July 01, 2015

Sardine's Opinion: Zoos

Hello My Loves,

         Today I am starting a new blog series called Sardine's Opinion. In these blog posts, I will be covering topics that may be a bit on the controversial side. That being said, I will never cover topics that have to do with serious politics, as I am neutral when it comes to all things political. If you have any topics or ideas please feel free to comment or email me using the contact me tab above.

        Today, we will be discussing the topic of zoos. I have been asked by a few people who are aware that I am an animal lover, what my opinion is of zoos. Zoos seem to have a bad rap for neglecting their inhabitants and not giving them the proper provisions for their needs. Alot of people believe that these animals need not be in cages and that they should be in the wild.

         I 100% agree that these animals should be in the wild. They were born with the instinct to be wild. There are two kinds of animals in this world, the kind that were meant to be domesticated and those that where made to be in the wild. I feel horrible for these animals that have to be stuffed up in a cage and just want to be set free in a field. They have all these survival instincts and they can't even use them. However, I also believe that at this day in age, with the poaching threat on the rise and the mutiny these poachers put these poor animals through, Zoos are very much needed to control any threat of extinction. I loved watching the Animal Planet when I had cable and one of my favorite shows was Battleground: Rhino Wars. If I have to be honest, I have never been a fan of Rhino's. But after watching this show and learning how in danger of extinction they are, I have a new respect for them. The things that these poachers do to these poor animals makes my stomach turn. Rhino's are just one of the THOUSANDS of animals at risk of extinction and with zoos, it is possible to preserve these species.

         Now, I am not saying I support ALL zoos. I only support zoos whose main purpose is to conserve these animals not to put them on display in order to make money. My local zoo in Toronto, The Toronto Zoo, does just that. I follow them on facebook and their conservation efforts are always being displayed. Most recently, they released 9,000 of the Puerto Rican crested Toads tadpoles into a Puerto Rican conservation area. Super cool since this is a threatened species! I defiantly support a zoo that takes care of their animals and make sure that their #1 priority is to conserve these animals. When you visit this zoo in particular, you can tell it's not all about entertaining everyone who visits with unnecessary "shows" to put these poor animals on display. Their habitats are reflective of their homes in the wild. Also, their "Meet the Keeper" programs are much more about teaching and putting out awareness for these poor and critically endangered species.

So, Do I think that all these animals should be in the wild? Yes. Do I think they should all be set free? No. Do I support local zoo's? Yes, but only if the zoo is doing its part to conserve these animals. I want these animals to be happy as much as they next guy, but there are too many threats to their survival in the wild. I say support a local zoo who proves by their actions that they're acting in the best interest of their animals.

Until next time...

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with The Toronto Zoo. These are just my opinions! 

3 comments:

  1. Did you hear about that dentist who killed a lion in Zimbabwe? He shot it with an arrow, then tracked it for 40 hours, found it and shot it. Authorities found it skinned and beheaded. It's horrible.

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    1. Yes, I did. People are crap sometimes. 😭

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