David Field, who this month became head of the world’s zoo industry group, said of zoos that treat animals badly: “It makes me feel desperate. Keeping wild animals solely for entertainment purposes was socially acceptable some decades ago, but there are now far more concerns for their welfare and the conservation objectives of their captivity. As the new president of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Field hopes he will be in a position to address some of that. Speaking to the Guardian exclusively, he said: “There are many zoos in this country and certainly abroad that I would like to see closed. A recent report found numerous welfare breaches in UK zoos, including animals kept outside in poor weather without access to shelter.
