Captivity (animal)

Despite the fact that wild animals have been harbored by humans for thousands of years, this captivity has not always come close to present zoos.

Today, zoos claim to have other reasons for keeping animals under human care: conservation, education and science.

[3] Many who keep animals in captivity attempt to prevent or decrease stereotypical behavior by introducing stimuli, a process known as environmental enrichment.

Self-injurious behavior indicates any activity that involves biting, scratching, hitting, hair plucking, or eye poke that may result in injuring oneself.

[5] Although its reported incidence is low, self-injurious behavior is observed across a range of primate species, especially when they experience social isolation in infancy.

[5] Nonsocial factors include the presence of a small cut, a wound or irritant, cold weather, human contact, and frequent zoo visitors.

Captive animals often cannot escape the attention and disruption caused by the general public, and the stress resulting from this lack of environmental control may lead to an increased rate of self-injurious behaviors.

[9] Wild animals may be placed in captivity for conservation, studies, exotic pet trade, and farming.

With their assistance, zoos and aquariums are able to have the proper necessities needed in recovery programs to prevent animals from going extinct.

When wild animals are captured and held in captivity, then they may be sold in pet stores, auction sales, or the World Wide Web.

More specifically, in 2020 the Science Advances published a study where they concluded that the work and population of human beings has affected the growth of animals going extinct around the world.

Furthermore, some wild animals have died inside zoos due to the shock of being placed in an unknown setting.