If you were to ask a kid what one of their favorite childhood memories was, there would be at least one who would say that there’s was going to the zoo with their family. What kid wouldn’t love getting to go and see these exotic, and maybe not so exotic, animals in person instead of just in the books they have in their bedrooms or at school. While zoos may be fun and games for the children and the thousands of visitors that come and go everyday, is it really the best thing for the animals?

There are many positives for why we have zoos, but there are also many negatives. While zoos do help to protect endangered species as well as protect animals that are often hunted, forced from their natural habitats by construction and destruction, and saved from predators, is being kept in a confined area and having to deal with the stress and the boredom a good thing? The breeding programs in many of the zoos are seen as saving the animals for extinction, but do we, as humans, have the right to force these animals to breed even if it is to keep them from no longer existing?

Including those listed above, some of the positives of zoos include creating memories for children and adults alike, taking in wild or exotic animals that were kept as pets and are no longer being taken proper care of, and breeding programs to help the endangered species that have been saved.

On the other side of the spectrum, animals that are not accustomed to the small confined spaces often show signs of stress and boredom, they do not have the freedom that they once had in the wild, the breeding of the animals attract the visitors, but this often leads to surplus of animals that are either sold to circuses, canning facilities, or even just put to the slaughter, and the animals being taken from the wild can lead to further endangering of the species.

These are just a few of the reasons arguing for both sides, but what do you think? Are zoos good or bad for the animals in the long run?