Some people think that zoos are cruel and should be closed down. Others, however, believe that zoos can be useful in protecting wild animals.   Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Some people argue that
zoos
help to preserve wild creatures, while others say that they are inhumane and should be abolished. While the development of breeding programmes contributes to the preservation of endangered species, I believe that the poor conditions that many animals held in captivity are kept in make the existence of
zoos
unacceptable.    On the one hand, there are many projects in existence in zoological parks around the world where species facing extinction have been successfully bred in captivity and their numbers increased substantially.
Moreover
,
this
is important for ensuring the survival of animals under threat from poaching and the destruction of their natural environments.
For example
,
this
is the golden lion tamarin from Brazil which nearly died out because of logging and mining activities
which
Correct pronoun usage
that
show examples
are destroying its habitat. Today, a
third
of wild golden lion tamarins were raised in captivity.  
On the other hand
, a significant percentage of
zoos
house their animals in cramped cages with very little space to move around or behave naturally.
Furthermore
,
This
can lead to them becoming distressed and depressed as well as suffering physically through lack of exercise.
For instance
, A friend of mine recently visited a wildlife park while on holiday abroad and was very upset to see the lions pacing up and down in a narrow, bare pen and eagles in enclosures so small that they were unable to fly.   In conclusion,
although
,
zoos
do help to safeguard reduce populations of particular species, the suffering experienced by many captive creatures due to unsuitable living conditions amounts to cruelty and they should not be allowed to exist.
Submitted by Chandan Kumar Singh on

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Topic Vocabulary:
  • animal welfare
  • conservation
  • captive breeding
  • habitat
  • ethical issues
  • zoochosis
  • endangered species
  • genetic diversity
  • reintroduction programs
  • wildlife education
  • sanctuary
  • natural living conditions
  • artificial environments
  • behavioral enrichment
  • ecosystem
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