Should animals be kept in zoos? ⏲️ 6 Minute English

Summary

In this episode of 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English, hosts Neil and Georgie tackle the controversial topic of whether animals should be kept in zoos. The debate hinges on balancing the educational and conservation benefits provided by zoos against the ethical concerns of animal welfare and the inability to replicate natural habitats. With contributions from experts like William Lee Adams and animal-rights activist Nikita Dhawan, listeners are introduced to various viewpoints, compelling arguments, and vocabulary related to animal conservation and welfare.

Highlights

• Neil and Georgie analyze the pros and cons of zoos, weighing educational and ethical aspects 🏛️.
• William Lee Adams supports zoos for educational value and aiding endangered species' breeding 🍎.
• Nikita Dhawan criticizes zoos for causing psychological distress in animals due to unnatural enclosures 🐘.
• Zoos can't fully replicate animals' natural habitats, raising questions on welfare and ethics 🌲.
• Listeners learn new terms like 'zoochosis' and improve their English vocabulary related to animal welfare 📖.

Key Takeaways

• Zoos offer educational opportunities and help in conserving endangered species through breeding programs 🦁.
• Critics argue that zoos cause distress and abnormal behaviors in animals, terming it 'zoochosis' 🐼.
• The debate highlights ethical concerns of holding animals captive versus benefits of conservation efforts 🌿.
• Listeners can learn new vocabulary related to conservation and animal behavior while weighing both sides of the argument 📚.
• Zoos attract millions of visitors annually, showing their continued popularity despite controversies 🌍.

Overview

Neil and Georgie kick off this 6 Minute English episode by diving into the heated debate on whether animals should be kept in zoos. On one hand, zoos are seen as educational sanctuaries that play a crucial role in teaching the public about wildlife conservation and protecting endangered species. They provide unique opportunities for children worldwide to see animals up close and learn the importance of preserving our natural world.

However, Georgie and guest Nikita Dhawan, an animal-rights activist, highlight the stark downsides of keeping animals in captivity. They discuss 'zoochosis,' a term used to describe abnormal behaviors resulting from the stress of confinement, such as head-bobbing and pacing. Critics argue that zoos can never truly replicate the natural habitats of wild animals, which can lead to severe psychological distress and raise ethical concerns about animal welfare.

In a lively discussion, Neil remains torn between the compelling arguments for and against zoos. Despite the undeniable benefits of research and education offered by zoos, the ethical implications resonate deeply with him. This episode encourages listeners to weigh both sides, improve their English vocabulary, and consider how best to balance conservation efforts with the ethical treatment of animals.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Introduction The chapter introduces the topic of the discussion: whether animals should be kept in zoos. Georgie and Neil from BBC Learning English present the controversial nature of this issue, acknowledging that it often evokes strong opinions. Neil expresses the complexity of the topic, suggesting that there might be valid scientific reasons for maintaining zoos.
• 00:30 - 01:00: Pros and Cons of Zoos The chapter titled 'Pros and Cons of Zoos' discusses the ethical considerations and impact of zoos on wild animals. It acknowledges the viewpoint that keeping wild animals in captivity can be seen as cruel and unnecessary. However, it also presents the argument that zoos play an essential role in educating people about wildlife and aiding in the conservation of endangered species, thus contributing to their survival. Despite these differing opinions, zoos continue to attract approximately 700 million visitors annually. The chapter aims to explore these differing perspectives by debating the advantages and disadvantages of zoos, while also introducing new vocabulary related to the topic.
• 01:00 - 01:30: Question about Escaped Animals The chapter discusses a question posed regarding animals that escaped from Sydney's Taronga Zoo in 2022. The possible animals mentioned are elephants, lions, or zebras. The speaker imagines zebras running away, and the answer is to be revealed at the end of the program.
• 01:30 - 02:30: Arguments for Zoos The chapter titled 'Arguments for Zoos' focuses on the rationale behind keeping animals in zoos, as presented by reporter William Lee Adams. Primarily, the chapter discusses education as the key reason zoos use to justify their existence. It highlights how zoos serve as educational tools, particularly for school children, by providing them first-hand experiences with wildlife, such as visiting lowland gorillas. The overarching goal is to foster awareness and understanding of conservation efforts among young people.
• 02:30 - 03:30: Arguments against Zoos This chapter discusses various arguments against zoos, focusing on conservation and animal welfare. The discourse highlights the role of zoos in conservation efforts, particularly their investment in research programs that aid endangered species. A specific example given is the panda, which faces reproductive challenges and benefits from such research and conservation efforts. Despite their contributions, the chapter suggests that zoos may also cause harm by disrupting natural habitats and the behavior of animals.
• 04:00 - 05:00: Opinions and Quiz Answer The chapter discusses the role of zoos in encouraging endangered species, such as pandas, to mate. It mentions that zoos provide essential support in breeding programs to prevent extinction. The idiom 'it takes two to tango' is used to describe the collaborative effort needed from both male and female pandas.
• 05:00 - 06:00: Vocabulary Recap The chapter 'Vocabulary Recap' presents arguments against the existence of zoos, emphasizing the negative impact on animals. Nikita Dhawan, a 19-year-old animal-rights activist from India, highlights that zoos are detrimental to both the physical and psychological health of animals. Many studies show that animals in captivity often display abnormal behaviors such as head-bobbing and pacing, which are indicators of mental distress.

