Everyone grew raised in a variety of settings and households. It implies that a changing environment has the potential to alter people. The expanding environment has an impact on the majority of living things. Also impacted by the changing environment are animals. Animals spend a long time adjusting to their habitats because of this. Most of them do not mimic the ecosystems from which they originally came. They might not satisfy some of the necessities animals must have to live healthy, happy lives if they are not sufficiently duplicated. This article compares and contrasts zoo animals and wild animals to address the question of why a nature reserve is a better option for animal care than a zoo. By determining and comparing the lives of the animals in zoos and nature reserves, the article also provides information on how zoos are bad for animals and why nature reserves are a better choice.
When kept in human care, wild creatures have composite environmental, social, and natural necessities that must be considered, yet, some zoos cannot meet these demands. Unacceptable zoos worldwide are to blame for serious welfare issues (Escobar-Ibarra et al., p. 26). These include deficiencies like a lack of space, a lack of cages tailored to particular species, and improper management. Animals in the wild and people have not coevolved. Because of this, they are unable to survive in a domestic environment. Instead, these species need a setting resembling their natural habitat, which is nearly impossible to provide.
The animals can roam freely, remain in their natural habitats, and chase their prey in the wild reserves. Apes are highly gregarious animals that habitat in tropical woods where they are continually engaged and busy in a varied and rich habitat. A caged environment cannot offer animals the freedom and variety of options they have in the wild (Azami-Conesa et al., p.35). The constraints taken together may lead to the emergence of mental health issues and behavioral issues like categorization and abnormal social conduct (Escobar-Ibarra et al., p. 26). Animals repeatedly repeat the same actions over time, exhibiting stereotypical behavior. Sadly, since wild animals are typically adept at concealing their suffering, the absence of such illnesses does not imply that creatures are in excellent psychological or physical health.
There is extensive and unnatural breeding of wild animals. Animals with preferred characteristics and colors are produced using unwholesome breeding techniques, such as inbreeding, which can harm their well-being (Azami-Conesa et al., p.35). This is especially prevalent in snakes and some reptiles because consumers are increasingly interested in purchasing genetically altered animals that are very different from their wild equivalents. Even if some wild animals born in zoos or caught in the wild may be more accepting of people, this does not imply that they have been subdued. Although wild animals may become accustomed to humans, they retain their untamed nature and suffer when kept in captivity. Additionally, some zoos have subpar living circumstances since animals occasionally die due to starvation, contract infections, and are abandoned.
However, domesticated creatures can coexist in captivity with people without discomfort, given the correct care and surroundings. Since domestic animals may live in habitats comparable to humans, they are generally simpler to care for. For instance, the temperature of a space that we feel to be comfortable frequently also suits dogs or cats. Zoos offer not just a vital shelter for threatened species but also a unique setting in which people can interact with and learn about animals. Zoos safeguard threatened species by putting them in a secure environment free from prey, famine, habitat degradation, and bandits. Zoos are better ecosystems only when the environmental necessities are met because many have breeding projects for threatened and endangered animals.
Work Cited
Azami-Conesa, Iris, María Teresa Gómez-Muñoz, and Rafael Alberto Martínez-Díaz. “A systematic review (1990–2021) of wild animals infected with zoonotic Leishmania.” Microorganisms 9.5 (2021): 1101.
Escobar-Ibarra, Isabel, et al. “Conservation, animal behavior, and human-animal relationship in zoos. Why is animal welfare so important?” Journal of Animal Behaviour and Biometeorology 9.2 (2020): 0-0.