Should zoo's continue to exist or are they vital for conservation?

Question

having just visited the Bronx Zoo, I do wonder whether they are still seen as conservation and teaching projects or have they become to commercialsed?

Answer 1

in principle they are living libraries

but the concept also gets abused

and animals are humanized or exploited.

Answer 2

they are very much commercialized, i think it would be so much better to make sanctuary's where the animals could safely rome free instead of caging them.

Answer 3

What's wrong with commercialization??? Zoos and other animal attractions are vital for teaching and ...dare I say it... indoctrination... so that our children appreciate wildlife. They also provide skilled personell who can help wildlife recover from collisions with human culture. They are an important and necessary resource that needs to be encouraged and patronized.

Answer 4

I think zoos should only exist for native species for that location.  This would be great in so many ways....

Answer 5

I think zoos are just orgies of cruelty particularly for larger animals; money and resources need to be concentrated on conserving their natural habitat and TV programmes and DVDs can assist people in seeing these animals living,hunting and breeding in their natural habitat. The joy of discovering and watching birds and wildlife uncaged and existing naturally, even on a country walk in southern England is always more rewarding that gawping at some poor animal as it paces up and down in some cage or small enclosure thousands of miles from its natural habitat

Answer 6

I used to hate zoos but now they are giving the animals more space to walk around in, and some species would now be extinct if there wasn't zoos and safari parks.

Answer 7

Good zoos, like Australia Zoo, are neccessary;at least for now. In the future, when enough habitat is regulated,  they may become obsolete except for educational purposes.