In 2005, two polar bears at the St. Louis Zoo died within weeks of each other. Churchill, one of the polar bears, died after ingesting objects spectators thrown into his exhibit. Approximately five weeks following this incident, Penny, the other polar bear, died from an infection caused by having two dead fetuses in her uterus (“Zoos: Pitiful Prisons” 1). Penny and Churchill are not the only animals who suffered in a zoo. Many animals are tormented as shown with Churchill and lacked proper care as shown with Penny. On various occasions, people often throw objects and food not fit for animals into the enclosure. These items are capable of severely damaging an animal's health, and it can even lead to death. Animals deserve not to be held …show more content…
These wild animals never saw a human before, and then suddenly they are captured and being shipped out of the wild to a zoo; the animals have no idea what is currently happening or what is going to happen. They are given a small amount of time to settle down before being put on display. When put on display, the animals are always pacing and every so often, an incident occurs when the animal purposely hurts themselves. This is the main sign of a mental illness caused by a traumatic event. Zoo animals from the wild no longer have a place to roam, there is no communication between different species, and they no longer have the food they are used to consuming. As the animal ages, their mental and physical state can only decline. These animals are more likely to develop a disease or obtain a physical injury once they are put on display. Also, zoos often have trouble handling these animals because the animals are not used to people. The animals are not good at understanding what is being asked of them and many are sold quickly to a different zoo, causing even more traveling which the animal is not used …show more content…
Kali, a two-year-old male polar bear, was shipped in a crate from Buffalo Zoo to St. Louis Zoo by FedEx. The cage Kali was shipped in was made of wood, leaving Kali completely unaware of what was happening. However, this was not the first time Kali was shipped around and he acted like it was a normal thing when it should not be thought of in that way. Kali was given only a month before he was displayed to the public (Associated Press 1). This type of change can be very traumatizing to most animals. An animal being shipped around could be locked in a cage for not only hours but days. While in the cage, animals can only be fed by a tube because food cannot be kept in the cage with them. Animals can become distressed, and they can try to physically hurt