Some people think that zoos are cruel and have no place in the modern world. Others feel that zoos still serve a useful purpose. Discuss both sides and give your own opinion.

Zoos

can be quite controversial among animal lovers.

While

some people believe that

zoos

provide a benefit in some ways, I side with those who feel that

zoos

are inhumane, and should be shut down. On the one hand, it could be argued that there are some pros of having

zoos

.

Firstly

,

zoos

could provide a suitable living ecosystem for

animals

, especially endangered

animals

. Take Sumatran elephants

for example

, which are often poached for their ivory tusks; they might probably benefit from a protected environment that protects them from illegal hunters.

Apart from

this

, the

animals

could probably have better health

due to

the availability of veterinary care.

Thus

, these two factors might be able to help them to extend their life expectancy.

On the other hand

, I agree with those who think that

zoos

should be closed for their cruelty.

Firstly

, by being captive inside

zoos

,

animals

can feel extremely uncomfortable living in a cage, where the cage’s size is relatively smaller compared with their natural habitat.

For instance

, whale sharks,

although

they have immense size, are often seen being confined in relatively small pools, which

consequently

limits their physical movement and even worse damages their body. Keeping them in captivity likely creates a detrimental effect on their mental well-being, and it is

also

categorised as immoral.

Furthermore

,

zoos

are created just for business purposes, where the

animals

are often forced to perform a show –

such

as a circus show – to entertain the visitors, causing the

animals

not to have adequate rest and leading to health issues.

This

situation happens because the zoo's owners and the management are irresponsible, merely focusing on gaining as much money as possible without considering the negative impacts on the

animals

. In conclusion,

while

zoos

could protect

animals

from external threats and serve educational content, these reasons cannot justify their operation simply because holding

animals

in confinement has questionable ethics.

Therefore

, I remain firmly convinced that commercial

zoos

are no longer permitted to operate.