i can see some of you looking mystified, so i will be kind and clarify matters. if ‘a’ = ‘animals’ and ‘z’ = ‘zoos’ (or zoological gardens for the fussy folk amongst you), then it is surely easier to realise that ‘e’ must equal ‘extinction’.
in other words, zoos are a necessary evil. if we as humans find ourselves wanting to see animals ‘in the flesh’, then surely we have two choices. either we go to them and visit/disturb the peace of their natural habitat, or we see them in the somewhat safer environment of a zoo. these animals very existence is thus both threatened and ensured by their enemy/friend ‘man’.
when i use the words ‘safer environment’ my meaning is twofold. safer for us as wild animals often reside in remote territory and some may not take kindly to humans invading that territory just to satisfy their urge to observe. also, safer for the animals, as it’s a cruel world out there and most animals have natural predators (other than yet including humans) that can greatly reduce the natural lifespan of a wild animal. no such risks exist in zoos.
there is a positive knock-on effect from zoos too. consider the amount of hard work that has gone into conserving wildlife in the last 10-20 years.
conservation costs money, big money. who provides the money? ordinary everyday people who have been to zoos and observed those same wild animals there. having seen for themselves how precious these animals are, having felt real emotion observing them, people can relate to the need to preserve the species and will give generously to ensure their future.
i wonder, had i never seen a tiger, would i find myself able to be truly concerned about the welfare of tigers as their natural habitat becomes eroded by man and by so-called ‘progress’? i would love to say I would but know in my heart the truth is I think not.
Zoos may not be a totally ideal environment for animals, hey, humans, many humans, are living in environments that are far from ideal too, let’s face it.
In zoos animals are assured of security, food and relative comfort. In some parts of Africa (and elsewhere) there are human beings starving to death. We need to get this into context.
Provided animals in zoos are given the care mentioned above, I can see no harm in them and in fact much good in them. Again, we need to realise that many, many human beings around this world would be grateful to take the place of those animals in captivity for those three things.
Zoos don’t pay massive wages to their staff. For most, working at a zoo is a vocation, their very love of animals is what motivates them to take a job with a non-commercial wage and few prospects. Their sheer love of the animals.
This brings another element to the equation. Love. Whilst love is predominantly a human emotion, there is surely no doubt that receipt of it nurture’s and enhances the cloistered environment of a zoo for its’ residents.
Whilst I can see that a zoo is not ‘natural’ and would once have felt guilty supporting them, I now realise that ‘natural’ is a relative word, which has metamorphosised over the years to be something very different to the early ‘nature’ experienced by animals, in remote areas once uninhabited by man.