How many of you have been to the zoo when you were younger? According to humane conservation, 700 million people, which is about 10% of the world population, visit zoos and aquariums every year. While there are lots of people who believe that zoos are cruel and inhumane, zoos are able to provide lots of benefits yearly. Zoos allow endangered animals to be given safe space to live, they provide education about these animals, zoo interactions don’t harm animals.

The first reason why I think animals should be kept in zoos is that endangered animals could be protected. A lot of people kill animals for their personal gain. For example, poachers kill rhinos in order to sell their horns for a lot of money. As a result of this, there are only 27,000 rhinos in the wild today. Zoos can breed and protect animals that are endangered by giving them space to roam around, without the possibility of being hunted. As rhinos are currently critically endangered, they require human help to survive. According to world wildlife, very few rhinos survive outside national parks and reserves due to poaching and habitat loss over many decades. Conservation efforts have increased the population of Indian rhinos from 200 to 3,700. This shows that the presence of zoos and reserves are allowing these animal populations to stabilize or grow. 

The second reason why I think animals should be kept in zoos is that people can learn and observe animals. Zoos provide the opportunity for people to see and observe these animals in a safe setting. Without zoos, most people would never be able to see these animals up close. By going to the zoo, Students and adults could learn about new animals, and begin appreciating these animals even more. Many children who go to the zoo may also choose to spend their entire lives helping these animals. They were able to interact with them and appreciate the animals' beauty. Also, zoos could introduce endangered animals to people, and people could try to take care of the endangered species and try their best to protect them.

The last reason why I think animals should be kept in zoos is that these interactions do not harm the animals. Unlike interactive parks that force these animals to perform or act unnaturally, zoos allow people to observe these animals in a safe environment where they are able to follow the daily routine. While tight cages may give these animals stress, most zoos focus on giving these animals a home that replicates their natural environment. These zoos may also be good for these animals because they are not required to hunt for their food, and also do not need to worry about being hunted or killed.

Many people believe that zoos are a form of animal abuse, they provide lots of opportunities and can even save the lives of these animals. While tight spaces and forced performances give these animals stress and can be considered as animal abuse, zoos do not kill animals and do not take advantage of these animals skills. Unlike SeaWorlds orca whale performances, zoos allow people to observe and appreciate these animals in a natural setting. Most people who visit the zoo end up appreciating these animals more because they are able to see how these animals act and behave. Without zoos, people would not be able to understand the true beauty of these animals and would not care about protecting them and keeping them safe.

In conclusion, zoos allow endangered animals to be given safe space to live, they provide education about these animals, and zoo interactions don’t harm animals. Next time, I recommend you going to a zoo with your family or with your friends.  

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