Animal captivity is a much-discussed issue, both for its advantages and disadvantages for animals. Many people view animal captivity as a harm and believe it should be stopped; However, what is not considered are its benefits. Animal captivity helps both animals and humans in multiple ways, but the majority of the help that animal captivity offers is through the preservation of animal species and the educational benefits that zoos and aquariums provide to the man. Animal conservation must continue so that future generations can not only benefit from what animals have to offer to the ecosystems in which they thrive, but also so that the human race can continue to deepen its understanding of nature with a view to of future use. While some say animal captivity should be stopped because of the way it damages animals' mental and emotional behavior, animal captivity should continue because of its ability to preserve wildlife and the benefits it has for education. There are steps that can be taken to prevent any damage to the mental and emotional behavior of these animals, and zoos and aquariums around the world take these precautions daily. Zoos like the Riverbank Zoo in Columbia, South Carolina, offer mazes and realistic environments to benefit animal health. Although this is not the actual environment, it still benefits the physical and mental health of the animals. Animal captivity contributes to the preservation of endangered animals through the care that zoos and aquariums give to endangered species. Research by M. Gusset and G. Dick of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) shows in a graph that efforts by zoos and aquariums have contributed to the preservation of endangered species. Gusset and Dick studied several... middle of article...... multiple diversity - Stability mechanisms enhance population and community stability in aquatic food webs. " Ecology 95.1 (2014): 173-184. Complete general science Text (HW Wilson). Web. March 13, 2014. GUSSET, M. and G. DICK. “Building a future for wildlife? Assessing community contribution of zoos and aquariums to in situ conservation" International Zoo Yearbook 44.1 (2010): 183-191. Academic research completed. Web. March 13, 2014. Hull, Debra B. “Observing Animal Behavior in the Zoo: A Learning Laboratory.” Teaching Of Psychology 30.2 (2003): 117-119. PsycINFO. Web. March 13, 2014. Randler, Christoph, Barbara Kummer and Christian Wilhelm. "Adolescent Learning at the Zoo: Integrating a Non-Formal Learning Environment to Teach Formal Aspects of Vertebrate Biology." Journal Of Science Education And Technology 21.3 (2012): 384-391. PsycINFO. Web. March 13. 2014.