I had my first doubts about ZOO-s when I worked in East Kalimantan, when I could see exotics animals in the wild. The final straw for me was when I saw the ZOO in the middle of Buenos Aires called Ecoparque.
"Are You Human ?"
My reaction to zoos is ambivalent. I have good memories about them, but also very sad memories. I think it depends on the people. When I was little, we often went to the zoo in Barcelona. So that was my first contact with animals. When I was older and visited the same zoo, I had my first insight about the cruelty of people when I saw them laughing in front of polar bears, laughing at these beautiful bears that were in a completely artificial environment. Zoos have always existed, they can be a learning opportunity to work on compassion, and love for animals, love for the animal kingdom. A zoo is an extension of us, a mirror. Going to the zoo is perhaps important, to reflect on how our relationship with animals is. It can be an opportunity to discover animals in the real world, and not on TV. As I said, my feelings towards zoos are ambivalent.
I once visited a zoo in Gramby, Quebec with a group of children. It was raining and I remember looking at a pensive lion in the rain. What was he thinking? I stayed a long time looking at him, trying to put myself in his place. In fact, I believe that zoos are a big prison that resembles ours. And at the same time a school. That's why I'm ambivalent.
There is a writer who wrote very nice books about animals, he was a zoo director during his life and there I got another vision about zoos. His name was Gerard Durrel, it's worth to read it. He taught us how his zoo worked, he taught us about the animals, in fact he was a good teacher.
His books are excellent, and I like reading him better than going to the zoo.
Should zoos disappear? I can't answer that question. Anyway, you can be sure that the Agenda 2030 intends to take animals out of our lives, and it is not for the love of animals that they will do it.