In the age of social media, high profile culls have sparked heated debates. The shooting of Harambe the gorilla spawned the most-shared meme of 2016 and caused a hounded Cincinnati Zoo to suspend...

This long history of exploitation is a big reason many activists call for zoos to be banned. Evidence of the existence of zoos and menageries can be traced back to Ancient Egypt, circa 3500 BC. The Roman Empire was founded in 27 BC, and many Roman emperors kept private zoo collections .

Should zoos be banned? Overall, zoos have positive and negative impacts on animals and the ecosystem - and the variance is largely down to the zoo's quality, animal safeguarding measures, funding, and ethics.

Bombings and resource shortages led to the loss of many animals, and some zoos were forced to close. Due to the world wars, more than 80% of zoo animals died in European zoos alone; a destruction that has never been like that in the long history of zoos.

Zoos should not be banned because they play a vital role in wildlife conservation, offering sanctuary for endangered species. They are important for educational purposes, providing firsthand wildlife experiences that foster public awareness and interest in conservation.