WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY

A caged lion pacing back and forth on a worn path and dolphins swimming in unending circles are captive animals exhibiting “stereotypies,” or repetitive abnormal behaviors. These disturbing behaviors are a common sight in many zoos. Laidlaw effectively captures the plight faced by captive wild animals, even in major, apparently high-quality zoos. In four riveting chapters he explores first the general issues of life in captivity, then addresses specific, often severe, problems faced by polar bears, elephants, dolphins and Great Apes. He goes on to discuss types of zoos and their particular flaws, then concludes with advice for readers on objective evaluation of the zoos they visit and offers a list of ten ways to help animals in captivity. Ample white space on each page and numerous, well-placed color photographs add to the readability; fact boxes on many pages provide additional details. This eye-opening look at zoo issues will strike a chord with readers and would be a useful addition to most collections. (glossary, index, list of animal-welfare organizations) (Nonfiction. 9 & up)