Zoos should be banned.

Okay... So pro argues that enclosures can never be compared to animals' natural habitats. Okay I have to agree on this one as this is a fact. ***** Next, pro argues that zoos are only able to return few species to the wild with varying levels of success out of thousands endangered species. Yet pro decided to ignore my proof which gives examples of two animals which have benefited from zoos' conservation efforts. It is obvious that zoos cannot conserve every species in this world. The point I'm trying to tell you is that zoos have contributed to conservation efforts to many animals but not all. But so what if zoos cannot save every species? At least zoos have been PROVEN to have done some conservation, despite your argument that zoos do not conserve animals. Without Indonesian zoos for example, would Sumatran tigers have survived? So my argument still stands ***** You also say zoos don't provide the right environment for a successful captive project. So how did those Indonesian zoos succeed in saving Sumatran tigers, and returning some of them to the wild successfully? For your information, the island of Sumatra in Indonesia is ripe with illegal tiger hunters yet those Sumatran tigers who have been released back to the wild have fared well. While some who are still in zoos are happy also. Basically there is no difference between animals from born in zoos and animals born in the wild in terms of ability to survive. ****** "The animals would also need to be raised with minimal human contact and in populations large enough to provide a natural social balance and a suitable gene pool" ---- Well, zoos usually have many animals of a specific species. Indonesian zoos which have Sumatran Tigers have more than one of them in each of their inventories. Those zoos are not foolish enough to not consider the need for their animals to socialize with other animals of the same types. And regarding human contact, people who visit zoos are only allowed to SEE animals from behind closed fences. Is that not minimal enough to you? The amount of contact is equivalent to having a safari in a national park in a protected car. So actually zoos and national parks, which are supposedly a natural habitat for zoo animals, are not much different in terms of human contact. ******* This argument of yours is very funny, claiming that zoos breed and raise animals for profit and money. Zoos are government owned in countries all over the world. And they receive government funding for the purpose of conserving and breeding endangered species alone. Not to mention separate government funding for other purposes. And those very few who are privately owned are run by animal lovers who care very little about profit. And most of such owners are rich that they don't need profit from their zoos anyway! Actually zoos are not the source of animals sold by dealers. There is a special class of breeders who specialize in supplying dealers with animals. Pet shops? Do zoos breed cats and dogs? research facilites? Do zoos breed mice and rabbits? HAHA. ****** How can you assume that children in zoos are given "the subliminal message" that it's OK to use animals for their own ends? Children usually visit zoos alongside parents or teachers. And the parents or the teachers would not teach the children to misuse animals. Which parent would teach his child bad things? Yes people go to zoos for one purpose of the fun of watching weird animals. But that's one purpose of education in zoos.By going to zoos people learn that there are weird animals and they get to see those animals with their own eyes. It's a valuable experience for them. ********* "The only way to understand an animal properly...." Wait, can every child afford to take a holiday to Africa to see animals in their natural habitats? Can every child go to the North Pole to see polar bears? That's one purpose of zoos, to give people a chance to see animals, those people who can't afford to visit the animals' natural habitats. Don't assume everyone is rich like you probably are. To many people, the only way to see real lions, tigers, polar bears etc is by visiting zoos. Are you trying to deprive them of the chance to see animals with their own eyes?