Imagine being held captive in a clear box barely large enough for you to run around in, the sole purpose of your presence being to provide entertainment for those watching you from the outside. While many see a visit to the zoo as a fun day trip or a night out, it is the animal’s personal hell. Taken from their homes in the ocean or the forest, only to be thrown into a cage or tank that is not even a small fraction of the size of their homes — it is completely unethical.
Since their creation, zoos have been about exploitation. While many empirical leaders have owned a variety of animals, places resembling modern-day zoos started as early as 2500 BCE. Called menageries, their purpose was to act as private collections for the wealthy, allowing them to showcase their power and ability to procure luxuries to all. Rulers would send citizens on expeditions to faraway places with instructions to bring back exotic animals for them to flaunt. Birds, bears, tigers — very few species were spared from these kidnappings. While this practice is not so common (or legal) now, the foundation of these zoos remains more or less the same: taking animals from their natural habitats to showcase. However, instead of being about flaunting wealth, they are now used to develop it, all at the expense of the wellbeing of the animals they hold captive. The result of this exploitation has been obvious. Going onto social media, one can easily find videos of people trying to rile up monkeys for entertainment, whether it is throwing things at them or stealing their food. People have begun to stop realizing that animals are not meant to be entertainment; they are meant to be free in the habitats in which they were born.
Aquariums are arguably even worse than zoos, with a multitude of controversies in dozens of locations across the country, one of the most well-known being SeaWorld. The theme park inspired the 2013 documentary “Blackfish,” which told the story of Tilikum, a captive orca who took the lives of three people. This documentary highlights the consequences of keeping orcas in captivity, condemning the corporate greed and utilization of animal husbandry by SeaWorld. This is not an isolated incident, with dozens of aquariums either being sued or closing down following the discovery of their cruel practices.
Some aquariums, however, are exceptions to these unethical practices. An excellent example of an ethical aquarium is the Monterey Bay Aquarium. With a mission to reach net-zero emissions and waste, Monterey Bay Aquarium is not just a place for dates; it is a place to learn about the impact of human life on sea animals. They even created a sea otter release program, in which they rescue sea otters who are in trouble, feed, groom and provide them with surrogate mothers to teach them necessary skills for survival and then finally, they release the rehabilitated otters back into the wild. On their website, they have dedicated pages to informing people about all types of marine issues and how they can help. They also have sections dedicated to each animal they house, including information about their diets, their habitats and their history. And best of all, the Monterey Bay Aquarium treats each animal with dignity, taking into account their natural habitats and replicating them, focusing on conservation and informing the public on the effects of their habits.
It would be wishful thinking to hope for the eradication of zoos and aquariums, as they are multibillion dollar businesses, but there is still hope for more sustainable and ethical ways to house animals. Focusing on informing people, replicating habitats, treating animals with dignity and funding research on solutions for issues pervading marine life — these are various ways in which the safety, happiness and livelihood of marine animals can prosper.
