Visiting zoos is an international pastime. There are very few people who haven’t ever been to a zoo and I have spoken to a considerable number of vegans who said that they loved going to zoos before they transitioned towards veganism. Remembering the first time you saw an elephant or that you pressed your nose up to the glass of the gorilla enclosure will be a vivid memory for many and looking at a zoo through the eyes of a child it is understandable why they are so beloved. The biggest, fiercest, rarest and most colourful animals on earth come together all in one place, with a gift shop and an ice cream truck to boot.
However, as adults, we need to examine zoos with a more discerning eye because what looks like a place for education and conservation on the surface is actually somewhere animals are kept in artificial environments for the entertainment and pleasure of humans.