Should animals be kept in zoos? ⏲️ 6 Minute English Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 Hello, this is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil. And I'm Georgie. In this programme, we're discussing a controversial topic that often produces strong feelings: should animals be kept in zoos? What's your opinion on this debate, Neil? Oh, it's a really difficult question, Georgie. I think there are good scientific reasons for having animals in zoos,
• 00:30 - 01:00 but also, it seems to me a little bit sad and cruel for wild animals to be locked up. For some, zoos are a good way to teach people about nature and save endangered species from extinction. Others think separating animals from their natural habitat is cruel and unnecessary. Either way, with an estimated 700 million visitors every year, zoos remain popular – but are they a good thing? We'll be debating the pros and cons, as well as learning some useful new words and phrases.
• 01:00 - 01:30 And remember, you can find all the vocabulary for this programme on our website, bbclearningenglish.com. Now, I have a question for you, Georgie. In 2022, five animals escaped from Sydney's Taronga Zoo in Australia, but were the escaped animals: a) elephants, b) lions, or c) zebras? Hmm. I can imagine zebras running away from the zoo. OK. We'll find out the answer at the end of the programme.
• 01:30 - 02:00 Reporter William Lee Adams has been investigating the arguments for and against keeping animals in zoos with BBC World Service programme, What in the World. Here he gives two arguments in favour of zoos: Education is the primary reason that zoos give for why they should exist. The fact is, school children all over the world are often bussed to zoos. I remember myself going to see lowland gorillas at Zoo Atlanta every single year. And the point of this was to introduce us to conservation. One argument for keeping animals in zoos is to educate people
• 02:00 - 02:30 about the importance of conservation: the protection of plants, animals and the natural world from human damage. A second point is that zoos often invest in research programmes that help endangered animals. Now as we know, pandas are notoriously reluctant to mate: the female pandas have a narrow window of fertility, they're solitary creatures and it takes two to tango when it comes to reproduction. But a lot of money in zoos – it goes to, sort of,
• 02:30 - 03:00 find ways to encourage these animals to mate. A second argument is that zoos protect endangered species from extinction through breeding. William mentions pandas, animals which are reluctant, meaning slow and unwilling to reproduce. Male and female pandas need a little help to make babies, and zoos can provide this help. William uses the idiom, it takes two to tango, to describe an activity which needs two people, or in this case two pandas, to be willing to make something a success.
• 03:00 - 03:30 Now, let's turn to some of the arguments against zoos with Nikita Dhawan, a 19-year-old animal-rights activist from India, who spoke to BBC World Service programme, What in the World. I don't think zoos should exist for several reasons, the first one being zoos' detrimental impact on both the physical and psychological health of animals. Many studies and research have shown that many animals in zoos and aquariums display abnormal behaviours like head-bobbing, pacing, stereotypical behaviours, signs of mental distress.
• 03:30 - 04:00 The second reason, I would say, is that zoos cannot mimic the natural habitat of animals in the wild. Nikita argues that being enclosed in a zoo is so stressful for wild animals it leads to abnormal behaviour: behaviour that is different, and worse, from what would normally be expected. Examples of this include animals pacing their cages in circles and rocking, bar-biting and even self-harm. And they're so common in captive animals,
• 04:00 - 04:30 there's a name for it: zoochosis. Even zoos with large enclosures cannot fully mimic, or copy, the natural habitats and open spaces these animals would enjoy in the wild. And imagine how a polar bear, evolved for life in the frozen Arctic, would feel, trapped in a zoo in a much warmer country. Some zoologists have compared zoochosis to human traumas like post-traumatic stress disorder but say it's even more damaging. For captive animals, everything – including the air they breathe – is traumatic.
• 04:30 - 05:00 We've heard a few arguments for and against keeping animals in zoos. What do you think, Neil? Have you changed your opinion at all? Well, I think there are really strong arguments on both sides, so I'm still not sure, Georgie. Well, we know how some of the animals at the Sydney Zoo felt about things because they managed to escape! But what was the answer to your question, Neil? Well, Georgie, I asked you which animals escaped from a zoo in Sydney, Australia, in 2022.
• 05:00 - 05:30 Was it a) elephants, b) lions, or c) zebras? And I said zebras. I'm afraid that was the wrong answer. It was actually lions – how scary! OK. It's time to recap the vocabulary we've learned. Conservation is the protection of plants, animals, and the natural world from human harm. If you are reluctant to do something, you don't want to do it, or you do it very slowly. The idiom, it takes two to tango, refers to an activity which needs two people to willingly and actively take part for it to succeed.
• 05:30 - 06:00 The adjective, abnormal, means different from what would normally be expected, in a bad way. Zoochosis is a term to describe the repeated, purposeless behaviour performed by captive animals in response to the stress of being confined, including pacing, head-bobbing, and swaying. And finally, if you mimic somebody or something, you imitate it or copy it. Once again, our six minutes are up, but don't forget we have a worksheet and a quiz that you can use to practise the vocabulary from this episode.
• 06:00 - 06:30 Visit bbclearningenglish.com. Goodbye for now. Goodbye.