To wonder why older kids never go to the zoo?

[anotherfinemess1]

I had a fantastic day out with DS (8 years old) at London Zoo yesterday. We all loved seeing the animals and it’s great now he’s older and can read the signs and learn about species and how they are being saved in the wild. I was really shocked that he was about the oldest kid there. Why don’t older kids (8+) go to zoos any more? I hope my son never grows out of it - at the moment he wants to be a conservationist when he grows up and surely that’s going to be really important for his generation after the older generations have made such a mess of the planet!

Zoo animals used to be in actual metal cages. I was curious if that was still done in the UK or if people were talking about small enclosures - which, though they might be inadequate for the animals, aren’t what comes to many people’s minds when they hear the word “cages.”

As for “what do you think,” I think you were unnecessarily rude and hostile towards a genuine question asked in good faith.

Fair enough, we can agree to disagree.

I'm disgusted by our greedy wants in that we see an animal in the wild and want to kill it or put it in captivity. Whatever we see, we want to have. That is how we end up with environmental problems that we didn't have before (example, Japanese knotweed imported to be decorative).

If we weren't so thick we would stop doing that because however 'cute' pandas are (as another example), they don't thrive here in their glow-painted enclosures with dirty, stagnant water. When they die long before their time we do 'heart emojis' and take to social media to proclaim that we loved them more than anybody else. Ugh.

What the hell are giraffes and lions doing here? Elephants and Rhinos? They must suffer ever day. Ditto the chimpanzees/monkeys/orangutans... where is their quality of life? Snuffed out because we want them here.

We covet and we consume. Rinse and repeat. No thought for the species of anything, flora or fauna.

In the wild they would not survive; that is the circle of life. Because of human intervention they are put down or go to a sanctuary (if they are 'lucky').

If they go to a zoo then their miserable fate is sealed.

My older children find it boring. Animals looking sad and cold in bare cages.

It's very exciting for a 3 year old to witness a lion, older kids know it's not natural to see them there

In what universe is asking "what do you think" hostile?

I went on a Year 8 trip to London Zoo a few years ago and most of them were taking selfies in front of the vending machines. They weren’t interested in the animals at all.

I don't see a problem with conservation and breeding programmes to help species that we have caused to be nearly extinct.

For anyone on a low income. It was only £15 for us with these tickets.

https://www.whipsnadezoo.org/plan-your-visit/whipsnade-zoo-tickets/universal-credit-tickets

I think you are wrong that older dc don't go to the zoo. They do.

However, for most families, going to the zoo costs an arm and a leg, so it a treat that might happen once a year. As children get older, there are more alternative "expensive day out" idea that they might choose instead.

Well it isn't natural but if it wasn't for zoos we wouldn't be seeing some of these animals at all because they would be extinct. I think we have come a long way since the zoos in the 19th and early 20th century.

I think I was 12 the last time I went to a zoo. That was La Palmyre Zoo, Charente-Maritime. France. Used to go to Twycross Zoo, at least once a year until then. Been to animal adventure places such as Busch Gardens, Florida aged 16.

No idea why parents decided to stop

My young teen loves the zoo and we go several times a year.

I took my boys to the zoo 20yrs ago. I felt pretty sad about intelligent animals, ie monkeys being in cages. Never been back since. Even alleged safari parks have limited space for them.
Miserable, depressing places

DS10 doesn't mind them every so often, but he's a very active child and would far rather play football or something with his mates.

That’s an unnecessarily judgy comment!

Just because a teen doesn’t want to go to a zoo doesn’t mean they don’t do other stuff! Maybe sports games or escape rooms or ice skating gives them a bit more joy at that age?

Maybe once they are old enough to realise the animals are being kept in captivity as nothing more than money making commodities the attraction wears off

My 15 year old was at the zoo on a school trip 2 weeks ago learning about evolution and they all had a brilliant time.

16yo DS loves the zoo, but he loves animals and wants to a vet.

They do because they understand the difference between domestic and wild animals 🤦‍♀️

Please do not make the "breeding programme" argument and research.

Any researcher or animal advocate would understand putting the resources where the animals are native! Dragging magnificent tigers and lions to the UK so they can breed is not an acceptable argument.

The reality is zoos were created for humans pleasure. I like to think we have evolved since then. But obviously not.

And no my children don't have tik tok or any such nonsense. They do have a sense of justice that I will proudly support in any way I can.

My 14 year old always comes when we're taking the grand daughter, my 20 year old also decided to come once during the summer because it was years since he's been.

Because they find it boring? Or because they feel sorry for the animals locked in cages?

So a rabbit or guinea pig kept in a small cage ignored in a garden knows no better than a zebra kept in an encousure of several acres?

Your comment showed your ignorance of animals which can be classed as domestic or wild. So now you are deflecting ,😂😂😂

All animal cruelty is unacceptable. But charging to view it in person is worse. Does that help your comprehension?

My comprehension is fine thanks. My point is that many zoo animals live in better conditions then so called loved pets. Either both is wrong or neither is wrong.

I think we should stop breeding all animals for purely entertainment purposes. And meanwhile ensure that all those that already exist are kept in the best possible manner.

So you fail to comprehend the difference between domesticated animals versus wild animals, ok.

Zoo's are not in keeping with animals best welfare they belong in the wild. Or with support in their native country. Domestic animals won't survive in the wild.

It does indeed appear to be clear your comprehension is lacking.