ABOVE: One of the two polar bears currently on exhibit at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. (Taken from http://www.ColumbusZoo.com) Yesterday, I took a trip to the Columbus Zoo with my parents to celebrate Father's Day. While I didn't happen to see any cetaceans, I did see many other animals. Some of my favorites included the otters, gorillas, and the polar bears (a new exhibit.)
Seeing all of these wonderful animals was admittedly a bittersweet experience for me. At one point, while exiting the polar bear exhibit, I turned to my dad and asked, "Do you think those polar bears are happy?" He paused a moment and then responded with, "No."
I didn't have to say anything further. His reasoning was clear. Had the polar bears been given a choice, they would probably want to live in their natural habitat. After considering this, my mother then chimed in with another point. The polar bears we had seen were born in captivity. They had never known anything other than the lifestyle that they are currently living.
So, my question is: who is right? ...Or is there a right answer? Are zoos ethical? Is there a gray area where it may be ethical to keep animals in a zoo as long as they were born into captivity?
I'd like to see some comments on the issue!
Please share your opinions!
