Animal Prisons or Havens? The Ethical Eligibility of Zoos and Aquariums

As the human world drives closer to a climate crisis, biodiversity begins to thin out, with it- the extinction of precious wildlife that many are attempting to protect. Solutions have presented themselves countless times, and yet most of us are apprehensive, denying these solutions in regards to animals in captivity. It is the efforts shown by zoos and aquariums that are being damned for their supposed cruelty to animals- when their actions can prove to have a positive impact in the future. My research paper will dive deep into the dispute of whether or not zoos and aquariums are beneficial to the preservation of wildlife, and if they are morally justifiable. I will refer to sources such as documentaries, articles and other media that tackle this issue to cover the ethical side of animal captivity – specifically activists’ perception of animal cruelty, and following this with instances of animals having similar mentalities to humans. I will later discuss the evidence of conservation efforts of zoos and aquariums in protecting animal species. I will then input my views about this issue, combining the previous points into an analytical statement and potential solution. I hope that this paper will promote further discussion of animal conservation in captivity and rewire some negative opinions about it.