• rah
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    6 months ago

    Why not save animals from unsafe/illegal conditions and provide enrichment, without turning the animals into an attraction?

    • Liz@midwest.social
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      6 months ago

      Because the attraction rallies support for preserving and protecting their natural habitat. Zoos act as promotional centers for conservation.

      • rah
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        6 months ago

        Zoos act as promotional centers for conservation.

        But they aren’t necessary for conservation. Conservation can occur without zoos.

        • Liz@midwest.social
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          6 months ago

          Yes, but conservation is not a binary condition. Zoos are responsible for more conservation than we would otherwise have without them.

          • rah
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            6 months ago

            So you acknowledge that zoos are not necessary for conservation?

            • Liz@midwest.social
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              6 months ago

              Not in a binary sense, no. Such thinking isn’t useful, however. Zoos are a very strong net good fot animals, with minimal downsides (assuming the zoo keepers aren’t calloused assholes).

                • Liz@midwest.social
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                  6 months ago

                  Yes I’m well aware of the difficulties involved, but they can be mitigated, as your source explains. There’s more issues than just keeping them from going stir-crazy, but a proper zoo (the only kind I advocate for) will do their best to address all of them.

                  • rah
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                    6 months ago

                    they can be mitigated

                    But not eliminated.

        • TachyonTele@lemm.ee
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          6 months ago

          I love when people like you suddenly come up with a hot take that absolutely no one has ever thought through ever in the past hundreds of years.

    • wahming@monyet.cc
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      6 months ago

      Because people wouldn’t support spending their taxes on it without making them aware of the value. Which is done by educating them.