Just for practice - Why people need zoos.

Chuang, Che-Kuang  

(This is a practice for TOEFL Writing.) Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? A zoo has no useful purpose. Use specific reasons and examples to explain your answer.

Zoos might have no useful purpose and are brutal facilities which deprive the freedom of those animals in the aspects of the animal protection association. However, if these people can see zoos from different aspects, such as the financial uses, the recreating function and the animal protection of zoos, they might have different thoughts. To examine this argument, we have to look into further details. Through studying these datum and news of Australia, we can get proof of this argument.

First, zoos could bring considerable money for its owner. A zoo could make money not only through selling tickets but also through renting out its court as business uses. According to the survey of Australia Government, these public zoos make more than ten million dollars for those local governments to fix their fiscal gap each year, now it is one of the most important resources of income for the government. For example, the National Sydney Zoo, as one of the largest zoo in the world and owns the endemic species of Australia, each year it attracts two million tourists around the world and brings enormous money for the Sydney city government. These datum and facts completely state that these zoos are not as useless as those animal protection associations said.

Second, zoos are essential entertainment and education places for the residents to relieve their daily pressure and to recreate. For the adults and young couples, the zoo is a perfect place for dating and resting; for the teachers and children, it is a living museum which could provide real education materials. Almost all elementary school students have been to zoos more than three times as field trips, and according to the research of Sydney University, people from 8 – 45 years old seem zoo as an essential entertainment places and at least go to zoo once a month. As a matter of facts, zoo has already become part of life for the residents of Sydney.

Third, the animals could get sufficient protection in the zoo. Rather than living in the field and risk their life to compete with those poachers and nature disasters, zoos are heaven for the animals. Every district was specifically designed for different kind of animals, therefore they would have sufficient space for them to exercise or play. And they don’t have to worry about the food – because the zookeepers will prepare that well. Even the temperature is suitable, because there are air conditioners which would adjust it for these animals. Since having such a perfect protection and meticulous careness, the living rate of the zoo animals is much higher than those wildlife. 

In conclusion, zoo is not like those animal protection associations thought, it indeed has useful purposes. It could make money for its owner, provide recreation and education for the residents and protect the animals from the danger of nature disasters and poachers. Through the previous paragraphs and examples, we can see why the zoos are so essential for people.