Zoo

I’ve never been a fan of seeing animals confined in zoos. In my view, they belong in the wild, free to live as nature intended, unless they’ve been rescued or are in the twilight of their lives and need care.

When I first moved to Phoenix, I visited the Phoenix Zoo. I was pleasantly surprised to see animals roaming in spacious, open habitats, safe from predators but not boxed in. Even the predatory animals had room to move, stretch, and live with some dignity. It felt more like a sanctuary than a prison.

Naturally, I couldn’t help but compare it to the Manila Zoo, which I used to visit often as a child because it was close to our home. Sadly, the conditions there were far from ideal. I remember seeing monkeys cramped inside tiny 3x3 meter cages, and once, a seal placed in a small, dirty pool barely ten meters wide. It didn’t survive long. What chance did it have?

The city of Manila is now undergoing a major renovation of the zoo. While the upgrades promise a better experience for visitors, I worry that the animals still won’t get the space and care they truly deserve. The land area is simply too small to provide proper habitats.

Zoos should be places of refuge, not confinement. And while progress is being made, there’s still a long way to go in ensuring that animal welfare is prioritized over entertainment.