ielts essay keeping animals in zoos

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In this IELTS Zoo Essay you have to discuss whether you think zoos are cruel and should be shut down or whether they are useful as they protect some wild animals.

Essays on zoos have appeared in the IELTS test before and this was a question that was recently in the test.

Some people think that zoos are all cruel and should be closed down. Others however believe that zoos can be useful in protecting wild animals.

Discuss both opinions and give your own opinion.

Understanding the Question

You must always read the question carefully and note if there is anything restricting the topic.

You have to discuss both sides of the argument and with this zoo essay question it would be very easy to read it and then simply write about the benefits and drawbacks of zoos.

But look at this bit carefully:

• Others however believe that zoos can be useful in protecting wild animals .

One of the arguments is specifically about protecting animals. So when you discuss the second argument you must be careful not to just write generally about the advantage of zoos. 

You have to focus on how they may protect wild animals . So when you brainstorm your ideas for the zoo essay, you should be thinking about:

• why animals need protecting and
• how zoos can help with this 

And in your other body paragraph you would need to explain why they are also seen as cruel. 

And of course you must remember to give your own opinion. In this essay, the author makes it clear at the beginning that they support the closing down of zoos. 

The opinion you decide on though is of course your choice.

Zoo Essay Sample

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge.

Write at least 250 words.

Zoo Essay Model Answer

Zoos remain popular places for people to visit for entertainment and to learn about wild animals. Although some people are of the opinion that zoos can provide a sanctuary for endangered animals and so should be kept open, I believe that the cruelty that animals suffer outweighs this benefit, and that they should be shut down.

These days, animals are under threat from humans in many ways, seen for example in the way that their habitats are being destroyed through the cutting down of rain forests, or through poaching. Following on from this, the argument is that zoos can protect some of these animals that are under threat. The reason is that they are in a safe environment managed by trained staff who can ensure the animals are looked after and can produce offspring. There are examples of successes in this respect, such as with Pandas, which have been endangered for many years but have been protected.

However, there are more convincing arguments for why zoos should be shut down. Firstly, even though some species are under threat, there are lots of animals which do not fall into this category and who are there just for the entertainment of visitors. While it may be fun and educational to see them, animals are not meant to be caged, and their distress can often be seen in the way many of them pace back and forwards all day. Not only this, if the prime reason of zoos is to protect animals, this could be done in other environments such as wild life parks where the animals have more freedom.

In conclusion, animals should be protected but this does not have to be in zoos. Zoos are cruel to animals, not similar enough to their natural habitat, and they should be closed down. 

(299 Words)

Band scores are given for task response, coherence and cohesion, lexis (vocabulary) and grammatical range and accuracy. 

This zoo essay would get a good score for task response as it fully answers the question by discussing both opinions and giving a personal opinion. Ideas are also well explained, extended and supported. 

It would get a good score for coherence and cohesion as it is organised coherently and logically and is easy to follow. The introduction introduces the topic then there is a thesis statement.

One body paragraph discusses one side of the argument, and the other discusses the other side. The second body paragraph is also the writers opinion, and this is summarised again in the conclusion

.There is some interesting vocabulary and phrases. For example:

• sanctuary for endangered animals
• under threat from humans
• habitats are being destroyed
• produce offspring
• successes in this respect
• not meant to be caged
• natural habitat

There are also some good complex grammatical constructions and the grammar is precise. For example, the red words show that some of these are  adverbial clauses ,  noun clauses  and  relative clauses :

• Although  some people are of the opinion  that  zoos can provide a sanctuary for endangered animals...
• ...seen for example  in the way that  their habitats are being destroyed...
• ...the argument is  that  zoos can protect some of these animals who are under threat.
• ...trained staff  who  can ensure the animals are looked after...
• Pandas  who  have been endangered...
• ... even though  some species are under threat...
• ... While  it may be fun and educational...

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• June 9, 2023

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample: Animals Living in Zoos

Some experts believe it is better for animals to live in zoos where they are safe and are given all the food they need.

Do you think that living in zoos has more advantages or more disadvantages for animals?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Keeping animals in zoos has become a polarizing topic among experts and animal lovers. While some feel zoos offer the safest environment to protect rare and endangered species, I would argue that there are more disadvantages in confining animals in such places.

Living in a zoo has two main benefits for the animals they contain. First, the threat of extinction can be removed for endangered species like pandas and rhinos. In a zoo, they could reproduce in a well-protected area without the fear of predators or poachers. Second, in a world where human activities destroy natural habitats and the associated food sources, zoos become a perfect sanctuary for affected wildlife, such as polar bears. Simply put, these bears find their territories diminishing daily and their access to food restricted due to global warming caused by industrialization. However, in zoos they receive regular meals and can live out their lives in peace.

Despite the few advantages, living in captivity, in my opinion, is not always in the best interest of the animals. For one thing, animals have evolved to roam freely and search for a new home or mate. Remaining in the same small place will only lead to boredom or even depression. For another, being constantly on display and having no privacy at all puts them under a tremendous amount of stress. Since some wild animals, such as owls or leopards, are naturally shy, forcing them to be under constant close observation from loud groups of visitors might be considered torture. Finally, hunting and foraging is a part of most animal species. This ensures that they get enough physical activity and avoid becoming obese, but zoos cannot provide them with enough space for such natural behaviors. Therefore, living in a zoo will be both both mentally and physically harmful to them.

