Should we have zoos? 动物园应该存在吗？

动物园存在的意义是什么？是供人游乐的休闲景点、救助和保护动物的机构还是科普大众的场所？现代动物园对野生动物的生存是好还是坏？如今，动物园的环境与条件已与以往大不相同，许多动物园都称其对动物和游客有益。本期节目围绕动物园是否应该存在展开讨论。

词汇：animal conservation 动物保护

For many of us, our closest encounter with wild animals is at a zoo. These places allow us to observe the behaviours and characteristics of amazing creatures from big cats to tiny amphibians. It's an enjoyable and educational experience for us, but is it the best environment for the animals?

A long time ago, people could only see wild animals as stuffed dead exhibits in a museum. Later, live animals were captured by explorers, brought home and put on show to the public in menageries – animal welfare was not a priority. But modern zoos and wildlife parks have transformed the conditions and environments for animals, making bigger enclosures, removing bars, and, to some extent, mimicking¹ their natural habitats.

Some people have questioned the cruelty of keeping animals captive and using them just for entertainment, but zoos are keen to show they are here to help wildlife by educating us about conservation. In the UK, the introduction of The Zoo Licensing² Act 1981 also required zoos to educate the public. Well-managed zoos are now also involved in supporting and funding conservation programmes.

Probably the biggest claim from zoos today is that they help to protect species that are under threat in the wild due to climate change. Robert Young, Chair in Wildlife Conservation at Salford University says: "There are quite a lot of different species around the planet which we wouldn't have today if it wasn't for zoos." Some zoos have captive breeding programmes which help to preserve the future of species that would otherwise face extinction. Actor Leonardo DiCaprio recently praised Chester Zoo in the UK for its conservation work. It brought a "rare fish species back from the dead" after breeding and releasing a school of golden skiffia fish back into their native river.

While the debate about having zoos continues, new opportunities to meet wildlife are being explored, such as using virtual reality, and Jon Coe, a zoo designer, told the BBC: "Taking a walk through a herd of elephants in the Serengeti, I think, is going to be possible pretty soon."

词汇表

encounter 不期而遇，偶然相遇
creature 动物，生物
big cat 大型猫科动物
amphibian 两栖动物
environment 环境
stuffed （动物）制成标本的
menagerie （供私人收藏或公众观赏的）野生动物园
animal welfare 动物保护
wildlife park 野生动物园
enclosure 围场
natural habitat 自然栖息地
captive 圈养的
conservation （动物）保护
fund 资助
species 物种
in the wild 在野生环境中
breeding （动物）繁殖，饲养
extinction 灭绝
golden skiffia 弗氏斯基法鳉
native 原地的，土生的
herd 兽群