IELTS writing topic: Some experts believe it is better for animals to live in zoos where they are safe and are given all the food they need.

Do you think that living in zoos has more advantages or more disadvantages for animals?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Keeping animals in zoos has become a polarizing topic among experts and animal lovers. While some feel zoos offer the safest environment to protect rare and endangered species, I would argue that there are more disadvantages in confining animals in such places.

Living in a zoo has two main benefits for the animals they contain. First, the threat of extinction can be removed for endangered species like pandas and rhinos. In a zoo, they could reproduce in a well-protected area without the fear of predators or poachers. Second, in a world where human activities destroy natural habitats and the associated food sources, zoos become a perfect sanctuary for affected wildlife, such as polar bears. Simply put, these bears find their territories diminishing daily and their access to food restricted due to global warming caused by industrialization. However, in zoos they receive regular meals and can live out their lives in peace.

Despite the few advantages, living in captivity, in my opinion, is not always in the best interest of the animals. For one thing, animals have evolved to roam freely and search for a new home or mate. Remaining in the same small place will only lead to boredom or even depression. For another, being constantly on display and having no privacy at all puts them under a tremendous amount of stress. Since some wild animals, such as owls or leopards, are naturally shy, forcing them to be under constant close observation from loud groups of visitors might be considered torture. Finally, hunting and foraging is a part of most animal species. This ensures that they get enough physical activity and avoid becoming obese, but zoos cannot provide them with enough space for such natural behaviors. Therefore, living in a zoo will be both mentally and physically harmful to them.

In conclusion, it is true that keeping particular endangered species in zoos will help them live safely, but survival is not enough. All animals need their natural habitats to thrive.