[Rain Man]

I went for a run this weekend that took me past the entrance to the Denver Zoo. There were half a dozen people standing in front of it with protest signs that essentially said that the animals were being held prisoner. I think one of the signs said something like, "Confinement is not conservation."

It's kind of an interesting debate in my mind, because yeah, the animals in zoos are being confined. They're not running free in the grassland or the ocean or the swamp or whatever. One can argue that even if they're getting regular food and health care and other things that aren't available to animals living in the wild, this is still not what the animal would prefer. (As a human, would you take this deal?)

But on the other hand, get real. If not for zoos, I think a lot of species would be at greater risk. I presume that zoos do good work in understanding animals that helps conservation in the wild, and I figure they're vital with keeping some species alive that are endangered. Plus, I suspect that most people would never see these animals outside a zoo, so there'a public relations, awareness, and fundraising element that zoos provide.

Thoughts? I guess one could argue that the current animals in zoos are sacrificing their freedom for the good of their species. I'm not sure that they're that thoughtful, though. I'm pro-zoo in the big scheme of things.