[Kate!]

Poll incoming.

How do you feel about zoos?

Positive or negative...or mixed feelings. Lets hear your thoughts.

I feel very positive about Zoos. They are a good thing from both educational and environmental viewpoints. We go regularly to Chester Zoo in particular and its amazing. There are some cracking documentaries about Zoos and the animals lives as well. Secret Life of the Zoo is one that stands out in my mind.

...... over to you.

[Niamh.]

Against. Animals shouldn't be used for entertainment, they should be out in the wild or in proper sanctuaries if endangered

[Nicky91]

very positive

yes secret life of the zoo is also quite nice, same is Animal Park from BBC also very lovely

Burgers Zoo here is also very nice, also with 3 various indoors habitats like Desert, Tropical, Ocean

more closer to where i live, Beekse Bergen is also a very lovely zoo, where animals also have a lot of space in their enclosures, also a nice safari tour to do there by bus or from your own car

[Kazanne]

Very mixed for me as much as I would love and prefer animals to live peacefully in their own habitat its never going to happen with the human greed and I cant see that changing anytime soon, so IF it means animals can survive and thrive they maybe a good thing but only if they have the space and means to treat the animals properly, I prefer Safari Parks tbh but in an ideal world animals would be free and able to live.

[Kate!]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

Against. Animals shouldn't be used for entertainment, they should be out in the wild or in proper sanctuaries if endangered

And how would these sanctuaries be financed? Zoos finance is self explanatory. They get their money from footfall.

[Shaun]

Zoos are considerably more involved with the conservation and protection of wild animals than the average citizen and I've never understood the opposition to them when poaching, trafficking and illegal farming all exist.

They're also a great educational tool and it's hard to engage young people with issues like extinction, pollution and the destruction of wild habitats without a visceral interaction with said animals.

[Smithy]

Originally Posted by Shaun

Zoos are considerably more involved with the conservation and protection of wild animals than the average citizen and I've never understood the opposition to them when poaching, trafficking and illegal farming all exist.

They're also a great educational tool and it's hard to engage young people with issues like extinction, pollution and the destruction of wild habitats without a visceral interaction with said animals.

All of this!

I can see some people’s POV in regards to the welfare of animals HOWEVER I think UK zoos have excellent standards compared to a lot of other zoos around the world. I think if a facility can’t give an animal the life it deserves in captivity then they shouldn’t have them.

[Nicky91]

Originally Posted by Shaun

Zoos are considerably more involved with the conservation and protection of wild animals than the average citizen and I've never understood the opposition to them when poaching, trafficking and illegal farming all exist.

They're also a great educational tool and it's hard to engage young people with issues like extinction, pollution and the destruction of wild habitats without a visceral interaction with said animals.

yes exactly

most animals what i see in their indoor/outdoor enclosures, overall they seem to enjoy it, and are well taken care off by employees, some also get extra toys such as footballs, or hamsterballs (and then food stuffed in them) that latter more for apes, as a sort of puzzle i had seen

the staff even provide with sort of birthday cakes out of fruit/vegetables/ice on any animal their birthdays

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Kate!

And how would these sanctuaries be financed? Zoos finance is self explanatory. They get their money from footfall.

I mean sanctuaries do already exist so it's not some crazy out there idea, I'm no expert but I'd imagine animals sanctuaries are funded by charity. Zoo's don't exist only to conserve wildlife, they're there to make profits too.

[bitontheslide]

as long as animal welfare is regulated and monitored, i'm fine with it

[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by Kazanne

Very mixed for me as much as I would love and prefer animals to live peacefully in their own habitat its never going to happen with the human greed and I cant see that changing anytime soon, so IF it means animals can survive and thrive they maybe a good thing but only if they have the space and means to treat the animals properly, I prefer Safari Parks tbh but in an ideal world animals would be free and able to live.

This for me really.

I too prefer the safari park environment however both can have a role in also the conservation of animal life too.

I voted mixed feelings, if pressed I'd be more positive than negative.

Yes however, a World where animals could roam freely in their own habitats without the greed of human disrespect for them, is the ideal.

[Livia]

Well-run zoos, in developed countries, do amazing work with endangered species. The animals are kept in good conditions with veterinarian access and proper feed.

Zoos in less well-developed countries keep animals in cages for the amusement of the masses and pay no attention to the welfare of the animal.

[Dogeatdog]

A bit mixed really since some zoos are run very well and do incredible work on conservation, rehabilitation and caring for the well being of the animals where as some zoos in other countries just exploit the animals and have no care for them whatsoever, keeping them trapped in tiny enclosures and in some cases just completely abandoning them leaving them for dead.

[Dogeatdog]

I don’t know if anyone has seen ‘Work On The Wild Side’ that’s been on CH4 the last few weeks but it’s very interesting and they have done some incredible work on rehabilitating animals to release back into the wild and trying to save many endangered species.

[Liam-]

Good zoos are good, bad zoos are bad.

If it wasn’t for zoos a lot more species probably wouldn’t exist anymore, they not only protect animals, but they allow species to expand, yes the animals they care for probably wouldn’t survive in the wild, but surely it’s better than it existing at all

[Saph]

positive, given that the animal is in a good enclosure and happy

[Oliver_W]

I love them. They're fun, educational, and show real animals so we can get a context of whose homes are being destroyed across the world.

I understand that some people have a problem with them, but it's not like the current animals were kidnapped from Africa and dropped off in Whipsnade and if they were all closed, the animals there would basically have to be put down as they wouldn't survive in the wild.