Calvin and Hobbes turns 35 today!

There is some legitimacy here. But at the same time- there are literally entire species of animals that would be extinct if not for zoos. The breeding programs at many zoos have been also been used to restore populations of endangered, at risk, or effectively wiped out species in nature. Large open preserves and natural habitat study are generally going to be better for the animals than zoos, but sadly that isn’t always practical or possible. We should probably have much higher standards for zoos, the minimum space animals are required to have, higher requirements for the number of companion animals required to ensure a proper social environment and so on. I just sometimes worry when people start down the track because a popular sentiment is to abolish zoos- and that act would have some consequences. Zoos are often important for science and conservation. But we should certainly improve the conditions and mandate better minimum standards for the animals benefit.