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Madeline Bungert

Campbell

UWRT 1104

April 1, 2019

Zoos: ​Sanctuaries or Insane​ Asylums​?

The documentary, ​Blackfish,​ chronicles the life of orca whale Tilikum. At the age of

two, Tilikum was captured in Iceland and shipped to Canada, ​where he was trained to ​jump, spin,

and dive as a part of the killer whale show. ​He was then moved to SeaWorld in Orlando,

Florida. ​The movie also explains the psychological and even physical toll that captivity takes on

all orcas. ​Tilikum ​has been responsible for the deaths of three people over a span of 18 years.

But the once wild animal isn’t entirely responsible. ​ ​Tilikum’s abrupt and aggressive actions

were the result of years of frustration and poor living conditions. ​A giant, 21-foot long whale,

the average male orca size, can swim up to 140 miles a day (“Physical Characteristics”). A

distance that a glass tank cannot match. A quirky article from ​SeaWorld of Hate l​ ists off seven

things that are larger than a killer whales tank at SeaWorld, probably the most ironic one being

the size of the SeaWorld parking lot. ​ In the wild killer whales obtain freshwater from fish and

squids. At SeaWorld the fish the whales dine on is dead. A dead fish has significantly less water

content than a live one. The whales can experience dehydration, potentially resulting in an upset

and belligerent whale (Food). Whales also present aggression to each other, often resulting in

injury. This can be seen by the deep wounds that result from teeth to skin contact between

whales. One of Tilikum’s offspring, Nakai, performed in countless shows with a large gash in his

chin. SeaWorld put out a statement concluding that the wound was the result of swimming into
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an enclosure gate. Trainers and scientists disagree. In a collection of photos teeth marks can be

seen surrounding the wound. Witnesses such as the trainers claim that it was aggression between

whales. An action not so uncommon for these captive giants. ​The critically acclaimed

documentary sparked the boycott of Sea World and similar organizations, ​putting an end to

whale shows and exhibitions. ​Although the deaths of those three people are tragic, there’s more

to be seen from this situation. As a result of these conditions, animals experience stress, anxiety,

and bursts of aggression.

The oldest known zoological collection was discovered during an excavation in Egypt.

This ​collection of wild animals, also called a ​menagerie dated back to 3500 BCE. The ​ancient

collection included ancestors of modern-day elephants, big cats, baboons, and hippopotamuses.

Throughout history, menageries were used to flaunt wealth and power. Figures like Alexander

the Great and King Solomon historically owned vast collections of animals. One of the most

well-known menageries was that of the Roman Empire. Wild animals were kept in the Coliseum

for study and more commonly to battle “gladiators” in gory forms of entertainment. These

influences prompted today’s popularity of animal parks such as zoos and aquariums (“Zoo”).

The captivity of wild animals often ​results in ​a diagnosis of “zoochosis.” According to

wildlife zoologists in New Zealand, zoochosis is ​the term used to describe the ​“repetitive,

invariant behavior pattern with no obvious goal or function,” ​of animals. ​ For example, an ape

tracing the panels of the viewing glass with their fingers, or even lions roaming aimlessly in their

enclosure (“Zoochotic Behavior”). These animals are truly bored out of their minds. In response

to zoochosis, many parks have ​created ​programs designed to minimize the ​development​ of

zoochosis. Enrichment activities such as puzzles and toys have been added to ​the habitats​. ​As
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well as developing ​much more complex enclosures. ​These actions​ have been found to reduce

zoochosis behaviors 53% of the time (Shepherdson).

It is common for zoos to disrupt families, packs, or herds for breeding purposes. ​ ​This

method of mating​ serves as another stressor for captive animals. Elephants and gorillas are

examples of species that exist in groups. Breeding programs encourage the separation of

families for the sake of keeping the animal collection “fresh and exciting.” Oftentimes, an

animal won’t fit in with the already established group and will fail to breed. The rejected animal

can be attacked and even lose a dramatic amount of weight. ​In addition to this, animals have to

go through the stress if transport to these other zoos. An animal is not fit to be put in a cage and

transported by boat or plane. Travel often adds more stress to the already distraught animals. A

lot of times mating after a stressful journey can be difficult. In some cases the mating never

happens, and in others it takes a lot of time and adjustment to new living conditions. ​Animals

can feel both the physical and emotional pain of captivity, just like a human would (Smith).

Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, a Harvard-educated author, writes about animal emotions

based on psychoanalysis and Freud’s observations. In his book, ​When Elephants Weep: The

​ asson explains his discoveries about just how similar human

Emotional Lives of Animals, M

emotions are to animal emotions. His biggest point is that animal emotions are not

communicated in the same way that human ones are. This leads to the ​mistaken ​notion that

animals can’t feel. ​This is​ not the case. Masson ​writes, ​“the standards for defining the existence

of emotions in animals begins with those in common use for humans. One should demand no

more proof that an animal feels emotion than would be demanded of a human-- and, like

humans, the animal should be permitted to speak its own emotional language, which it is up to
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the beholder to understand.” Masson uses the word “should” because this is his professional

conclusion. Humans overlook other species and see them as inferior. This common belief

justifies the captivity, in a sense. However, as many studies have shown, animals have a similar

brain structure and ​function emotionally in similar ways.

In a study on animal behavior in 2003, the researchers, Ros Clubb and Georgia Mason,

conclude that “​t​he keeping of naturally wide-ranging carnivores should be either fundamentally

improved or phased out.” ​With this study​, it is important to note that these conclusions are

outdated.​ ​A key point in the previous quote was the term “wide-ranging.” With the

environmental changes and population growth of humans, natural habitats are diminishing. Ice

caps are melting, rainforests are being cut down, and ​the animals’​ food is running scarce. In

short, the findings of these studies would ​further supported​, had the study been conducted more

recently. According to Clubb and Mason, preventing the natural behavior patterns present in the

wild can cause stress and frustration. To further the idea of psychological issues, the authors

provide a scientific explanation ​for the origin of​ these behaviors. Captivity can, “impair the

development of brain regions that are involved in behavioural sequencing, thereby reducing the

animal's ability to behave flexibly and appropriately.” ​In other words, captivity can disrupt the

brain’s development. The region controlling behaviors are not developed fully and the animal’s

brain cannot adjust as well. ​The mean frequency of stereotypic pacing was calculated ​to

determine the likelihood of an animal pacing​. This calculation gave reason to consider if the

variation observed in the species was possibly due to the “differential impact of captivity​,​” ​or a

number that would be different because of the various types of habitats and treatment. ​ A

massive 97% of caged carnivores expressed stereotypic behaviors related to being in captivity.
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From the results obtained, the authors were able to conclude for the first time that, “a particular

lifestyle in the wild confers vulnerability to welfare problems in captivity.” As well as the fact

that wide-ranging carnivores are, in almost all cases, likely to fare poorly in captivity.

Since their creation, zoos have always served the purpose of entertaining humans. Zoos

provide humans with a glance into the wild ​and ​self proclaim that they provide global

experiences and uphold biodiversity. It is true that zoos do have programs that are positive.

They argue that they promote wildlife appreciation that benefits animal conservation. The

defense that zoos offer educational benefits is valid and accurate. However, zoos also give off

the notion that humans are superior to animals. ​Which should not be the case. ​Zoos also claim to

increase the life expectancy of animals. This statement is often in ​response ​to the fact that

animal enclosures are smaller than habitats in the wild (Smith).

Dr. Dave Hone, a paleontologist ​at the University of Bristol​, writes about the importance

of the aspect of research that zoos make possible. It is very true that zoos and zoo veterinarians

work to understand and educate about animals. Everything known about an animal is based on

research. Dr. Hone strongly believes that the research involved with zoo programs is a large

​ r. Hone states,
enough pro to defend the captivity of animals. In a blog post on ​The Guardian, D

“​with the ongoing global threats to the environment it’s hard for me to see zoos as anything other

than being essential to the long-term survival of numerous species.” Hone is accurate in saying

that global threats harm the survival of many species ​and that captivity can also be a means of

conservation​. But this wasn’t always the case. Animals thrive in their environments thanks to

years of evolution and adaptation to their environments. Humans have created the so-called

