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I think zoos can be depressing because we like to imagine animals as experiencing life the same way we do, in which boredom becomes paralyzing after a couple ho

I think zoos can be depressing because we like to imagine animals as experiencing life the same way we do, in which boredom becomes paralyzing after a couple hours. Growing up on a hobby farm with chickens and horses, I never got the impression the animals were unhappy. I think if the option were given to most mammals, they'd choose life in captivity cage with fresh food every day and eventually a peaceful passing over a hungry life in the wild which eventually ends in becoming prey.

bombcar 4y ago
Sometimes you see animals doing things that pretty much indicates they don't like what they're in (a panther pacing back and forth in a 20x20 cage all day, for example) but with a larger enclosure I think we can say they're "satisfied" insofar as animals can be satisfied. It's probably better than being a pet for most of them. The "wild animal park" near San Diego has a 300 acre enclosure, for example. That's pretty darn big, and it houses various "compatible" animals. https://sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org/sites/default/files/2022-09/SP22.08.24.22_Map%20FRONT.pdf https://sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org/sites/default/files/... Of course, the depressing part of the little tram tour is the "and over here is the last male of this species". The good part is the park was started as a breeding ground for endangered species (animals don't breed well in small enclosures) and that has been pretty successful.