I used to think zoos were magical when I was a kid. I remember the only time I have ever gone to a zoo. My big cousin took me and my siblings for an outing he had been promising us. I remember how curious, excited, and amazed we were. We got to see huge snakes, ostriches, monkeys, birds, and many animals we only saw in books and on TV. The only animal we saw roaming freely in the bushes was a donkey; the rest were in cages. If you think the cages were bad, then you are wrong. In a room they took us to get pictures of, there was a lion and lioness, both dead and stuffed like statues — for human amusement. We took pictures, had fun and we were happy. But I was little back then, and didn't know any better.
Now that I am older and more aware, that particular memory brings me discomfort. Animals in cages? Behind bars? With nowhere to roam freely? It doesn’t sit right with me anymore.
There is a significant difference between wildlife recreational parks, zoos, and wildlife reserves.
The intention of wildlife reserves is just like their name says — a reserve. Their aim and purpose are to preserve life, and they normally do it in friendly ecosystems made to feel natural to the animals.
Wildlife recreational parks are manageable and similar to reserves. They focus on both conservation and public enjoyment. Not as selfless as reserves.
Zoos have nothing good about them, just straight up human selfishness — for ticket sales and selfies.
Some people argue, “If you leave a goat and a lion in the wild, the lion will eat the goat.”
Yes—but that’s nature. It’s how the ecosystem works. When humans interfere and start separating animals or caging them “for safety,” what we’re really doing is breaking the natural order and pretending we’re in control.
We’re not!
It's so frustrating that humans find a way to make themselves the center of everything, like the Earth was made for our convenience.
Of course, some zoos claim to support education and awareness, and maybe they do to some extent. But is there no better way to educate people without compromising the dignity of wild animals?
How would you like it to be ripped away from your home, from your family?
And then put in a cage, where strangers smile and take selfies and get amused by your misery?
I bet you wouldn't like it — spending your whole life in a cage — you would curse life itself.
So why should they?
If we really care about wildlife, we would treat them like we care, support them, and keep them wild and not confined.
We should support real reserves, conservation, and wildlife education.
If there is anything I know it's this — no living creature should be caged for amusement, no creature deserves that — not now, not ever. For crying out loud, if you want to be amused by wildlife, go watch NatGeo Wild or something.
