Kaylie Shepard

Elizabeth Cyr

English 11

5.15.19

Hell For Animals

Zoos are harming the lives of many species, these animals deserve a chance to live free in

the wild, and they should not be contained in these small spaces. Millions of animals are

restricted each and every day, not living to the potential they deserve.

As a little girl, amazed by the sight of animals, I begged to go to SeaWorld. I thought that

seeing these animals would be the the coolest sight. I remember these animals that look like they

could take on the entire ocean by themselves, being bottled up into a tiny pool. A pool that they

could barely get the exercise needed to survive. I can’t imagine how trapped these poor, large

water animals felt, never being able to swim around.

Seeing that made my heart break. No animal deserves this treatment.

Wildlife parks do not have the ability to provide the space animals need. According to

Zoo Moments, the most common animal in zoos are tigers, an animal whose territory can be

spread out wider than 4,000 square miles (LiveScience). Ranking as the second most common

animal in zoos is a lion, whose territory is about 100 square miles, National Geographic states.

Forcing this species into a tiny 100 square feet cage is unacceptable and inhumane.

Parks that have people constantly walking throughout staring at the animals, increases the

anxiety and depression levels of many creatures. It has gotten so bad to the point that zoologist

from wildlife.org have created a name for the psychological distress called “zoochosis”. These
researchers have proven that the state animals are put into while in zoos cause serious mental

suffering. This increase in stress even causes premature death in many situations.

People try to say that zoos are beneficial to the lives of many animals. That zoos help

endangered animals and give them the necessities to survive, but this is far from reality. More

than half of the populations in zoos are not considered endangered (Peta).

Imprisoning species into cavities is not supposed to be a stage in the circle of life. Much

like humans, these animals have milestones to reach in their lifetime. But when we don’t give

them a chance to freely go throughout life and accomplish them, we are cheating the system of

nature.

Recently, we all have seen on the news and heard about the story of Harambe and the

Jaguar who had attacked the woman climbing over the fence. But on these instances animals are

getting killed for doing what is natural instincts for their species to do. It is unfair for us to

condemn animals for doing what their bloodline is known for.

Today’s society needs to take another look at the extents we are willing to go to just for

our personal enjoyment. We need to look at the effects it has on the animals, as well as our

environments. Animals have done nothing to us to deserve such a cruel punishment.

 Works Cited

Bradford, Alina. “Tigers: Facts & Information.” ​LiveScience,​ Purch, 3 Oct. 2014,

www.livescience.com/27441-tigers.html. Accessed 5 May 2019.

“Don't Zoos Help to Preserve Endangered Species?” ​PETA​, 15 July 2017,

www.peta.org/about-peta/faq/dont-zoos-help-to-preserve-endangered-species/. Accessed 5 May

2019.

Elajos. “The 10 Most Common Species in Zoos.” ​ZOOmoments​,

zoomoments.com/index.php/articles/categories/animals/42-the-10-most-common-species-in-zoos.

Accessed 5 May 2019.

Sartore, Joel. “African Lion | National Geographic.” ​Lion | National Geographic​, 21 Sept. 2018,

www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/a/african-lion/. Accessed 5 May 2019.

“Wildlife New Zealand.” ​Zoochotic - Stereotypic Behaviour,​

www.wildlife.org.nz/zoocheck/zoochotic.htm. Accessed 5 May 2019.