“global threats.” ​Threats like global warming and deforestation. ​What good does having the
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research to help save populations, if humans won’t be fixing the issue? The distinction is that

humans have to take action to save the species. A species cannot exist entirely in zoos​,

according to Stephen R. Kellert, a professor at Yale University.​ Nature did not intend for a polar

bear to swim in 90-degree heat in Florida​, like the ones at SeaWorld in Orlando​. The habitats of

some of these animals can only occur in nature, and the artificial alternatives humans ​create​ will

not suffice. ​ There are many examples of animal populations being low and conservation

attempts failing to work. According to the ​International Zoo Yearbook,​ a book published

annually expressing statistics regarding animals, in 2015, 677 polar bears were born. The polar

bear population has been facing a deficit every year since with 1,373 polar bears dying in 2015.

This is more than double the amount born. Small birth rates are failing to renew the population

and polar bears are on a fast track to extinction. There are many efforts being made to try to save

the polar bear populations, but a lot of times habitats don’t suffice for what the bears have in

nature.

Almost all zoos have conservation programs for animals facing extinction. Although I do

not support captivity of animals, I do believe this programs are necessary. The world we live in

today is not the same as it once was. Animals’ habitats are being destroyed at a higher rate than

ever before. According to Samantha Ward, a Zoo Animal Biology lecturer at Nottingham Trent

University, “flagship species ​help to raise the profile and funds for in-situ conservation efforts

for the not so well known species.” Ward is saying that the more known species that bring in a

crowd, such as pandas or tigers, help to fund conservation efforts. Without the help of zoo

profits, species wouldn’t be able to survive without conservation.

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I believe that a zoo should be able to make profit off showcasing animals to fund

conservation. But I think rehabilitation is the only case this should be done for. My suggestion

is that injured or endangered animals should be brought to a conservation center. In this

conservation center animals can be cared for in the case of the sick ones and new populations can

be created in the case of the endangered. But with all this the animals shouldn’t have to spend

their whole lives in a cage or behind glass. The goal should be to rehabilitate the animals back

into the wild, making these animals only temporarily “zoo animals.” If the animals face too

many visitors they can start to become stressed, as if they had been in captivity their whole lives.

Animals are constantly in close contact with visitors at zoos. In some instances inside the

enclosure, like driving through the savannah as part of the Kilimanjaro Safari at Animal

Kingdom in Disney World, or having direct contact with the animals, like the giraffe feedings at

the North Carolina Zoo. No matter if the encounter is close or not animals experience stress in

the presence of visitors. People are unfamiliar to the animals and bring along smells and sounds

foreign to them. Humans also have different mannerisms and movements than animals.

According to Xavier Manteca and Marina Salas, veterinarians from the University of

Barcelona, these factors can “elicit a stress response in the animals and may negatively affect

their welfare.” The stress response is driven by the activation of the

“hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis.” The HPA basically releases an enzyme that codes

for self-protection when affected by a stressor. These enzymes can be seen in a variety of

matrices such as feces, saliva, or plasma. These matrices are samples that can be taken from

animals and tested to show that there is the presence of a stressor enzyme. These indicators help

scientists to assess how visitors affect animal welfare. In some instances animals aren’t
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evidently impacted by the presence of visitors. For example, animals like kangaroos,

chimpanzees, and lemurs produce very little stressor enzymes. However, other animals produce

stressor enzymes under the constant presence of visitors. This has a negative impact on the

animal’s welfare. Abnormal behaviors are a result of the presence of unfamiliar people. And in

some cases aggressive behaviors can result, like in the jaguar or Indian guar (a relative of the

bison). These stressors even cause “an increase in vigilance and visitor-avoidance behaviours.”

This may explain why the penguins at the zoo are less curious than the chimpanzees. A study

done on spider monkeys has found that there is a positive correlation between concentration of

cortisol and number of visitors.

