Zoo animals and hybrids – 175 words | BIO280 Conservation Biology | University of Phoenix

 Respond to the following in a minimum of 175 words: 

• Are animals in zoos or aquariums better off than their counterparts in the wild? Why or why not? Choose an animal species and discuss relative levels of competition, parasites, disease loads, predation threats, animal psychology, and social relations in the wild versus in a zoo or aquarium. How would you relate this example to concepts of biotic integrity, biodiversity, and sustainability?
• What are some consequences to the genetic structure of a population and the ecosystem in which the population is found if that population hybridizes with domestic or released organisms? What can be done to limit the potential for hybridization?