Smart Zoo Knows Exactly Who Should Be In Cages 

Finding a way to share the natural world with the world's most probing, curious animals — human beings — is complicated. But one zoo in New Zealand has found a way to let people gawk at wild animals while also putting people in their place.
The tables turn during Orana Wildlife Park's Lion Enｃounter, which puts tourists in cages to view the wild animals. 

 
Here's a much better way to build a zoo. It's in the Orana Wildlife Park in Christchurch, New Zealand. Love it. 
Posted by ViralNova on Friday, January 10, 2014

The striking image has been making the rounds on the internet, giving voice to growing frustration with traditional zoo practices that keep animals in small enclosures. 

"Love it! Cage the people NOT the animals! View animals in THEIR own environment not OURS!" one commenter wrote. 

 
Another quipped: "[T]hese animals are responsible for thousands of deaths over the years, but the cats don't even seem frightened of them."

In all seriousness, though, many complicated issues about captivity and conservation arise just from a little thought about this image. "This appears to present a positive change away from the traditional arrangement of animals in cages being surrounded by visitors," Chris Draper, programs manager at Born Free Foundation, told The Dodo. "However, is the lion enclosure any bigger or better than in any other zoo or wildlife park? This set-up might improve the view of the cats for the visitors, but the benefits to the lions are unclear. Does this experience turn visitors into passionate conservationists, or is it just a cheap thrill? Fundamentally, this is a captive facility and these lions will never be released to the wild: They deserve the very best in terms of animal welfare, but let's not lose sight of the need to focus on keeping big cats where they belong — in the wild." 

Article Source: https://www.thedodo.com/lion-enｃounter-people-cage-1348927118.html
Image Source: http://www.ecotravellerguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Orana_Wildlife_Park_feeding_lions1-e1363568176980-600x329.jpg

VOCABULARY WORDS:
1. Gawk (v.) ~ stare openly
2. Turn the tables (idiom) ~ reversed the fortune
3. Enclosure (n.) ~ an area that is sealed off with an artificial or natural barriers
4. Quip (v.) ~ make a witty remark
5. Cheap thrill (idiom) ~ meaningless but fun experience
6. In captivity (n.) ~ the state of being held, imprisoned, etc.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. Keeping animals in the zoo has always been controversial since some people say that keeping animals in captivity is not good. What is your opinion on this?
2. What’s the difference between the regular zoos and Orana Wildlife Park?
3. Do you think that putting humans in cages instead of the animals is better? Discuss your answer.