I take a lot of photos of wild animals living in zoos. People often look at my work and ask, "If you're for animal welfare, why do you support these zoos?"
My answer is this:
Zoos can be both a blessing and a curse. Many zoos in the world today make their money by exploiting their animals for human entertainment. But others exist for the purpose of perpetuating conservation and education, and, in many ways, could be the only way to save certain species from extinction.
What lot of people don't understand is that in the United States, zoos can become accredited by an organization known as the AZA, the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums. They operate to establish a new standard for zoos, focusing on breeding programs and advances in animal care tactics. All zoos accredited by the AZA must meet a series a grueling standards, including proper enclosure size, exceptional animal care and husbandry, and an intense focus on conservation.
These AZA zoos have established a program called the Species Survival Plan, which focuses on increasing the genetic diversity of captive zoo animals. After all, an increased genetic diversity is vital to keeping a species alive.
It is a common misconception today that zoo animals are taken from the wild. AZA animals are actually the ancestors of breeding stock which was captured more than 80 years ago; thus, wild animals currently housed in captivity are not removed from any natural habitat at all. The only exception to this rule is for animals which are in need of rescue, and which cannot be released back into the wild, such as the case with Jack and Athena, two bald eagles at the Oregon Zoo who were rescued after being struck by cars. Jack has only one eye and Athena is unable to fly properly.
The Oregon Zoo houses several other birds of prey which were also unfortunate victims of car collisions and attempted poaching. Like Jack and Athena, they too are unfit to survive in the wild as a result of their injuries. Instead of being put down, they now act as wildlife ambassadors to help raise awareness for endangered birds of prey. The Oregon Zoo also has a mountain lion which was rescued as an orphan, who is now the proud mother of the very first cougar cub born at an AZA zoo in over 15 years. In California, the San Diego zoo houses a white tiger which was confiscated by customs at the California-Mexico boarder after being discovered in the back seat of a drug kingpin's car. And many other zoos around the country keep rescued exotic 'pets' in their care, as well.
Through the efforts of the Species Survival Plan, many rare and endangered animals are now facing a brighter future. Using captive specimens, biologists can artificially inseminate wild specimens which would otherwise have trouble finding a mate among their fractured populations in an effort to increase their numbers.
Likewise, it gives scientists and opportunity to learn from animals without having to disturb them in their natural habitats.
A prime example of this would be the case of a biologist studying elephants at the Oregon Zoo, trying to figure out how the giants communicated over vast distances. One day, while taking notes, she noticed that she could feel a very slight tremor travel through the concrete floor she and the elephant were standing on. This lead to the discovery of something remarkable: Elephants could communicate by emitting low-frequency rumbles which could travel through the ground without making any audible sound at all!
If you enjoy zoos, but are not sure which ones to support and which to stay away from, do what I do: ONLY support AZA-accredited zoos and registered non-profit rescues centers. Avoid non-accredited zoos, and any rescue center which is not a registered non-profit. All AZA zoos will state their affiliation with the AZA and the Species Survival Plan on their websites, so you can look them up before you even leave your house.
The lion above was photographed at the Wildlife Safari Park in Bandon, Oregon. He has been there for ages and shares his enclosure with an ancient old female. They have no grass to walk on, just gravel, and aside from a few driftwood logs to rub against, they have no engaging features in their enclosure whatsoever.
Naturally, I hate to support non-accredited establishments, but made just one exception in order to photograph the conditions roadside zoo animals are kept in to illustrate my point. I have since emailed the keepers at the Wildlife Safari Park regarding the condition of their charges, and never heard back from them. I could go on and on about how many photos I see of their zoo, featuring images of people holding adorable baby animals, yet I never see pictures of these animals as adults later on. Where are they going? Where did they come from in the first place? Since they've never answered a single one of my emails, I can only presume they don't want people to know the answers to these questions, which raises my suspicions all the more.
PLEASE, do what you can to spread the word about zoos and their place in conservation, but don't forget to inform people that there are also many bad zoos out there with no morals and little regard for the welfare of the animals.
More info on roadside zoos and why they should be abolished here:
http://www.suite101.com/content/the-horrors-of-roadside-zoos-a84744
http://www.nhes.org/articles/view/785
http://www.aspca.org/about-us/policy-positions/zoos-and-aquariums.aspx
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