Thanks for commenting, Emily! I get a lot of questions/comments/criticisms that seem to point out the hypocrisy of caring about the environment and also eating meat. You are super respectful and thoughtful in your comment and I totally appreciate that. All I can really say is that as I’m sure you know, everyone is at a different point in their journey of living consciously. This is where I’m at in mine 🙂 Appreciate the recommendation for Cowspiracy — I’ve had it downloaded for ages and have been meaning to watch!

If one is worried about wildlife conservation they need to look at what animal agriculture is doing to the planet. It is the number one cause of deforestation and also the biggest contributor to GHG emissions. As humans we should use our gift of “next-level-intelligence” to see how unnecessary animal products are and what a difference it would make for everyone if we could make a shift away from them.

Have you watched Cowspiracy? I am curious as to what prevents many animal-lovers from making meaningful choices that clearly align with their morals. When you really look into the plant-based diet (actual scientific studies not funded by the dairy industry), you will see that all arguments against it are quite illogical and not scientifically backed.

Anyways, thanks for the post! I know it may seem I have drifted, but these issues stem from the same problem- seeing other beings as below one another and designed to fulfill our own purposes. Be it because we selfishly want to admire them or eat them.

The big game hunting devastates me. I don’t see how anyone could find that desirable, let alone pay tens of thousands of dollars for it. Thanks for reading, Kathryn.

It makes me so angry that most of the hunting is because old men want to use animal parts for virility treatments. FFS, take viagra or, even better, keep it in your pants. That would cut down on human trafficking too.

Hey Laura, I too learned about palm oil first from an educational exhibit at a zoo. I think when done right they can be powerful teaching tools. I think we share a lot of the same ideas on this. Thank you for sharing your story!

Today, I took my husband to the Cincinnati Zoo. While watching the elephants, I noticed a few of them were swaying. This didn’t seem normal to me. I knew that head bobbing was a symptom of depression and stress in elephants, and I suspected swaying was the same. Sure enough, I come home and every source I’ve come across says this is an unnatural behavior developed in captivity. It breaks my heart. I started wondering, what can zoos do to prevent this? What can they do to make elephants more comfortable in their enclosure? My only conclusion is that elephants don’t belong in enclosures.

But I have a hard time saying zoos should be eliminated because I know they are doing some good. I know there are some species of animals out there that are extinct in the wild — with zoos, there is some hope that these species can be reintroduced, and there’s been some success. I also love the education zoos provide. Visiting the Milwaukee County Zoo last year was the first time I heard about the palm oil industry and the destruction it was causing to orangutans’ habitat. I’ve since done everything possible to cut palm oil out of my life.

I wish instead of zoos we could just have sanctuaries that the public can visit. Acres upon acres for elephants to roam. Wide spaces instead of small enclosures.

I’d like to believe that there are more zoos out there today that are focused on education and conservation, not entertainment. My hope is that if we continue in that direction, someday these captive animals will have the freedom they deserve.

Thanks for bringing this issue to light.

Agreed, Lorra! I too try to be careful with my choices when it comes to how to spend time with animals on my travels. I think zoos and aquariums should be rare, excellent, and education-focused.

I have a big issue with zoos and aquariums UNLESS they are superb and with the intent of preserving endangered species. I know of a couple – in Langley, BC (Canada), and Durrell in Jersey, UK (it’s amazing).

I think when zoos started there were no other ways of seeing animals…but now there is really no excuse. We have travel excursions, and we have documentaries, shows, movies, IMAX, etc – I fell in love with all sorts of animals via TV, and don’t think anyone NEEDS to see them in person to love them, and it might make them seek out those creatures in person, especially if we teach young people to respect animals’ lives and their right to freedom.

Thank you so much for reading, Tasha! I´m really glad this struck a cord with you.