Why Do Zoos Still Exist?

Does anybody really know whether the gorilla was going to harm the kid, versus dragging it to safety (albeit perhaps clumsily)?

Jane Goodall, a primate expert believes the gorilla put his arm around the child to protect him considering the screaming the mother must have been doing when she looked for her child only to find him in the gorilla pen.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2016/06/02/jane-goodall-weighs-in-on-gorilla-shooting-in-cincinnati/

I don't know, but I don't think he would have been the worst dinner guest, as long as lots of celery on the table.

Is a real shame, too bad we can't resurrect him. I feel like the parents of that child deserve drag hanging through a button cactus patch.

I could bat for either side in this discussion. Some zoos are good, some bad (no Orwellian ref intended).

As an opening point, many zoos are engaged in the preservation of endangered species and actively work in reintroducing animals to their natural habitat. In a jaw-dropping bit of dual standards, I've visited such places that also have 'show' creatures that clearly exhibit signs of stress (eg, pacing around their enclosure and other such repetative behaviour).

Would an animal sanctuary that has visitors, to raise funds, be classed as a zoo ?

Zoos have caused extinction, and also prevented it.

I contend that zoos can only be judged on an individual basis. Many should be closed, but there is a place for well managed zoos. Trouble is, it's very hard to quantify animal welfare.

this would be my point

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIZ04AGTjHc