Sandy Supposes....

Zoos = captivity

PROMPT November 20th

SeaWorld. Good? Bad? Ugly? What is your opinion of zoos and aquariums?

         

         

                   

I will admit I have visited zoos. To see wildlife up close is an amazing experience. Photos do not do them justice. Never do I envision myself on a safari, or an expedition admiring animals in their natural habitat. This is the attraction of zoos. They eliminate expensive travel. They are accessible. A day jaunt through a zoo is feasible, and possible at any time, especially for children. Zoos provide safe havens and vantage points for curious kids.

         I do, however, wonder about captivity. How do these creatures cope with it? Most wildlife exists in an unenclosed area free to wander and roam at will. They are not fenced in and separated from not only their own kind, but other animals. They rely upon themselves for food and shelter. They hunt and gather when and where they choose. They determine their territory, or range. They co-exist. They mix and mingle with others of their species. They are free.

         Sometimes, the denizens of a zoo seem to be apathetic, bored, lethargic, disinterested. They have no need to worry about their next meal because that problem is taken rom them. No effort need be expelled. Food appears regularly without any physical out lay There is no foraging, digging, storing, stalking, hunting, slaying, climbing, or whatever. Shelter is provided, free of choice, free of input. Contact with fellow creatures is limited, or doesn't exist. The mating pool is diminished. If they do have companions, they are the same all the time. Where's the variety? Their enclosures do not represent their native habitats. Where is the space to roam, wander, migrate? The animals seem to be contained both physically and mentally.