Zoos. Many of us went to them as children. Many of us take our own children to them. But public outcry over keeping wild animals captive has grown in recent years. SeaWorld plans to stop breeding orcas after widespread criticism of their treatment. The Ringling Brothers retired their circus elephants this year. The city of Buenos Aires has announced it will permanently close its 140-year-old zoo. And the National Aquarium in Baltimore plans to send its dolphins to a sanctuary. Is it the beginning of the end for zoos and aquariums? What is the role of these institutions in our society? Do the benefits outweigh the costs?
Guests: Michael McClure, general curator and elephant manager at the Maryland Zoo; and Dale Jamieson, founding director of Animal Studies and Environmental Studies at New York University and a critic of zoos.