There will always be a demand for zoos. ​Humans will always be curious about the other

inhabitants of this Earth. But there is no need for zoos. ​Whether or not zoos benefit the animal

community, they certainly do make money. Humans can start by making sure that zoo conditions

are as accurate as the wild as possible (Ranganathan). My hope is that soon zoos will stop

breeding and importing animals. What is the allure of a zoo, if not to see wild animals? These

animals aren’t wild, they are caged and suffering. ​My research has shown me that the

employees, keepers, and veterinarians truly care about the animals. From heartwarming stories

of giraffes accepting affection and kisses from their keeper to videos of baby pandas climbing on

their doctor, captive animals show unnatural behaviors on both ends of the spectrum. The

problem lies in the idea that capturing nature’s creatures and parading them for profit is

beneficial to them. Captivity is what causes the mental issues developed by these magnificent

animals. ​ We wouldn’t take an action that is similarly detrimental to a human, so why do it to

animals? Children see wild animals like big cats, hippopotamuses, and gorillas as scary. The
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only thing that’s scary in regard to these animals is their mental health. We need to put an end to

the ​mental anguish​ endured by these animals.

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Works Cited

​ ETA. 2018.
“7 Things That Are Bigger Than an Orca Tank at SeaWorld.” ​SeaWorld of Hate. P

https://www.seaworldofhurt.com/things-bigger-than-an-orca-tank-seaworld/​. Accessed 4

April 2019.

Clubb, Ros and Georgia Mason. “Captivity Effects on Wide-range Carnivores.” ​Nature

International Journal of Science. ​Springer Nature Publishing. 2003. ​https://ww

w.nature.com/articles/425473a#ref-link-section-d39713e334​. Accessed 4 April 2019.

Dunlap, Julie and Stephen R. Kellert. “Animal Welfare and Rights: V. Zoos and Zoological

Parks.” ​ Encyclopaedia of Bioethics. ​Gale Virtual Reference Library. 2004. ​http://go.ga

legroup.com.librarylink.uncc.edu/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=T003&resultListType=RESULT

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archId=R1&userGroupName=ncliveuncchet&inPS=true​. Accessed 12 March 2019.

“Food.” ​SeaWorld Fact Check. ​SeaWorld Fact Check. 2018. ​https://www.seaworldfactcheck.c

om/food.htm​. Accessed 15 April 2019.

​ he Guardian. 2014. ​https://www.thegua

Hone, Dave. “Why Zoos Are Good.” ​The Guardian. T

rdian.com/science/lost-worlds/2014/aug/19/why-zoos-are-good​. Accessed 4 April 2019.

​ SL Publications. 2015.
“International Zoo Yearbook.” ​The Zoological Society of London. Z

https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/izy.12167​. Accessed 30

Mar 2019.
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Manteca, Xavier and Marina Salas. “Visitor effect on zoo animals.” ​Zoo Animal Welfare

Education Centre. ​The Autonomous University of Barcelona. 2017. ​https://www.zaw

ec.org/en/fact-sheets/111-visitor-effect-on-zoo-animals​. Accessed 22 April 2019.

Masson, Jeffrey Moussaieff. “When Elephants Weep: The Emotional Lives of Animals.”

Random House Publishing Group. ​Random House Publishing Group. 1994. ​https://boo

ks.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=TqxjMVBNEAsC&oi=fnd&pg=PR13&dq=animal

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xNYwJY#v=snippet&q=human%20emotion%20animal&f=false​. Accessed 4 April

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“Physical Characteristics” ​SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. ​ SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment,

Inc. 2019. ​https://seaworld.org/animals/all-about/killer-whale/characteristics/​ Accessed

1 April 2019.

Ranganathan, Romesh. “Zoos Are Prisons for Animals.” ​The Guardian. ​The Guardian. 2017.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/commentisfree/2017/mar/13/zoos-are-prisons-for-an

imals-no-one-needs-to-see-a-depressed-penguin-in-the-flesh​. Accessed 30 March 2019.

Shepherdson, David J. and Ronald R. Swaisgood “Scientific Approaches to Enrichment and

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Zoobiology. ​Wiley Online Library. 2005.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002 /zoo.20066​. Accessed 1 April 2019.

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os.html​. Accessed 1 April 2019.

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​ ikipedia. 2019. ​https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoo​ Accessed 2 April 2019.

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Accessed 1 April 2019.