The long-standing question of why zoos should be banned is discussed in this essay. “We don't own planet Earth; we belong to him. We need to share it with our wildlife” – Steve Irwin. Keeping animals in zoos means they have no freedom, live in an unnatural habitat and become bored, stressed and lonely. Therefore, zoos are harmful to all animals in the world. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay In zoos, animals have only limited freedom. In nature animals have thousands of kilometers to travel and be free. In zoos, animals are trapped in tiny cages and sometimes the floor is even made of concrete. Neil Strauss, author, journalist and ghostwriter said: "Rather than having real freedom, it seemed that, like the animals in the zoo habitat, we had only the illusion of freedom. Until we tried to leave the cage, we wouldn't know never of not actually being free.' Animals that were taken from their natural habitat early will never know what true freedom is. Living in an environment like this is nothing like the animal's natural habitat. Living in habitats without grass, sand or plants on the floors and with inadequate space is nothing like an animal's natural habitat. Taking an animal away from its family and putting it in a small enclosure with glass or gates around it is not right. Robert Breault says, "The only creature on Earth whose natural habitat it's a zoo it's the zookeeper." Some zoos have balanced natural ecosystems and give the animals adequate space, but most zoos give them extraordinarily small space and often with artificial plants and grass. Everything that happens around the animals can be incredibly stressful for them. Animals are often alone in their cages and can become very isolated without the necessary bonding with their peers. Zoos are usually very busy places and with all the commotion around the animals it can be incredibly stressful and they can also get very bored. Sundaram Mani states that, “Within the prison walls of every zoo, sit tortured souls with empty eyes and broken spirits.” This is a terribly sad quote because it talks about the heartbreaking suffering of some animals kept in zoos. Sometimes animals become anxious to the point where they stop eating and drinking and then starve and die if left unmonitored. No animal deserves this trauma, even though they could live longer in zoos, live boring lives and may display nervous behavior. Therefore, zoos should be banned because they are very cruel to animals. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay In conclusion, after all these aspects are considered, zoos should be banned. Animals kept in zoos live in an unnatural environment where they are not stimulated and are socially withdrawn. Having limited freedom would drastically affect the life of any creature. It's time for people to realize how serious this problem is and how cruel it is to animals. As Jane Goodall said: “The least I can do is speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. Video VersionWorks Cited Bostock, S. (2016). Zoo and animal welfare. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Environmental Science. Oxford University Press. Carr, N., & Cohen, S. (2011). Banning zoos: Is it possible to free animals from captivity? Anthrozoös, 24(4),,.