Essay 280 – Zoos are inhumane and should be abolished

GT Writing Task 2 / Essay Sample # 280

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Zoos are inhumane and should be abolished.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

Model Answer:

Many critics argue that zoos should be banned due to the inhumane animal conditions. I think that animals, in general, should not be mistreated, but I agree that zoos should exist for several reasons: entertainment, education and conservation.

According to some, keeping wild animals in zoos is simply cruel. For a start, when animals are kept in an artificial atmosphere with limited space, they lose their intrinsically natural aptitude for fighting or hunting. This, in turn, exerts an adverse impact on animals when they return to wildlife. Many critics go further and maintain that many large mammals confined in zoos- rhinos, elephants, and lions, for instance- are born with diseases or wrong genetic profiles – most probably the consequence of inbreeding. Consequently, these animals could further wane wild populations already struggling to survive when they come back to the wild. Most importantly, animals, like humans, should have the right to enjoy their freedom according to these critics.

However, there are cogent reasons why zoos should continue to exist. First and foremost, zoos are a great place for entertainment. In other words, people take their families to enjoy the beauty of many exotic animals in person that they only get to see on television or in books. In consequence, they promote the local economy by providing job opportunities and income for local people. Second, they also have an educational aspect. Put simply, zoos provide visitors with the opportunities to learn about habitat conservation through activities and programmes. Last but not least, conservation programs also justify a zoo’s existence. Breeding projects for animals that are on the brink of extinction are of profound importance. If it was not for zoos, there would be no Przewalski’s horse left on the planet, for example.

To conclude, although it is cruel to mistreat wild animals in zoos, they are the best possible place to entertain and educate the public, and protect endangered species. Therefore, zoos ought to be conducted scientifically so that they can reap the best advantages for both humans and animals.