Gap Identified
Nobody at our school has a framework for evaluating whether a specific zoo is ethical. Teachers say 'it depends' but never specify on what. Online resources are either pro-zoo (from zoos themselves) or anti-zoo (from animal rights groups). There's no student-accessible tool for thinking through this systematically.
Artifact Created
7-criteria zoo ethics checklist: (1) Species conservation impact - measurable breeding/reintroduction outcomes, (2) Animal welfare standards - enclosure size, enrichment, veterinary care, (3) Educational value - evidence of visitor attitude change, (4) Research contribution - published studies using zoo data, (5) Habitat necessity - whether wild habitat exists for the species, (6) Revenue model transparency - how much goes to conservation vs entertainment, (7) Exit strategy - plans for when species recovery succeeds. Each criterion scored 1-5 with specific indicators.