked is sound. Morgan and Tromborg report that
in no case do sound pressure levels in nature approach the levels recorded at zoos. Some
examples of unnatural sounds include metal on metal, truck noises, fireworks, air pumps, heaters,
floor washing and lawn mowing. These sounds have negative effects on both animals and off-
spring in utero (Morgan and Tromborg). The unnatural social groups animals are kept in also

contribute to stress and can result in increased aggression. Morgan and Tromborg say that in
captive situations, animals are maintained in social groupings that would not generally occur in
nature, and these groupings are often routinely mixed for veterinary checks among other things.
The small amount of consideration given to social grouping is a grave problem as these
groupings may be critical factors in the well-being of social species maintained in captivity
(Morgan and Tromborg). The effects of captivity can seriously harm, endanger, and even kill an
animal. In a Boston zoo, a gorilla named Joe escaped from his enclosure and left zoo grounds
multiple times because of the unnatural social conditions he was kept in. Since the group he was
placed in had a dominant male, his natural reaction was to emigrate away (Morgan and
Tromborg). At the National Zoo in Washington DC a species of antelope called a lesser kudu
was spooked and ran into a wall, fatally breaking her neck (Handwerk). Since kudu are herd
animals, a lack of a security blanket in the form of other companions may have made the
animal more skittish (Handwerk). Abnormal conditions in captivity cause stress and are cruel
and unreasonable for animals.
Zoos also may be harmful to the wild population of animals. The genetic separation of
animals may produce some forms with physical and physiological differences (Hardy). With no
genetic differences, populations in zoos and in the wild will fail. Endangered species in zoos
may have been subject to severe genetic bottlenecks, and are clearly self-selecting for those
animals that can tolerate captivity (ORegan and Kitchener). Small populations of animals in
the wild are also subject to these same sorts of genetic bottlenecks (ORegan and Kitchener).
When animals are bred in zoos, only a select number that can adapt to captivity are able to
survive and reproduce, leading to only a few variations in behavioral, physical, and physiological
traits (ORegan and Kitchener). Many species of animals struggle to breed in unnatural

conditions of captivity (ORegan and Kitchener). The removal of endangered animals from their
wild populations also further depletes the population, which can put that species closer to
extinction. Overall, taking animals away harms their wild and captive population because of the
lack of genetic differences that occurs in both of the populations.
The lack of conservation education in zoos is a major concern. The invisible barriers at
zoos allow visitors to get close to animals, which may give them the impression that animals are
less dangerous than they actually are (Hardy). In order to prevent this impression, zoos must
emphasize the animals natural characteristics. In a recent study by Professors Nicole Mazur, a
social sciences expert, and Tom Clark, an environmental expert, it was found that zoos are doing
the opposite. Mazur and Clark discovered that many zoos have public relations campaigns that
feature humanized caricatures of animals [that] may discourage visitors from developing
realistic perceptions of human-animal relationships. One example of this personification is
giving animals human names, which gives them human characteristics and traits that they dont
possess (Hardy). This may in fact be sending out the message that at least some wild animals
might make good pets (Hardy). In a recent study of zoo mission statements, it was discovered
that they do not convey how zoos will develop lifelong knowledge of conservation or affect the
awareness, attitudes, and behaviors of people towards natural resources (Patrick et al). Mazur
and Clark found that the informal learning that is taking place in zoos does little in improving
knowledge of actual facts, or convincing people to take part in conservation. They also
discovered that while zoos may want to promote conservation, it often gets cut due to financial
limitations. Lack of conservation education in zoos gives people a distorted view on an entire
species, not just captive animals in zoos.

There are many steps that need to be taken to improve zoos and the conditions of captive
animals. One suggestion is to reform the management systems, as an appropriate management
structure is vital to the effectiveness of zoos and their conservation programs (Mazur and Clark).
With management reform, conservation efforts, and education, animal needs could be
appropriately balanced with economic limitations. Mazur and Clark have found that overall,
zoos have failed to link policy sciences principles with conservation practices. The suggestion
that would be most effective in improving conditions in captivity is amending the Animal
Welfare Act. Amendments to improve conditions in zoos could be made. More specific lighting
and temperature requirements must be added, so the animal would experience the lighting and
temperatures that it would be exposed to in the wild. Since sound is completely ignored in the
act, a section on limiting and monitoring unnatural sounds would be added. A section on
managing an animals social interactions and groupings could be introduced. The proximity of
animals to humans could also be monitored and be much more controlled, and forced lockout
could be banned. How zoos educate their visitors and how they portray their animals could be
enforced and monitored to provide more conservation education and a better understanding of a
species. More limitations could be added to prevent damage in the wild by controlling when a
zoo can take an animal from its wild population. All of these amendments would have to be fine-
tuned to each zoo, each species, and each individual animal. While this would be challenging, it
is a challenge that must be overcome.
If conditions in zoos are not improved soon, there will be serious repercussions for both
captive animals and endangered species as a whole. Zoos that want to preserve endangered
species may be doing just the opposite. One effect of captivity is the complete disappearance of
natural behaviors in animals, as captivity can also erode an animals ability to function in the

