Whether or not zoos, animal sanctuaries or habitats are ethical for the animals that live in them can be up for debate – especially here at UNA, where two lions reside.

“I have never had a problem with animals being in zoos, but I feel like they would be much happier in the wild,” said sophomore Kristen Smith. “They can’t go where they want and they spend their whole lives in one place. It’s a little sad.”

One of the biggest concerns is usually whether or not the animals can find enjoyment in enclosures.

With Leo III and Una, they get four new toys a year to play with, said Anne Howard, caretaker for the lions.

“These are all called mind enrichment toys,” Howard said. “In other words, they have to figure out how to play with them. Two they get on their official birthday (in April, in honor of Leo I) and two they get on their (biological) birthday in November.”

Also, the fact that UNA has two lions on campus instead of one goes a long way in ensuring their happiness, Howard said.

“Just think about going your whole life without seeing another human being,” Howard said. “That’s what Leo I and II did. (Leo III and Una) have each other, and they have a family.”

Though the question of how ethical unnatural habitats are is relevant to our campus, it is an issue in other zoos and habitats around the country.

At Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo, an important aspect to maintaining a lion’s happiness is space, said Sheila Franklin, manager of the Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo.

“Typically, lions need more space than they are usually given,” Franklin said. “We are currently in the process of moving our one cat to a larger enclosure. They seem happier in larger areas.”

With her personal experiences at the zoo, Franklin said the animals they have are in much better care that they would be outside of the zoo.

“We get a lot of rescues,” Franklin said. “People play with them everyday, and they’re involved with many activities. The animals here are well taken care of and loved.”

Another misconception about zoos is the animals might not like visitors, but the zoo’s lion Kiki and other animals show them they are wrong, Franklin said.

“People who visit her and the other animals will talk and communicate with them,” Franklin said. “She will run with them from inside the cage if they run with her on the outside, much like a house cat would. Other animals, like our primates, love attention, and visitors keep them happy.”

With Leo and Una, whether or not they like visitors depend on how the visitors act, Howard said.

“If the people are great, (Leo and Una) great,” Howard said. “If the people get on their nerves, I come out and stop them. Some people think their behavior is playing with them but they’re actually teasing them.”

Ultimately, people should consider becoming more educated with zoos and animal habitats, Franklin said.

“We’ve had people come who don’t like zoos,” Franklin said. “They walk away with a better understanding of who we are and what we do. We explain to them that we put our hearts into the care we give, we know we did a good job and the animals know when we did a job, so we know we’re dong the right thing.