Unfortunately, its the lesser of evils. They aren't only locked up for our amusement. They are locked up for their own protection and for the sake of the survival of the species. Of course its preferable for them to be in the wild but sadly the wild isn't the wonderful place it should be... they have been hunted by poachers just short of extinction... and in many cases, into extinction. If it weren't for zoos, and those who visit them, many more would be extinct.. if it wasn't for people going there to pay money to look at them and be amused by their majestic beauty, the zoos would not be able to pay the INSANE bill to feed them, keep them, pay for full hospital facilities, expensive medications etc etc etc... nor fly them from one zoo to the other in the hope to match them up so they may mate and produce more so the species can be saves and hopefully one day, we can undo the damage other members of our kind have inflicted. In a perfect world, yes I hate that they are locked up too... but zoos do a LOT of good and you shouldn't feel bad going to see them and enjoy them... The truth is, when you go to the zoo, you are feeding them, housing them, paying for people to care for them and helping them reproduce. So please, next time you go to the zoo, not only should you do so with a clear conscience, you should actually feel good about what you are doing. If no one goes, its the animals who suffer. You have a good heart... don't feel bad, feel proud. You are one of the good ones! xo
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