wild (ORegan and Kitchener). Since animals have little to no control over their captive
environments, undesirable passivity may develop, which harms long-term conservation goals,
and may also promote helplessness and the loss of adaptive coping societies (Morgan and
Tromborg). As previously mentioned, many captive environments are also inhumane and cruel
towards animals. Captivity harms animals both physiologically and physically, causing stress
that can cause extensive damage to an animals character (Morgan and Tromborg). The lack of
conservation education in zoos seems to promote a future where animals belong in zoos, and the
promotion of humanized animals to the public decreases their animal characteristics and may
increase the desire for exotic animals as pets (Hardy).
Because of the cruel conditions in captivity, the harm done to wild populations of animals
and a lack of conservation education, the US Congress must make further amendments to the
Animal Welfare Act. Even though zoos have already improved due to the Act, there is a long
way to go before zoo conditions are adequate. Animals in zoos are subject to unnatural lighting,
sounds, temperatures, forced proximity to humans, and much more. The wild population of
animals is further damaged through loss of population and genetic variation. Education in zoos
does little to improve knowledge of preservation of animals in the wild and humanizes them. If
these amendments are not made, inadequate conditions for animals will continue, people will be
wrongfully educated about animals, and there may be a complete disappearance in natural
behavior for endangered species in captivity.


Works Cited
"Animal Welfare Act." Animal Welfare Information Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2014.
<https://awic.nal.usda.gov/
Handwerk, Brian. "National Zoo Deaths." National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 May 2014.
<http://news.nationalgeographic.com/
Hardy, Donna. "The Use of Domestic Animals in Zoo Education." California State University.
N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. <http://www.csun.edu
"Introducing the Modern Zoo." ZSL. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2014. <http://www.zsl.org/
Mazur, Nicole A., and Tim W. Clark. Zoos and Conservation: Policy Making and
Organizational Problems. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Harvard University. Web. 12 Mar. 2014.
<http://isites.harvard.edu
Morgan, Kathleen N., and Chris T. Tromborg. Sources of Stress in Captivity. N.p.: n.p., n.d.
Reed College. Web. 18 Mar. 2014. <http://www.reed.edu/
O'Regan, Hannah J., and Andrew C. Kitchener. The Effects of Captivity on the Morphology of
Captive, Domesticated, and Feral Animals. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Auburn University. Web. 23
Feb. 2014. <http://www.auburn.edu
Patrick, Patricia G., et al. "Conservation and Education: Prominent Themes in Zoo Mission
Statements." Journal of Environmental Education: n. pag. The University of North
Carolina. Web. 23 Mar. 2014. <http://libres.uncg.edu\
Rose, Mark. "World's First Zoo - Hierakonpolis, Egypt." Archaeology Archive. N.p., n.d. Web.
25 Mar. 2014. <http://archive.archaeology.org




Annotated Bibliography
"Animal Welfare Act." Animal Welfare Information Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2014.
<https://awic.nal.usda.gov>. This website provides a copy of the Animal Welfare Act. It
also gives some critical information about it, such as when it was passed and when it was
amended. This source was vital for understanding and evaluating the Animal Welfare
Act
Handwerk, Brian. "National Zoo Deaths." National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 May 2014.
<http://news.nationalgeographic.com>. This article provided information about the recent
deaths of animals in the National Zoo. It provided real life examples to back up the
research shown.
Hardy, Donna. "The Use of Domestic Animals in Zoo Education." California State University.
N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. <http://www.csun.edu >. This website provides an
overview of zoos and education. It points out some of the flaws that are present in zoo
education. This article was critical in writing about conservation education in zoos
"Introducing the Modern Zoo." ZSL. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2014. <http://www.zsl.org >. This
article provided information on the modern zoo and how it operates. It was used in the
history paragraph of the research paper to show how much zoos have changed since they
were first invented
Mazur, Nicole A., and Tim W. Clark. Zoos and Conservation: Policy Making and
Organizational Problems. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Harvard University. Web. 12 Mar. 2014.
<http://isites.harvard.edu >. This report provides information on conservation education
and how zoo management could be improved. It was used both in the effects paragraph
and the solutions paragraph

Morgan, Kathleen N., and Chris T. Tromborg. Sources of Stress in Captivity. N.p.: n.p., n.d.
Reed College. Web. 18 Mar. 2014. <http://www.reed.edu >. This very thorough report
provides huge amounts of well cited details on the conditions animals experience in
captivity. It makes up much of one of the arguments.
O'Regan, Hannah J., and Andrew C. Kitchener. The Effects of Captivity on the Morphology of
Captive, Domesticated, and Feral Animals. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Auburn University. Web. 23
Feb. 2014. <http://www.auburn.edu>. This source provides some information on the
effects of captivity on wild animals. It was used in explaining the effects of captivity for
one of the main arguments
Patrick, Patricia G., et al. "Conservation and Education: Prominent Themes in Zoo Mission
Statements." Journal of Environmental Education: n. pag. The University of North
Carolina. Web. 23 Mar. 2014. <http://libres.uncg.edu/ >. This source was vital in
exploring conservation education and zoo mission statements. It was used in the
conservation education paragraphs to examine the effectiveness of zoo education.
Rose, Mark. "World's First Zoo - Hierakonpolis, Egypt." Archaeology Archive. N.p., n.d. Web.
25 Mar. 2014. <http://archive.archaeology.org >. This source talks about the world's first
zoo. It was used in the history paragraph to examine zoos over the years they've been in
existence.