By Logan Elliot
The existence of zoos has raised issues of animal abuse and exploitation since their inception. The world’s first zoo is believed to have been in Hierakonopolis, ancient Egypt, circa 3500 BC. In 2009, archaeologists discovered the remains of baboons, elephants, crocodiles, wild oxen, gazelles, leopards, cats, and dogs. Along with these discoveries however, scientists found broken hands and feet in the baboon, hippo calf, antelope and wild cow remains. In addition, many scientists believed the first zoo served as an animal sacrifice. For most of history, zoos served as ‘menageries’ for the rich, based around the displacement and exploitation of animals. Noting this dark history of zoos, it is hard to imagine that zoos now serve as a so-called safe haven for animals.
The history of animal abuse continues to taint people’s perspective on zoos, despite countermeasures. For example, PETA argues that zoos’ efforts to change their narrative into one of conservation and sustainability, is disingenuous and ineffective. Furthermore, most animals kept in zoos are not endangered, and their living conditions are typically substandard and unstimulating when compared to their natural environment. A PETA study surveyed schoolchildren visiting the London Zoo from ages 7 to 15 and found that the zoo visits for the majority of students had either no positive effect or a negative effect on their knowledge of animals and ecosystems. As the Last Chance for Animals argues, many zoos tout ideas about conservation and education to maintain public support. Because there is little to no legal enforcement that the zoos focus on sustainability efforts, some zoos use the sustainability movement as way to generate visitors rather than genuine conservation efforts. Furthermore, many reintroduction programs fail because the animals are unprepared to survive in a natural environment. Because they are habituated to human contact, they often fall susceptible to poachers. A key example of this is with the orca from the film Free Willy, Keiko. A letter writing campaign in 1999 successfully demanded for his release back into the wild. However, because Keiko was so accustomed to human interaction, attempts to introduce him into a pod were futile, and he often swam to ports to seek human contact, eventually dying of pneumonia. This is motivated by the fact that the zoo industry creates massive profits. For example, the Association for Zoos and Aquariums in the United States released that their zoos have generated 24 billion dollars annually. Simultaneously, zoos require enormous levels of resources to maintain their exhibits. The Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in China, for example, holds 12.87 million gallons of water. Furthermore, many zoos use huge amounts of electricity in order to maintain heating and cooling in order to create the right habitat for their animals. In the U.K., the energy crisis has caused zoos, such as the Edinburgh Zoo, to threaten animal euthanasia due to a quadrupling of energy bills. These prerequisites contribute to the processes of climate change that directly cause habitat degradation and displacement. Considering these characteristics, it is difficult to discern the true motivations of zoo conservation efforts and the reality of these efforts. As part of capitalist economies, do zoos follow suit? Are zoos solely focused on public relations and profits or do they hold a stake in and make an effort towards the betterment of the environment?
When considering the evolution of zoos, it is important to recognize the strides certain organisations have made in changing the narrative. For example, there has been an increasing number of zoos that have become non-profit, eradicating the motivations for profit-maximization and shifting the focus onto the wellbeing of the animals. For example, the Wildlife Conservation Society is a non-profit that operates zoos and aquariums and is directly involved in conservation and sustainability efforts. Using donations and fundraising, the organization funds and directs efforts globally. For example, in an attempt to combat the issue of emissions, the Bronx Zoo has switched to sustainable energy powered carts for transporting animals and resources throughout the zoo. It is important that the largest urban zoos in America is committed to education and environmental efforts. For example, the Bronx Zoo organizes a community 5k in order to raise money for different endangered species annually. These efforts not only better the environment, but also rally communities around conservation efforts. In Philadelphia, a study showed that, on average, zoo guests used less electricity than their non-visitor counterparts, highlighting the positive role of zoos in environmental education. Similarly, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums has spent 230 million on field conservation work. Transforming the narrative from zoos as a spectacle to an opportunity to learn about the environment and then go directly to the most afflicted area, zoos such as these helps combat the negative connotations of keeping animals in exhibits. Despite critics arguing against the numerous rehabilitation claims, many zoos do make efforts to reintroduce animals into their natural environments. For example, the Columbus Zoo works with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Partnership to help heal and reintroduce local manatees. The humanitarian role zoos worldwide are stepping into is crucial in creating a sense of community and an environmentally-conscience community at that. For a city as large as New York, for example, these grassroots initiatives to garner support are vital for the wellbeing of the citizens. Community engagement is shown to have great effects on a sense of belonging and overall happiness. Furthermore, by unifying community under the umbrella of climate change and environmental advocacies, zoos serve as a powerful tool to reach the public about environmental issues as an interactive facet of the community.
As a center that brings together people from all diverse backgrounds, zoos have become a unique mecca for environmental awareness. Concurrently, it is important to recognize the context of zoos as an anthropomorphic attempt to shape and commoditize nature, typically abusing animals in the process. There are also many challenges with the existence of zoos that directly conflict with sustainability. However, as seen by some of the organizations mentioned, zoos have the potential to be a key factor in the environmental movement and the link between the public and nature. Highly controversial, the debate around zoos is complex and involves political, economic, and societal issues. Each zoo is different and must be analysed as an individual entity with its own context and pressures. However, the argument surrounding zoos highlights that these organisations have a responsibility to clearly recognize and address issues of animal wellbeing, habitat displacement, and environmental degradation. To protect our habitats and their animals, it is required to transform the perception and narrative of zoos, to use the medium of wildlife centers as powerful tools to raise awareness and aid rather than caged animals for spectators to ogle at.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own, and may not reflect the opinions of The St Andrews Economist.
Image Courtesy of Sandy Millar via Unsplash