Ah, okay. So, I haven’t watched the video specifically because I don’t like to give traffic (which translates to marketability, increased viewership, and financial gain) to content that is full of misinformation, which is my understanding based on summaries.
However, from his own video description:
“I was wandering around Barcelona Zoo I came across a bear enclosure, inside of which was a bear sat forlornly looking around. I followed the gaze of the bear as they looked at each of the walls of the enclosure…”
This is called anthropomorphism, or ascribing human emotions and motivations to other animals. Do animals have feelings and emotions? WITHOUT QUESTION. Are those emotions the ones that WE PROJECT onto them? Often not. What he’s doing is thinking about what he would be feeling and attributing that to the bear. Empathy is a wonderful quality, but in this case it is coloring his interpretation of the situation. He, and others, need to trust the scientists and trained professionals who are responsible for the care of these remarkable individuals and who are educated and specialize in their behavior. “Staring” is very common bear behavior in the wild and has been observed by scientists in all populations. This is very likely what Ed saw at the zoo in Barcelona and is not abnormal or denoting poor quality of life.
“However, providing the basic requirements for an animal to survive hardly constitutes genuine care and appreciation for the best interests of the animals.”
I can not speak to the quality of care provided by facilities outside of the United States, as I have never worked in one, but here we have something called the Association of Zoo & Aquariums, which sets the standards for animal care in accredited facilities. What we provide is a great deal more than basic requirements. Every single species, every single individual has enrichment and stimulation that is hand tailored to that animal. There is no forced breeding. They are not trained to perform tricks. They are never forced to engage with guests. They are CERTAINLY not doped up on anti-psychotics/anti-depressants. We like to give the animals as much agency and choice as is safely possible, so almost everything you see is at the animals’ discretion. On really hot days, I often have guests ask where the animals are, and I always reply that they are inside because they are smarter than us!
Accredited zoos are also vital to wildlife conservation. You can read about animals in a book, you can watch them on tv, but nothing compares to seeing them in person and having that real life experience. People need to see them and get excited about our natural world and the remarkable beings that share it. The animals in accredited zoos are ambassadors for their species, and in many cases are actually saving their species from extinction in the wild by being part of an SSP (Species Survival Plan). In addition to the SSP, most zoos actively contribute to behavioral research, which is critical to understanding animals in the wild and how to save them. We contribute to conservation projects in other regions of the world both physically and financially.
One of the most important things we do, however, is educate the public. We can talk about how the pet trade is decimating wild populations, how the palm oil industry is destroying habitats, how one use plastics are choking our oceans… And we can show them ways they can help!
I hope you find this information useful, friend! If there is something specific you would like to know, please reach out anytime. I’m always happy to answer questions.