Problem: Would it be possible for someone to help me reduce this to a few PowerPoint slides and a presentation that lasts less than 10 minutes? I will provide all the necessary information.
Nowadays, zoos are among the places that people, especially children, want to visit the most. Instincts, exotic animals, and various wild animal species are on display here. How did you feel about the animals housed in cages during your visit? Are the animals that have been captured living in their new home in a way that makes their lives better? These unresolved issues continue to cast doubt on the public's opinion of zoos. Zoos were built with the intention of saving animals, but detractors have found that they aren't doing a good job at it. Thus, animal welfare is typically violated in zoos.
Laura Fravel (2003) claimed that "Zoos have acted as safe havens for many endangered species. But many critics call it 'foul', saying zoos have stepped far beyond conservation." This implies that zoos' role in animal conservation is becoming alarming due to some identified scenarios that have a devastating negative impact on wildlife. According to Hancocks (2018) of National Geographic, the budget for zoos is spent more on infrastructure that lures visitors. Therefore, animals' welfare, as a priority, is compromised. This is supported by Benjamin Beck, who claimed that conservation efforts are not always successful since reintroduction programs worldwide for restoring animal populations to the wild are carried out by government agencies, not zoos. Laidlaw, R. & MIBiol, C. (2000) also claimed that zoos are still menageries where animals receive less attention and care, especially since they are given small spaces. He supported the idea that zoos really keep animals alive but cannot maintain the behavioral and social interactions they need. On the other hand, according to In Defense of Animals, experts agree that zoos do more harm than good. This implies that zoos are now businesses rather than conservation organizations. Animals in zoos live in perpetual captivity and lack access to all of the things that make life interesting and enjoyable. Animals are deprived of their natural habitat, replacing charismatic megafauna for the sake of spectators. Also, animals' behaviors, socialization, decisions, desires, and abilities are restricted, which is considered animal abuse. When I think about the reality of zoos, I see animals as analogous to people who are denied access to the real world, where they can grow and explore. I understand the anguish of knowing that no matter how beautiful and aesthetic your surroundings are if they are artificially made and constructed, you will never be satisfied. It would only cause you stress, anxiety, and depression, especially knowing that this scenic beauty was created for the enjoyment of others rather than your own benefits of living life to the fullest. Animals, like humans, require natural shelter and an environment in which they can make their own living. They must do it in their actual homes. We, like humans, need to find ways to feel at home when we are in different places. We have our family to lean on at home, to share our joys and sorrows, and to enjoy the available resources. Hence, animals need these too. We may not be able to hear their voices, but we can feel their emotions as they express what they truly require. Hence, zoos must be reinvented as sanctuaries. As a result, zoos must only house animals that cannot be kept in captivity, such as confiscated illegal exotic animals used as pets, injured animals that cannot be returned to the wild, and street-abandoned animals. In this manner, zoos could in fact function as real saviors of the wild, maximizing animal welfare.