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Animals in Captivity vs. Animals in the Wild
Kah Ying Choo
One of the key problems with
placing animals in captivity is the fact that the typical development of their
authentic being is arrested at all levels. Although scientists working
with animals in captivity claim that the needs of these creatures are satisfied,
they have failed to acknowledge the adverse impact of the deficiencies of the
physical and social environment on the quality of life of these animals.
For example, orcas and dolphins in the wild exhibit high intelligence, a strong
need for social interaction and intense activity. The challenging
environment in the ocean propels them to exercise their physical and mental
prowess constantly. In contrast, the typical physical and mental activity
of dolphins in aquariums is limited by the static quality of the environment and
the size of the tanks. Essentially, the orcas and dolphins are living in prisons
(Animal Protection Institute, 2000, p. 1).
Another negative side-effect associated with the physical environment provided
to dolphins in captivity has been found in the study of echolocation in
captivity. Unlike the ocean that has softer sounds covering a wider
bandwidth, dolphins in captivity often become deaf when they are exposed to the
excessive concentration of sounds in the aquariums. Concomitantly, their
ability to function normally is also affected (Ellis, 1982; Harrison et al.,
1994).
Moreover, animals in the wild such as dolphins and orcas co-exist in distinctive
groups and forge strong and enduring bonds with one another, which can last for
as long as ten years. Within each of these groups, or pods, the family
members communicate with one another with their own unique vocalizations.
On the other hand, in captivity, the development of social organizations among
the dolphins is undermined by the fact that family members can be traded and
sold to other aquariums. Some dolphins are separated from their mothers when
they are only six months old, thus preventing them from experiencing a typical
social life (Animal Protection Institute, 2000, p. 1). In addition,
different species of dolphins that have different social organizations and
habits are restricted to the choice of their tank mates without the possibility
of seeking out members of their own species.
Without the opportunity to learn social organizations and habits, many animals
in captivity are unable to nurture or care for the young. In the case of
chimpanzees, wild female chimps acquire their nurturing skills from their
mothers and other female relatives within their social group. However,
young chimps that have grown up in captivity do not have the opportunities to
learn from their wild-born relatives. More adapted to human ways, these
female chimps have lost their natural propensity and skills to care for their
own young (Rock, 1995, p. 71).
Therefore, animals in captivity are affected by extreme boredom, lack of
appropriate exercise, poor quality food and a lack of variety of food,
especially in poorly run facilities. Since the development of their
natural instincts and typical behavior has been stifled prematurely, animals in
captivity that are released are unable to function normally in the wild.
Animals in captivity that are used to being fed with dead fish and meat by
trainers are unable to eat live fish. Unaware of the social organization
that exist in the wild, dolphins and orcas that attempt to join pods of animals
of a different species are often attacked. In fact, the mortality rate of
the released captive animals is 15 percent (Ellis, 1982; Harrison et al., 1994).
While this fact can be used to support the captivity of animals, it testifies to
the tragedy of animals in captivity, which have lost their connection to their
authentic being and identity at every level.
Because they are deprived of their natural environment, social interaction and
typical activity, animals in captivity often divert their energies and anxiety
into stereotypical behavior that are not evident in animals in the wild (Animal
Protection Institute, 2000, p. 2). For example, tigers in the wild
typically spend ten hours of the day hunting and monitoring their territory.
However, their circus counterparts that are unable to perform these activities
are forced to replace the typical physical activity by pacing their cages in
order to release their energy. In their study, Nevill and Friend
discovered that only by providing circus tigers with opportunities for exercise
did the amount of pacing decrease (cited in Chenault, 2002, p. 2).
The above discussion has illuminated the tragic consequences of suppressing the
typical development of animals by placing them in captivity. Deprived of
their natural environment and social groupings, these creatures are unable to
learn in a way that will help them achieve their full potential and realize
their authentic being. Instead, their natural activity is transformed into
stereotypical behavior such as the tigers’ pacing of their cages or
unpredictable eruptions of aggression by circus elephants. I believe these
concepts can be extrapolated to young school children who are trapped not only
within the physical confines of the school classroom, but also its oppressive
rules and expectations, thus preventing them from achieving their human
potential.
References
Animal Protection Institute (2000, April). Serving a life sentence: orcas
and dolphins in captivity. Retrieved August 19, 2002, from
http://www.api4animals.org/doc.asp?ID=300&print=y
Chenault, E. A. (2002, July 2). Hold that tiger: research studies circus
tigers’ behavior, environment. AgNews. Retrieved August 19, 2002, from
http://agnews.tamu.edu/dailynews/stories/ANSC/Jul0202a.htm
Ellis, R. (1982). Dolphins and porpoises. New York: Alfred & Knopf,
Inc.
Harrison, R., et al. (1994). Whales, dolphins and porpoises. New
York: Facts on File, Inc.
Rock, M. (1995, March). Human ‘moms’ teach chimps it’s all in the family.
Smithsonian, 25(12), 70-75.