Zoo vs Sanctuary
Difference between zoo and sanctuary is very profound though both zoo and sanctuary are two residing places for animals and birds. Both these places show differences between them in terms of the surrounding environment, living conditions, and the like. Both are looked upon as protective asylums for birds and animals. However, this assumption that both zoos and sanctuaries are safe havens for birds and animals is not accepted by the animal rights activists. This opinion, as well as other differences that set a zoo and a sanctuary apart, are explored by this article.
What is a Zoo?
A zoo is a created and an artificial habitat for animals and birds. In a zoo, the animals and birds are held in captive. It is a place that is created by man with an intention to keep the birds and animals to be watched by visitors and people as part of the tourism of a country. A zoo is open to general public with visiting timings. It is interesting to know that the animals and birds that are held captive in a zoo are visited by people and other onlookers without restriction of any sort.
As mentioned before, a zoo is one of the several commercial projects that promote the tourist activity in a state or in a country. Hence, animals and birds are bred properly with a view to increase the revenue of the state or the country. However, one should remember that only a zoo that functions according to laws will be breeding animals properly, taking care of animals well. There are zoos that do not care for animal well-being and only care about getting their profit. Animal right activists do not like zoos whether they abide by law or not. The reasons are zoos sometimes capture animals from wild. Zoos do not value the freedom of animals as they are kept in cages without freedom. Even some zoos breed animals to attract public, which results overcrowded cages.
What is a Sanctuary?
A sanctuary is a natural habitat for animals and birds that go over there to convert the place as their living abode. In other words, a sanctuary is created by the animals and the birds on their own accord. In a sanctuary, the animals and birds are not held in captive but are free to roam and fly about as they want. This is because of the fact that a sanctuary is a selected spot of living for animals and birds. Also, birds and animals are not bred and taken care of in a sanctuary. Instead they take care of themselves and they look after their own living.
A sanctuary is not open to public for visit. Sometimes it is open with certain limitations. This only shows that people can throng a zoo according to their wish but they cannot throng a sanctuary when they wish to visit it on their own accord. Moreover, people and visitors cannot roam about freely in a sanctuary and they have to pass through certain restrictions if they decide to visit a sanctuary. This is because of the fact that the animals and birds move about freely in a sanctuary and it is not advisable to visit them without restrictions. Animal rights activists like sanctuaries as they value animal freedom, do not capture animals from the wild and look after animal health without expecting any profit in the process.
What is the difference between Zoo and Sanctuary?
• One of the primary differences between zoo and sanctuary is that a zoo is created and it is an artificial habitat for animals and birds. On the other hand, a sanctuary is a natural habitat for animals and birds that go over there on their own accord.
• The animals and birds in a zoo are held in captive while the animals and birds in a sanctuary are free to roam and fly about as they want.
• In a zoo, people who come to visit can roam as they wish. However, in a sanctuary they have to follow certain restrictions as animals are allowed to be free.
• In a zoo, animals have to be taken care of as they live in cages. However, in a sanctuary people do not need to take care of animals, as the animals are free.
• Animal rights activists prefer sanctuaries to zoos as sanctuaries value animal freedom.
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