Zoo Pros and Cons: The Captivity Debate

By Holly Shaftel, contributing writer

On July 26, 2025, People reported that the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium welcomed a baby Asian elephant, with another one on the way.

In this feel-good story, the president and CEO of the zoo* called it an “exciting milestone” and said it showed their promise to help protect these species.

But not everyone agrees. Some experts in elephant behavior and rescue say keeping elephants in zoos doesn’t really help save them.

Courtney Fern of Nonhuman Rights Project said there’s no benefit to conservation (protecting nature) when “holding elephants captive.”

Mickey Pardo, a scientist who studies elephant behavior, asked, why keep elephants in zoos if it doesn’t help the ones living in nature?

“It’s not like anyone is planning to ever release those elephants into the wild,” he said.

Some zoos in North America have already closed these displays. The Detroit Zoo did so in 2004, saying it wasn’t right to keep these animals there.

Since many parks and zoos struggle to meet the needs of the world’s biggest land animals, people are asking: What good does breeding animals in captivity really do? And what role, if any, should zoos play in society?

This article explores those questions.

Captive Breeding

Zoos, aquariums, and wildlife centers raise animals through captive breeding, also called “ex-situ conservation,” to prevent them from going extinct.

Supporters say this is sometimes the best — or only — way to save certain species. For example, the California condor was successfully bred in captivity and released back into the wild.

But there are problems too:

• High cost: For example, saving the condor in the 1990s cost about $20 million. Some say that money should have gone to protecting wild habitats instead.
• “Extra” animals: Sometimes zoos end up with too many animals and have to figure out what to do with them. Some end up in places like hunting parks or are even killed and sold to restaurants.
• Ethical treatment of wildlife: For example, SeaWorld once bred wild orcas for shows. After an orca killed a trainer in 2010 and the film Blackfish showed the mistreatment and stress of these animals, the marine park stopped breeding them and began phasing out shows**.
• Saving species vs. saving nature: Some people believe the point of saving species is to allow them to play their part in nature. Unlike the California condor, most animals born in zoos are never set free.

Even with these problems, places like the Columbus Zoo still believe captive breeding is important, especially since animals are losing their homes in the wild.

The Role of Zoos in Society

People have argued for years about whether zoos are good or bad. Some activists say they are like “prisons,” while many zoos say they take good care of animals.

Zoos aren’t perfect, and some animals do suffer. But these places also serve important purposes. According to Dr Pardo, their main roles are entertainment, education, scientific research, and conservation.

“I think that going to zoos as a kid definitely had a positive impact on me and on how I viewed animals,” he said. “It probably encouraged me quite a lot to go down that career path.

However, as an elephant biologist, Dr Pardo now knows “there is a lot of evidence that elephants suffer in zoos.” He thinks the educational benefits of zoos aren’t a good reason to keep suffering animals in captivity.

Fern offered a solution: Zoos could act more like sanctuaries.

When I asked her about educating kids — for example, inspiring them to become scientists and activists — she said some places have AR (alternate reality), VR (virtual reality), holograms, and robot-like animals so the real ones could be left alone in the wild.

Whatever you think about zoos, here’s a table to show pros and cons with examples:

Aspect	Pros (Examples + Sources)	Cons (Examples + Sources)
Conservation	San Diego Zoo – Saved California condor; runs Frozen Zoo	Most zoo animals are never released back into the wild, so “conservation” can just mean keeping them in cages.
Species Survival	Detroit Zoo – Released 9,400+ Wyoming toads; 84,000 Puerto Rican crested toads	European Zoos – Kill (or remove) possibly tens of thousands of healthy animals each year Copenhagen Zoo – Killed giraffe Marius because the zoo had too many animals
Education	National Zoo (DC) – Open to everyone, helps teach people about saving animals	Zoo said cutting open (dissecting) Marius in front of people was “educational,” but many found it disturbing.
Welfare	Detroit Zoo – Retired elephants to sanctuary (2004)	Some zoos still keep animals in tiny cages, leading to stress and pacing back and forth. Toronto Zoo (pre-2013) – Criticized for cramped elephant enclosures before transferring to PAWS Sanctuary
Research	San Diego Zoo – Research on animal health, genetics, and veterinary care.	A 2018 study found that while zoos and aquariums are publishing more research now, about half of AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) organizations didn’t publish any in 20 years because of limited resources and other priorities.
Entertainment	Monterey Bay Aquarium – Focus on education and exhibits that look like the animals’ natural homes	SeaWorld – Orca suffering exposed in Blackfish (2013) London Zoo (past) – “Chimpanzee tea parties” (1950s) Joe Exotic’s G.W. Zoo – Poor care, tiger cub breeding for profit (Tiger King)

Conclusion

Zoos have changed a lot since ancient times. Today, they care more about animals and the environment. They’re not perfect, but they can still improve!

So, what can you do? Here are some options:

• See a problem at a zoo? Speak up!
• Donate to good*** zoos and sanctuaries.
• Become a scientist who helps protect animals.
• Volunteer at a zoo or sanctuary.
• Push for stronger animal protection laws.
• Make eco-friendly choices that help wild animals.

Learning about the pros and cons of zoos can help us imagine better ways to protect wildlife.

* a place where wild (and sometimes tame) animals are kept for people to see (Encyclopedia Britannica)

** SeaWorld still runs orca shows called “Orca Encounters,” which aim to educate the public about killer whale research and conservation. The company says the orcas currently in their care will be the last generation to live there.

*** What’s considered a “good” zoo? That’s up to you, but it usually involves looking at animal welfare. Look at the “pros and cons” table above and do your own research before deciding.

Main photo: a wild cat inside a cage. Credit: Jamshed Ahmad / Pexels