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Christina Elrod
ENG 112-78
Connie Douglas
1 November 2016
Voices on Wild Animals in Captivity
When it comes to controversial topics, there always seems to be many different
perspectives. These perspectives, also known as voices, express different opinions based on
morals and personal experience. There is typically no agreeable solution to the issue, but every
voice is valid. Just like the Knights of the Round Table in the Arthurian legend, no voice takes
precedence over another. One example of a topic with multiple voices is the ongoing issue of
wild animals in captivity.
Captivity is defined as the state of being kept in a place, such as a prison or a cage, and
not being able to leave or be free (Captivity). Wild animals are typically held captive in
places; such as, zoos, circuses, aquariums, animal sanctuaries, wildlife parks, and animal
research facilities.These animals are either bred in captivity or captured in the wild and placed in
captivity. Although the main reason for the captivity of wild animals is for entertainment
purposes, other reasons include scientific experimentation, education, and conservation.
Scientific experimentation can be important for the development of human medicines and
cures for diseases. Observing or studying animals in captivity can be a great opportunity for
learning about the behaviors, characteristics, and habitats of wild animals. Conservation is
important when it comes to the prevention of animal extinction. The extinction of a species could
upset the natural balance of certain ecosystems. Despite these advantages, there are several
voices that oppose the captivity of wild animals as well. Some of the different perspectives on

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the issue include the voice of those in the animal medical field, the voice of the United States
government, and the voice of conservationists.
The voice belonging to those in the medical field is the strongest voice on the issue of
wild animals in captivity because they have the most knowledge of animal health, as well as
hard-earned credentials. The voices of the medical field include veterinarians, animal dentists,
and behavioral biologists. Those in the medical field are mostly against the captivity of wild
animals because of the physical and psychological stress that arises in the animals. This physical
and psychological stress has become apparent through observation of the animals, along with
research and controlled experiments that compare wild animals in their natural habit with wild
animals in captivity.
One experiment, done by Clubb and Mason, two behavioral biologists, proved that wild
animals in small captive environments not only have a higher rate of infant mortality due to poor
maternal care, but they are more prone to repetitive, abnormal behavior; such as, pacing, head
swaying, and states of lethargic behavior. These behaviors are due to depression or the
psychological stress of not adapting well to the man-made environment (473). Aside from the
psychological aspect, wild animals in captivity typically suffer physically as well. Kapoor, a
researcher in veterinary science, examined the oral health of captive felids and found that the
occurrence and severity of calculus buildup and periodontal disease was significantly higher in
captive felids compared to their wild counterparts (213). Seeing as most animals in captivity are
carnivores, the diet they are fed lacks the tough, hard texture, which is usually present in the
wild, that is necessary for the breakdown of plaque and food particles in the teeth. (Kapoor 213).
Another voice on the issue of wild animals in captivity is the government, which agrees
with conservationists and wants to prevent extinction, but also wants to ensure the animals are

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receiving proper care in a fit environment. Many animal rights activists and concerned citizens
feel that the animals in captivity are not being properly taken care of and are living in unfit
environments. In an attempt to avoid or lessen these concerns, the government has put specific
laws and regulations in place to ensure the welfare of captive animals. One example is the
Animal Welfare Act which requires that minimum standards of care and treatment be provided
for certain animals bred for commercial sale, used in research, transported commercially, or
exhibited to the public ("Animal Welfare Act" 1).
Over the past decade, the government has gotten more involved with animal welfare and
has placed even more strict regulations on animal captivity. After changes were made to the
Animal Welfare Act in 2012, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is now
authorized to perform random inspections of the overall health and living conditions of animals
in captivity (Blue 1). The change in regulations should cause animal care takers to be more
conscientious when it comes to the welfare of animals and the way they are treated. Another
change in the Animal Welfare Act requires all exhibitors, dealers, and research facilities to
submit a detailed itinerary before transporting an animal to an approved location, which should
eliminate costs that the APHIS might acquire due to inspections of areas where animals are no
longer being held. The elimination of these costs allows for more money to be spent in the
benefit of animal welfare (Blue 1).
The third voice on wild animals in captivity belongs to conservationists. Conservationists
argue that the protection of animals through captivity is necessary for the prevention of a species
becoming extinct. When a species is near extinction, injured, or ill, they are captured and placed
in captivity for breeding purposes or for rehabilitation. Extinction has been rapidly occurring
with several species due to global environmental changes such as climate change, land use and

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land cover change, deforestation and desertification, (Keulartz 335-336) which can interfere or
even destroy animal life and habitats.
Often, efforts will be made to release or reintegrate the animal back into the wild.
However, animals can lose or forget their basic survival skills while in captivity, so
conservationists try to release animals into the wild sooner, rather than later. Another method
practiced my conservationists is relocation. According to Keulartz, a professor in environmental
philosophy, severe stress and vulnerability occurs in animals throughout every stage of relocation
(336). However, Waples, a researcher for the Department of Parks and Wildlife, assures the
public that animals are not fully integrated into the wild until it is apparent that they are able to
survive without the help or care of humans (120).
Although there are many other voices on the issue of placing wild animals in captivity,
the medical field, the government, and the conservationists all have strong voices as well. Some
voices fight for animal captivity, while other voices are against the issue. With the welfare
concerns of the medical field, the restrictions put in place by the government, and the need for
conservation due to extinction, efforts are still being made to improve animal welfare in
captivity, mostly due to the outlash of animal rights activists. Yet the question still remains on
whether or not animal captivity is ethical enough to be acceptable, despite the advantages. Does
the government actually care about the welfare of animals, or are they just catering to the wishes
of the public? Does conservation do more harm than good? There are many factors to consider
when it comes to animal captivity, but humans are still evolving and learning to coexist with
animals.

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Works Cited
"Animal Welfare Act." National Agricultural Library. United States Department of Agriculture,
6 Nov. 2013. Web. 01 Nov. 2016.
Blue, Rebecca. "Submission of Itineraries." Lanham: Federal Information & News Dispatch, Inc,
2012. ProQuest. Web. 01 Nov. 2016.
"Captivity." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, 2016. Web. 01 Nov. 2016.
Clubb, Ros, and Georgia Mason. "Captivity Effects on Wide-Ranging Carnivores." Nature
425.6957 (2003): 473-4. ProQuest. Web. 01 Nov. 2016.
Kapoor, Varsha, et al. "Oral Health Correlates of Captivity." Research in veterinary science 107
(2016): 213-9. ProQuest. Web. 01 Nov. 2016.
Keulartz, Jozef. "Captivity for Conservation? Zoos at a Crossroads." Journal of Agricultural
and Environmental Ethics 28.2 (2015): 335-51. ProQuest. Web. 04 Oct. 2016.
Waples, Kelly A., and Clifford S. Stagoll. "Ethical Issues in the Release of Animals from
Captivity." Bioscience 47.2 (1997): 115-21. ProQuest. Web. 01 Nov. 2016.