The legacy of zoos? Moral reasons against considering zoos as heritage (original) (raw)
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Ethnobiology and Conservation
Currently there are many interfaces that allow the relationship between humans and animals, including zoos. Throughout history, the change in zoo structure has accompanied the social and cultural changes of human society. Nevertheless, despite the remarkable progress since early zoos were organized, there is still a great need for improvements of zoos around the world. A critical look at the relationship between humans and animals that led to the establishment of zoos was the aim of this study. Zoos currently follow some precepts (entertainment, education, research and conservation), however has not been enough to bind changes in zoos that still lack in accomplishing these pillars. Such lacks create a scenario for discussions between those who believe in the potential of conservation projects developed by zoos and those who find hostile and inadequate to animal life. It can be suggested that the bedrocks were the result of how human beings have perceived animals over time, since perception interferes with the way people deal with what surrounds them. In this way, the merely utilitarian vision of prehistoric times came from the perception that people had about animals at that time. Understanding the evolution of people's perception of animals and how this perception has influenced the configuration of zoos can tell us the directions they can take from now on. We believe that the next step is to turn our attention to the visitors, not only to meet their leisure expectations, but for them to become allies in the fight for biodiversity conservation.
2020
The study is intended to contribute to our understanding of the current perspectives of the human – non-human relationship with animals in captivity in the tourism industry, in the notion of the more ethical and critical turn in tourism studies. Natural Science has already held research on zoos and Animal studies, and we have already witnessed a vivid moral shift also within the studies in Social Science. However, there is a notable lack of research of zoos within the (still new) ethical turn in tourism studies. Covering the gap of knowledge on animals in captivity in the notion of the ethical turn is well beyond the scope of this study. However, the intended outcome of this research is to bring awareness of the need for re-thinking the human non-human relationship in tourism studies. This thesis is not another research on the ethical issues related to the captivity, but rather about how the evergreen zoo advocates’ arguments stand within the more ethical notion in contemporary tour...
Rationale for the Existence of Zoos
Zoo Talk, 2012
Ultimately, in this century, we have begun to realize that the way we display animals truly affects the way people view them and people speaking reverentially, and quietly before exhibits that were truly natural. Just as often standing before, old barren cages, I saw zoogoers yell, throw food and make fun of the animals inside. (Croke, 1997, p.93) Today's zoos serve two basic functions: community resource and conservation entity (Hanna, 1996, p. 76).
Confinement for conservation: An ethical overview of zoos
Bulletin of Pure & Applied Sciences- Zoology, 2020
This work describes the workings of modern zoos and considers the core ethical challenges which face those who choose to hold and display animals in zoos, aquariums or sanctuaries. Using a number of normative ethical frameworks this thesis explores impacts of modern zoos. The impact of zoos include the costs to animals in terms of animal welfare, the loss of liberty and even impact on the value of animal life. On the positive side of the argument are the welfare and health outcomes for many of the animals held in zoos, increased attention and protection for their species in the wild and the enjoyment and education for the people who visit zoos. This paper concludes that zoos and aquariums are ethically defensible when they align conservation outcomes with the interests of individual animals and the interests of zoo operations. The impending extinction crisis requires large scale interventions which address human values and facilitate consideration of wildlife in decision making. Considering the long term relationship zoos have with animals, their extensive reach within communities and their reliance on animals to deliver positive experiences for people, it is appropriate that zoos pay back some of humanity's debt to wildlife by making a meaningful contribution to wildlife conservation.
The animal world is under increasing pressure, given the magnitude of anthropogenic environmental stress. There is a global wave of species extinctions and declines in local species abundance. To stop or even reverse this so-called ‘defaunation’ process, in situ conservation (in the wild) is no longer effective without ex situ conservation (in captivity). Consequently, the zoo is to play an ever-greater role in the conservation of endangered species and wildlife. However, the integration of zoo-based tools and techniques in species conservation has led to manifold conflicts between wildlife conservationists and animal protectionists. Both sides view animals through different lenses and address different concerns. Whereas animal ethicists focus on individual organisms, and are concerned about the welfare and liberty of animals, wildlife conservationists perceive animals as parts of greater wholes such as species or ecosystems, and consider biodiversity and ecological integrity as key topics. This seemingly intractable controversy can be overcome by developing a bifocal view in which zoo animals are perceived as individuals in need of specific care and, at the same time, as members of a species in need of protection. Based on such a bifocal approach, the modern zoo can only achieve its conservation mission if it finds a morally acceptable balance between animal welfare concerns and species conservation commitments. The prospects for the zoo to achieve such a balance are promising. Over the past decade or so, zoos have made serious and sustained efforts to ensure and enhance animal welfare. At the same time, the zoo’s contribution to species conservation has also improved considerably.
Zoo Tourism: What Actually Is a Zoo?
Czech Journal of Tourism
Zoos are one of the most visited tourist attractions worldwide - we should perceive them, therefore, not only as places where animals are kept, but also as places frequented by large numbers of people. This is why we talk of zoo tourism. However, there are different definitions of a zoo. This wide range of possible approaches to what actually the zoo is poses a major methodological problem for the research analysis as well as for the zoo management and related legislation. Zoos are historically and socially determined. We can talk not only about the evolution of zoos but also about the co-evolution of zoos alongside many types of zoos. Nowadays, there is no doubt that there is a large number of modern and naturalistic zoos oriented on conservation, but there are also many zoos designed as popular animal-based attractions where animals live in unsuitable conditions. The principal aim of this article is to introduce and discuss problematic approaches to what zoos are and to suggest a ...
The public face of zoos: Images of entertainment, education, and conservation
Anthrozoos, 2011
"The contemporary justification for zoos is based on their ability to act as sites of wildlife conservation. Alongside this is the reality that zoos have historically been defined as sites for the entertainment of the general public and continue to be dependent on the revenue raised through visitor receipts. Consequently, zoos are, today, identified as sites of conservation, research, education, and entertainment. In recognition of this the aim of this paper is to assess the image that zoos are currently portraying to the general public to see how the different roles are advertised and how they sit alongside one another. The data for the research on which this paper is based was gathered via a content and semiotic analysis of the websites of 54 zoos spread throughout the world. The results indicate that the image zoos present to the public whilst incorporating a strong conservation message lacks depth. In addition, the image zoos present via their websites has a strong emphasis on entertainment. Based on the results of this paper it is suggested that zoos need to present their conservation credentials in more detail and ensure the entertainment message does not adversely affect transmission of the conservation or education one whilst at the same time continuing to attract sufficient visitors to ensure the economic viability of zoos. In addition, it is recognized that changing public perceptions of zoos requires these institutions to act together rather than independently when determining the overarching theme of the ‘zoo’. Keywords: Zoo, image, conservation, entertainment"
Contesting the zoo as a setting for ecotourism, and the design of a first principle
Journal of Ecotourism, 2013
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