Case study - legislation and security in zoos - Essay Example

2) notes that it is possible that the UK has the highest level of Animal Welfare Legislation in the world. The western lowland gorillas are a subspecies of Gorilla that resides in lowland swamps, primary and secondary forests in central Africa. At the moment, the western lowland gorillas face extinction due to a number of factors. Some of the factors include poaching, deforestation, and disease outbreak especially Ebola. The Western Lowland Gorilla was classified as a critically endangered species on 2007 based on a reduction of population of over 80% over three generations (Genton 2013, pp. 2). Several legislations have been put in place to conserve wild animal all over the world, especially those designated as critically endangered.

In the UK various laws have been put in place to protect critically endangered animals put in zoos. These legislations include: Cruelty to animals act, 1876 Protection of animals act, 1911 Dangerous wild animals act, 1976 Endangered species (import and export) act, 1976 Animals health act, 1981 Zoo licensing act, 1981 European Council Zoos Directive 1999/22/EC In 1896, the UK parliament passed the Cruelty to Animals act that defined limits on animal experimentation and established a licensing system for this experimentation.

It instituted that researchers faced prosecution for cruelty if they did not conform to its provisions that required painful experimentation on animals to be carried out only when the proposed experiments are critically essential to save or prolong human life (Cruelty to Animals Act 1876, c.77). The Protection of Animals Act is legislation passed by the UK parliament and received the Royal Assent in 1911. It is basically a consolidation of various legislations, repelling other legislations such as the Wild Animals in Captivity Protection Act 1900 and the Cruelty to Animals Act 1849.

This legislation however has largely been repealed by the Animal welfare Act 2006. The Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 was enacted to ensure that dangerous wild animals kept by private individuals (as was the fad in the late 1960s and early 1970s), were kept in circumstances that did not endanger the public while also safeguarding the welfare of the animals (Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976, c. 38). The Endangered Species (import and export) Act 1976 is a legislation of the UK parliament that seeks to restrict the importation, exportation and sale of certain animals and plants deemed endangered as well as their derivatives such as elephant tusks (Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 1976, c. 72). The Animal Health Act 1981 is a legislation enacted to prevent and deal with various diseases affecting animals under human care.

It established inspection regulations by approved government official and also set up a means with which the government can aid in preventing and curing animal diseases (Animals Health Act 1981, c. 22). The Zoo Licensing Act was established by the parliament to regulate zoos through registration with local authorities. The act requires all zoos to be inspected and licensed thus ensuring that animals confined in enclosures are provided with a suitable environment that ensures that they can express their normal behavior.

The act also lays out conditions that zoos must keep to prevent escape leading to captive animal being injured or compromising public safety (Zoo