Disease, birth defects, mutations – these predicaments are not what a person would think of when she goes to the zoo or animal theme park. However, these predicaments can be the result of inbreeding due to zoos claiming that they just want to end the extinction in species of animals. In Vicki Hearne’s “What’s Wrong With Animal Rights,” (Harpers, 1991) she states, “The questions asked by animal rights activists are flawed because the concept that the origin of rights is the avoidance of suffering rather than the pursuit of happiness.” Well, when animals get diseases, birth defects, or mutations due to problems with the zoo, avoidance of suffering is the key factor in animal rights, and this is why keeping animals in zoos and animal theme parks is inhumane.
             Zoos claim that they can preserve species whose habitat has been destroyed or wiped out for other reasons. The zoos suggest that they sustain the species in captivity until the cause of expiration is fixed, and then successfully reintroduce the animals to the wild, resulting in a healthy, self-sustaining population. Animal theme parks are basically zoos; however, they are more into the entertainment aspect of the animals for the people, at the animals’ expense. Animal theme parks, such as Sea World, tend to show off the animals, ride the animal, and put them on display for the tourists’ entertainment. According to the animal rights advocates, there are quite a few problems with these arguments.
             The number of animals required for viable gene pools is quite high. If the captive gene pool is too small, there will be inbreeding that can cause disease, birth defects and mutations. Secondly, some species are extremely difficult to breed in captivity, such as marine mammals and certain bird species. Pandas are notorious for difficult breeding in captivity. Taking animals from the wild to breed in
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