The only good thing I think Zoos ever do is excite young minds. 

 

Otherwise..  I think its cruelty to animals.  Even great zoos like the Pittsburgh zoo that are 'cageless' and try to really provide natural habitats as much as possible for its animals, and even though I think the teams of zoo keepers really are trying to do good, Giving a lion 50 pounds of beef is NOT the same as letting the lion have the satisfaction of its own kill. 

 

Saving an animal from extinction in a zoo, really isn't saving the species, its just saving something that once was the species so we can gawk at it. 

 

 

mj

 

 

 

 

I think that animals held in captivity should be at least placed in an environment that's simular to their natural habitat with plenty of room to roam about. Visitors should be satisfied with watching the critters through hidden cameras scattered around in the habitat rather than starring at em from across a mote in a small living area imo. --L.B.

“We might see within our lifetimes a great reduction or extinction of these animals,�?as their natural habitats are squeezed by the crush of human populations, said Bill Foster, president of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association. “Extinction is not acceptable.�?

Human population is almost entirely to blame for this state of imbalance in the animal kingdom, but our egos prevent us from caging our own population for entertainment or 'prosperity of species'. If extinction is unacceptable why has there been no real push to curb the human expansion (yes, I know thats a controversial statement) and redefine the balance nature strives to contain?

 I dislike zoo's and utterly despise circuses, in fact the only zoo of any interest that I have visited is one north of the city African Lion Safari... its a huge open compound where the animals roam freely on natural turf with rocks, trees and bush.... the visitors are caged (in cars or tour buses) and often swarmed by monkeys (who will dismantle your car for you) and other curious critters that will come up and peer in your window (kinda amusing in fact). You are warned quite explicitedly to keep your windows rolled up tight when passing through the big cats territory because they can and will reach into the car for a home delivered snack. Rhinos will charge your car if your foolish enough to venture off the track. The opportunity to watch elephants roam across the acreage and bath at will vies with the chance to observe the raptor rehab centre where many birds are nursed back to wildlife sustainibility. Unfortunately the place has gotten more and more commerical over the last 2-3 years and this disappoints me.

 

I predict that in the next 10 years, most likely within the next 5, that the world human population will be culled. Everything seems to be in place here in the U.S. for a controled cull. Contrail mapping for studying ideal release co-ordinances for the next air-born delivered bio-engineared killer flu virus. Growing popularity of flu vaccine for randomly immuneizing the desired ratio of survivers for each region so that the human population isn't accidently threatened with extinction or that too many people die in key industrial regions to send us back into the dark ages. I also predict that the worldwide survivers will be introduced to a new one world nation concept that will be ruled by an Emperor type of figure selected from among the world's leading royal families by the royal families in a sort of royal democratic choosing process controlled by the royal families. I've read a few books which claim the world's Blue bloods have secretly united and already control and head all the major international banks and corporations and through them most of the world's nations, economies, and politics. Their attitude for the rest of humanity hasn't changed much either, the books claim we are still of little more value or regard to these elite families than their herds of livestock. By the way, the Bush family are blue-bloods, and George Bush senior was knighted by the Queen of England after his service as president. I wonder what title and regions the Bush family are promised and will inherite in the New World Order which will be modeled after the old, but with a modern twist like can be seen in Star Wars and other Sci-fi flicks which hint of the future to come and the Royal Empire which will control it all. The future will be interesting and everybody knows something must change drastically very soon or this planet will be consumed and destroyed within the next hundred years. Don't think the hidden, powerful, dynasties of old are going to allow that to happen and are already takeing steps to remedie this modern threat to their survival. They've always been heartless mass murderers of humanity and that will never change.