Prompt: We need Zoos. Do you agree or disagree? Why? Give examples and reasons to develop your opinion.

In my opinion, a zoo is a must for any city that aims to have its citizens develop the love for nature and animals. The hectic and busy city life makes us forget the rich and varied flora and fauna that make our planet so full of life. A trip to the zoo fascinates both the mind and the senses.

I remember when I was a kid; my parents took me to the nearby zoo. I can still recall the expression on my face when I saw a lion for the first time. Never did I think that an animal that I only saw on TV would be standing a few yards from me. It was frightening but exciting at the same time. And of course, there were all other kinds of animals too. As a child I was familiar with just one type of monkey but there I saw so many species that I was intrigued. The beautiful feathered peacocks, the huge hippopotamus, the crocodiles, the serene deer, appealed to the eye and the little kid that I was swayed at them with joy. I badly wanted to have them as my pets. And then there were birds too- another beautiful and awe-inspiring creatures. I can still remember how after the trip, I told my parents that I wanted to be a bird-a bird that could fly to the highest sky.

Of course I am a grown up now. But the love and the sentiments for animals haven’t changed. Especially when I now know of the troublesome and harsh life they live for survival. When in high school, I had the chance to visit zoos frequently to make a project on animal behavior for my biology class. My friends and I stayed close to the animals for several hours every day. It was a learning experience in itself. I tried to relate the sounds of the zoo with that of a jungle and I can never stop imagining how heavenly a place a forest would be. The guide told us many things about animals- some live in groups, some separate from their family on adulthood. Some are a threat to humans while some are our closest friends. Chimpanzees and gorillas happen to be our closest genetic cousins. My project report got me an A, but my visits to the zoo to meet my subjects did not end.

After getting to know more and more about animals, one feels sad that how they who can never harm us have been endangered by our presence. The endless killings to make big fashion statements, to expand our territory, we forget that animals feel pain too. I am happy that the present day zoos are working hard for the conservation of animals. They give them adequate food, water, shelter and mates too. The zoos are trying to adapt themselves according to the needs of the animals and thereby make a suitable habitat that animals do not feel imprisoned in.

Once again I think that a city without a zoo is like a school without teachers. So, more the zoos, the better it is.