By Luiz Fernando Leal Padulla, Biologist, Professor, Master of Science, PhD in ethology

It was not with surprise that I read the news “Americana Zoo gets new puppy,” published earlier this month in Brazil. The feeling is of sadness. After all, a question is repeated and still lacks response: why reproduce animals in captivity? Keep beings locked in inhospitable conditions is something “educational” and “of environmental concern”? What is the purpose of reproducing more and more just to increase the number of species in a park, according to the words of the director of the mentioned zoo? Or am I really crazy, or there is not really any logic in that.

As a biologist, there are times I try to understand the “logic” of zoos. I cannot reach a plausible conclusion that advocates the maintenance of beings with feelings (like us!) in tiny enclosures exposed to harassment and disrespectful of visitors, whose consequences area mental disorder and suffering. Much is made about human trafficking, but no one is attentive to this kind of “trafficking”.

I will explain why this happens. A new animal arrives, media reports, the Park / Zoo stands out. Then what? What happens to these puppies or even eggs of some species? They are “swapped” with other animals, maintaining the vicious cycle of captive breeding. Puppies are taken from their mothers and taken to another torture center. Swaps (legal or not) as if they were mere objects, things that they are not. The argument of “preservation of the species, conservation of animals” is cosmetics. Are there , indeed, any reintroduction program for the black -marmoset-hands-of-gold, for example? No! Who profits from this? There’s a lot behind pretty and environmentally friendly words.

And, in the XXI century, we are still depraved beings, who display the suffering of innocent beings who are locked up in cages, without having committed any crime. It is urgent that this attitude and human thinking change. As wisely said Dr. Camuti, “never believe that animals suffer less than humans, the pain is the same for them and for us, maybe worse, because they cannot help themselves”.