When young, my parents took me to a zoo. I remember looking in admiration at two bears in a cage. Things have changed. My kids would be afraid to see animals in cages. Today, we expect animals to be held in more natural environment, and for zoos to do more to make the world a better place.
Zoos can host great conservation(保护) work. Sometimes they hold and protect endangered animals. About 40 seriously endangered animal species exist mainly in zoos. They are us for study, reproducing(繁殖) programs and even to reintroduce the animals to the wild. But not many zoos do enough of this. I support the recommendation of some researchers that zoos should spend at least 10%of their money on biodiversity(生物多样性) conservation. Sadly, a 1999 study showed an average spending of only 0.1%.
If zoos totally concentrate on protection, we might expect them to mostly house threatened species. But many zoos focus on the big animals that draw audiences to make money. I say that's inappropriate(不合适的). I don't mean zoos shouldn't be a business. Since care of animals can be extremely expensive, it's reasonable for zoos to open their doors to earn some money, as long as animals are kept in acceptable conditions.
Visiting animals in real life helps develop an appreciation for the natural world. Virtual-reality (VR) glasses and movies about wildlife are worthwhile, but not the same. A friend of mine who works in the Amazon puts it this way: "To love the forest, you need to smell the forest."
Conservation should come first for all zoos, together with education and research. Without that, a zoo becomes just a business: one that the world would be better off without.
