Passionately and persuasively written. There are a lot of things in the human/animal interaction that are not ideal, but if we grow, and learn, and adjust our relationships, we can take these negatives and make them positive. While I imagine that most zoo animals would not have volunteered for their lives... they aren't all bad. Nature is not the Disney cartoon people portray it to be. There are predators and diseases and famine. While I'm not saying the trade off is perfect, the animals in zoos are kept healthy and at the lowest stress that we know how. And they are adored. We see wild whales and dolphins who have sought humans for help when tangled in a net etc.... They seem to know something. And we have stories of animals helping people who are in danger... dolphins protecting people from shark attacks, etc... Again, not saying I want to perpetuate the captivity of animals, but there is a chance for human/animal intimacy when professional keepers work with them that surely counts for something. Now, as video footage is much more available on You Tube etc..., we can see the wonders of the wild without their being disturbed, but until recently, these parks were a chance for us to interact with the unknown, and to care for them... driving donations and support for legislation to protect them from the evils of poaching and mishandling. I'm so glad you wrote this. It was a great piece.