PROBLEMS FACING ZOOS
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Introduction
The problems facing zoos lie in issues that cover the aspects of wildlife trafficking, genetic bottlenecking, habitat fragmentation, loss of biodiversity, and physical pollution. Zoos are structurally conservative institutions; hence the listed issues affect the wellbeing of wildlife.
Wildlife Trafficking
Wildlife trafficking is a threat to global security and a conservation concern among various zoos all over the world. The poaching of managed species in zoos and related products has risen to become an international concern because it depletes the availability of wildlife. Zoos are the most affected by wildlife traffickers because they are regarded to be safe places where every species of wildlife can be found (Wyatt, 2013). Zoos can be directly linked to wildlife trafficking because of the bad intentions of the operators. Zoos involve the encasing of wildlife that has been involved in wildlife trade and hunting. Even though the original intention of setting up zoos was to be a natural place where members of the public can view wildlife, wildlife brokers and hunters have used a legal means of illegal trade. For example, hunters may illegally traffic wildlife from national reserves for storage in zoos. Zoos are usually legal markets where most animal hunters and traders sell the wildlife they have acquired illegally. The loophole in the law that allows zoo owners or operators to exchange wildlife with oversees zoos has created a platform where wildlife trafficking thrives (Wyatt, 2013). Wildlife trafficking has made several zoos to be faced with severe litigations and sometimes even closure by the government. The increased demand for wildlife and their parts has made several zoos to be at risk because wild animals are easily available in zoos. Wildlife trafficking is a problem facing zoos because it results in security concerns as the zoo operators try to protect the wildlife while animal hunters attack them. Wildlife trafficking is a human threat zoos have had to deal with.
Loss of Biodiversity and Physical Pollution
Substantial biological diversity is useful in keeping the ecosystem healthy and stronger. Even though some species are being discovered, the rate of extinction of other species is very high. Loss of biodiversity means that zoos will not be able to encase particular species of wildlife. Loss of biodiversity is a problem for zoos because their attractiveness is derived from the possession of diverse wildlife (Frost, 2011). For example, a zoo that mainly keeps lions or such other common wildlife will be less attractive compared to a zoo that keeps a variety of wildlife. Habitat destruction is a cause of diversity loss that makes zoos not to have several species of wildlife because of their extinction. Habitat destruction can be in the form of overpopulation, global warming, and deforestation, and the wildlife is usually forced to move away from their natural habitat.
Physical pollution takes the form of noise that takes place unpredictably and may negatively affect wildlife in a zoo. The zoo environment, if left unmanaged, may have negative impacts on the wildlife’s overall wellbeing. Physical pollution may take the form of sound pollution where the wildlife in the zoos are routinely subjected to noises from visitors, traffic, and ground maintenance. The noise may sometimes be intense, thus eliciting stress response in some wildlife. Exposure to intense sound makes the wildlife undergo biological processes that make them respond to the sound as a potential threat (Frost, 2011). However, prolonged exposure to such intense sounds may induce in the wildlife a state of chronic stress that may have negative effects on immune status, reproduction, and growth. Physical pollution, therefore a problem facing zoos because it affects the welfare of the wildlife present.
Physical pollution also relates to problems associated with animal-visitors interaction (AVIs). AVIs may negatively impact the welfare of animals if the necessary protocols are not observed. The interaction may present a problem to the zoos because the visitors may have ill intentions while visiting the zoo (De Mori et al., 2019). For example, a visitor may poison the wildlife under the pretense of feeding to settle scores or other personal reasons. The problems relating to AVIs often necessitate zoos to put strict conditions that may not be popular for visitors so that they protect the wildlife.
Genetic Bottlenecking
Zoos are often characterized by limited size, unavailability of some species, and ineffective zoo managers. A genetic bottleneck occurs because several zoos subject the encased wildlife to several scientific tests. The impact of genetic bottlenecking is to reduce the size of a given species population and reduces the genetic diversity of a given species because only a given fraction of the population may survive. Genetic bottlenecking in zoos may also take the form of diseases, fire, and floods because the wildlife is living in an encased environment. Genetic bottlenecks, whether natural or artificial, are problems to zoos because the design of zoos is to protect endangered species from becoming extinct as opposed to being the cause of limiting the growth of some species.
References
De Mori, B., Ferrante, L., Florio, D., Macchi, E., Pollastri, I. and Normando, S., 2019. A protocol for the ethical assessment of wild animal–Visitor interactions (AVIP) evaluating animal welfare, education, and conservation outcomes. Animals, 9(8), p.487. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani9080487
Frost, Warwick, ed. Zoos and tourism: Conservation, education, entertainment?. Vol. 46. Channel View Publications, 2011.
Wyatt, T., 2013. Wildlife trafficking: A deconstruction of the crime, the victims, and the offenders. Springer.