Next time when You go to a zoo...

Oxford Dictionary describes a ‘zoo’ as a place where living wild animals are kept for the public to see them and where they can be studied and bred.

Most zoo authorities claim that they work to save rare species and, through captive breeding, replenish populations in the wild. A zoo’s main role is of saving the planet’s wildlife.

There are thousands of zoos on this planet. In the beginning the idea of saving endangered species could have given birth to the concept of establishing zoos but modern zoos, despite their big claims, have primarily turned more into a business activity and a place of entertainment. The commercialisation of zoos has far outweighed their importance as a place for protection of endangered species.

 Time and again people have raised their voice against the pattern of functioning of modern zoos. There are several study reports revealing that less than one percent of zoo’s animals are endangered. This clearly shows that most of the animals (birds included) kept in cages are for entertainment only and not for conservation.


There are certain laws and directives regarding conditions to be maintained in the zoos. The laws may differ from region to region but the central idea, that these caged animals must be provided with conditions matching to their natural habitat as far as possible, remains the same. Recent studies show that most zoo authorities fail in maintaining hygienic conditions and supplying enough food to animals in the zoo. Next time when you go to a zoo, think how many of these caged animals are endangered and, therefore, fit for being caged. How many of the people visiting the zoo have in mind the idea of getting knowledge about wildlife and how many of them have come just for entertainment? In this era of technology we have other better means of getting knowledge of wildlife and studying them in a more scientific manner than keeping animals in zoo.

Next time when you go to a zoo, while standing outside the cage of an innocent animal (for me all animals are innocent) try to see in the eyes of that caged animal. You will witness that though it is regularly getting its food and though the conditions are very good, it constantly tries to find a way out. Replace yourself with that animal, of course in imagination, and think: Would I be happy to be there with all luxuries guaranteed till my death? The answer is a big ‘NO’ because the greatest luxury of life is ‘FREEDOM’ even if it may threaten your survival at certain occasions.

During my visit to a zoo, some days back, I was standing in front of a cage. The animal (a deer) on the other side was persistently trying to find a way out. Then it stood facing me, silent pain rolling down the eyes, staring at me with an unspoken hope and helplessness. I felt that it was asking me: “What is my crime? Why don’t you let me live my life with freedom?”  It stared in my eyes for a few moments and then turned its face from me realising, perhaps, the greater degrre of my helplessness. My eyes became wet.

 I decided…
Next time when I go to a zoo…
No, no I will never go to a zoo. There will be no next time…!