I agree that zoos ideally should be phased out
But keep in mind many do participate in and raise funds for conservation work in the field. The reality is that people are much less generous when it comes to supporting animal causes so not sure who will fund dead end zoos. Also regarding "authenticity",
captive breeding among ethical zoos is designed to optimise genetic diversity. There's actually a lot of effort going into that. Another point to consider is the shrinking areas available for wildlife. Many parks now require management at a level that blurs the line between captive and wild populations.
Still, it can never justify Chinese zoos importing wild elephants from Zimbabwe and Namibia.
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Mudface The web isn't callipygian, Thu 10 Mar 2022, 8:22,
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