In conclusion, it is true that keeping particular endangered species in zoos will help them live safely, but survival is not enough. All animals need their natural habitats to thrive.  

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Zoos Are Sometimes Necessary But Are A Poor Alternative To The Natural Environment | IELTS Essay Samples

by Manjusha Nambiar · Published December 14, 2022 · Updated March 20, 2024

Zoos are sometimes necessary but are a poor alternative to the natural environment. Discuss arguments for and against keeping animals in zoos.

Here is a band 9 IELTS essay on this topic. Need help with IELTS writing? Get your IELTS essays, letters and reports corrected by me.

Band 9 IELTS essay sample

In nearly all countries, there is a practice of keeping wild animals in zoos. Zoos serve several purposes. For example, they give visitors an opportunity to see wild animals from close quarters. They may also help to protect endangered species from extinction. Still, zoos cannot replicate the natural environment.

Some animals are on the verge of extinction. Keeping them in zoos allows us to protect them. The zoos provide a safe environment for them to live and reproduce. Several factors including human intervention put animals at risk. In a zoo, they are free from poaching. They also get fed on time and receive medical attention when they fall ill. Zoos serve an educational purpose too. Children, in particular, enjoy visiting zoos because in a zoo they can see a lot of animals up close. They enjoy it. Sometimes, animals that are not endemic to a particular region are brought from their native place and kept in zoos with the sole objective of entertaining visitors. For example, some zoos in India keep anacondas in enclosures. These reptiles are a native of the Amazon forests.

On the down side, a zoo is never a good alternative to the natural habitat of animals. In zoos wild animals are kept in captivity whereas in the natural environment they roam free. When animals are kept in tiny enclosures, they lose their vitality and natural instincts. Constant exposure to human visitors also causes much distress to these poor animals. Every living being desires freedom. Zoo animals are not different. They do not enjoy their life in captivity. Needless to say, zoo animals appear tired and distressed at all times.

Keeping animals in wild life sanctuaries and national parks is a much better alternative to keeping them in zoos. These are protected forests where hunting and poaching are not allowed. Consequently, animals are safe in them. Also, these forests provide them a natural environment. Of course, animals are not readily visible to humans in a wildlife sanctuary. That means they do not really serve the purpose of entertainment. Still, they are quite good at conservation.

To conclude, while there are some valid reasons to keep animals in zoos, they are never a healthy alternative to the natural habitat. Zoos protect animals from extinction, but zoo animals are not happy or content.

Do you have an essay on this topic? Submit it below in the comments for a free band score estimate. Follow me on Instagram for IELTS practice tips.

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer: Some people think that wild animals should not be kept in zoos

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IELTS Writing Task 2 essay with model answer

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic

Some people think that wild animals should not be kept in zoos. Others believe that there are some good reasons for having zoos.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Write at least 250 words.

Model Answer :

The perspective that whether animals should be housed in a zoo or not has sparked a heated debate among many. In this essay, I will shed some light on opposing sides of this viewpoint and then provide my own opinion.

On the one hand, there are compelling reasons for wildlife to not be kept in zoos. First of all, wild animals are happier in their natural habitats as they can lead their lives by freely roaming around the forest, experiencing the various seasons and being around other animals. In addition, they will not feel as captives bounded by an area in a zoo. For instance, most wild animals such as lions, tigers, monkeys, et cetera seem more active and healthy in the forest as compared to the cages in zoos. Therefore, they can reap the benefits of nature by not being in confinement.  

On the other hand, there are some merits for having zoos. The primary benefit is that it can serve as a spectacle for human beings to see many different wild species such as birds, mammals, reptiles, fishes, et cetera all in one place. In addition, people gain immense knowledge of wildlife by observing them closely; indeed, knowledge is wealth . Moreover, wild animals will not be preyed by their predators by being in zoos. For example, animals are kept apart in a zoo so that one doesn’t feed on another, whereas a lion pride can hunt, kill and consume a zebra in a forest.

Having considered a range of arguments, I firmly believe that wild species should not be held in zoos; animals should enjoy their natural habitats and not be kept as captives.

Total Words: 270

Task Achievement: 9

Coherence & cohesion: 9, lexical resources: 9, overall score: band 9.

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Happy to help you out. Send me an essay on the following topic and I’ll mark it for free.

Some people think that the government should pay one of the parents of very young children to stay at home to look after their children. What do you think would be the advantages and disadvantages of this policy? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 word.

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It is cruel to keep animals in zoos. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

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Support ideas with relevant, specific examples

Examples make your writing easier to understand by illustrating points more effectively.

Examples, if used properly, not only help you get higher marks for ‘Task Response’ but also for ‘Coherence’.

When giving examples it is best to put them after your main idea or topic sentence. They can be used in the middle of supporting sentences or they can be used to start a new sentence. There is no rule for where exactly to give examples in essays, logically they would come after your main idea/topic sentence or just after a supporting sentence.

Linking words for giving examples:

• for example
• for instance
• to illustrate this
• to give a clear example
• to illustrate
• take, for example

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