Green Living
toadstool
member
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
What do you think about the zoo?
in Green Living
I am completely against the circus. I just think it is cruelty to animals. But what do you think about the zoo? I think that animals should be left in their natural environment. But, I hear people talk about endangered animals and how zoos keep the species going. While I don't know a lot about the subject, it seems like zoos may be the lesser evil in some cases. What is your take on zoos? Do you support your local zoo?
Re: What do you think about the zoo?
It depends on the zoo. Do they have a release program? Do they help expand slowly disappearing species? Do they properly educate zoo-goers? If so, I fully support! I LOVE the San Diego Zoo. They have all the cuuuute baby Pandas where you can view and learn about why it's important that Pandas survive and thrive. They also have a release program where are some of their animals are sent to other countries to be re-released in their natural habitats. On top of that they are also helping to revive some close-to-extinction plants. Some people don't realize that the SD Zoo is a botanical gardens, too. A LOT of tourists from Asia actually come to see the plant collection, not the animals. So that's really cool, too.
But some of those little zoos in random towns that only have one or two of each animal and don't breed (or don't do it properly) kind of make me sad. I couldn't imagine living with only one other human my whole life... I'd go crazy! And animals are a lot like us in this sense often times.
I think understanding the difference between an AZA accredited zoo and not is critical to knowing the difference between the two types of zoos described in this post.
AZA accredited zoos keep close track of every. single. animal. within their systems and their entire family history must be known before it is even considered for breeding simply because the animals are conservation species. Animals that might breed have a huge stud book on them--and they are matched very carefully. Sometimes animals move zoos simply because their lives will be better at one zoo vs. another. The amount of planning that goes into that--is enormous.
I can think of so many AZA accredited zoos that have release programs for many types of endangered animals--or help do research in the field--I really wouldn't be surprised if that was a requirement for credentialing.
I feel sorry for a lot of animals in zoos--for example, elephants. Elephants are one of the few animals that will live a shorter lifespan in captivity than in the wild--simply because humans cannot care for them as well as they care for themselves in the wild. They need an incredible amount of space to walk, and walking actually helps keep them alive and healthy...but what IS awesome, is the amount of care and research a lot of zoos and keepers are doing to make captive elephant's lives better...better, more natural conditions...that encourage as much walking for them, better vet care etc.
I don't think that just because a town is small or has a small collection, the zoo is bad--Tucson has the Sonoran Desert Museum--it is AZA accredited. It's a small town--and it's a world-renowned zoo/botanical garden. They have a small collection of animals--but their staff blows many out of the water in terms of knowledge. Tucson also has a pretty good, but small regular zoo.
Of course there are roadside zoos that are not good...but I feel like they are probably outnumbered by zoos that are good and are doing good things.
I would never hesitate to take my family or friends to a zoo..or an aquarium (as long as dolphins or whales aren't performing)...I think it's just super important to realize the animals aren't in their natural environment..everything is set up to mimic that--but it's not..so everything they do is altered in some way..no matter HOW good the zoo is. you will see some behavior changes..
In addition to all the stuff that's already posted, i think zoos and aquariums
(when maintained properly) can instill an environmental ethic on impressionable minds.
4/25/12 ~ Our angel, Persephone James, is here!
Our local zoo houses only injured animals. Every single animal there has been rescued because it wouldn't have been able to survive in the wild. Animals that can be rehabilitated, are, and are then released back into the wild. I have no problem going there.
As for other zoos, I don't love them, but I don't think I feel strongly enough to boycot them. If my son wanted to see an elephant or giraffe or something (which aren't in our local zoo as the animals there were all found somewhat locally) then I would take him.
ETA, after reading above posts: that's interesting, about accredited zoos... I didn't know that. Thanks for sharing that info