NewbOldster
Well-Known Member
I'm a little mixed up wrt zoos. For educational purposes, they're invaluable, especially for kids learning about the world around them. The joy in a little kid's face when the dolphin says 'hello' through the glass of its aquarium is priceless. We didn't really have that when I was a kid growing up, and I hope it gives them a lifelong love of wildlife.
But how does a 10-acre tract of land adequately provide for animals from five different continents? My wife and I went to the zoo this summer, and I was saddened at the tireless swimming of the seals in their tiny enclosures. Yeah...all their needs are met - except that pesky 'freedom' one.
I seem to recall that Mote Marine Lab in Sarasota once had a shark in a tank that literally just about killed itself, bumping against the glass, trying to escape. That's heartbreaking stuff to me.