The article from the New York Times, "To Save Some Species, Zoos Must Let Others Die," presents the growing difficult choices that zoos and animal sanctuaries in the United States must face recently. As more animals are being placed on the endangered list and at the brink of extinction, it is critical that care be given to protect these animals. However, it seems an impossible task to save every species that faces this gloomy outlook. Zoos are being forced to efficiently allocate resources to best serve a select few species that have the best chance at surviving and breeding. The need for zoos to conserve animal species is switching the purpose of zoos away from primarily entertainment purposes. This causes problems in what to spend money on and what not to spend money. For example, sea lions are not endangered and fine out in the wild, but in one zoo they were given an $18 million dollar new pool because they are one of the most popular features. The balance that must be reached to do the most good for animals is between conserving endangered animals while collecting income off showier species.
I chose this article because it struck me as interesting, and I am concerned with the protection of wild life. I was also curious about the tough decisions that zoos had to make. The article was well written and informative so I enjoyed it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/28/science/zoos-bitter-choice-to-save-some-species-letting-others-die.html?ref=science
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