Reasons for keeping animals in zoos
One of the reasons given by zoo proponents is that the facility brings together people and animals forming a wonderful learning point.
 Those who visit zoos are taught to appreciate animals, and are expected to treat animals well wherever they go.
This serves the animal kingdom well.
Secondly, some animals would be extinct today if they are not kept in zoos.
This is because of the increased poaching of game.
 The zoo, in this case, provides a safe haven where these animals are protected, thus saving them from extinction.
 In addition, zoos provide an enriched habitat ensuring that conditions are perfect for the survival of the animals concerned.
 Zoos save endangered species by bringing them into a safe environment, where they are protected from poachers, habitat loss, starvation, and predators.
Many zoos also have breeding programs for endangered species.
In the wild, these individuals might have trouble finding mates and breeding.
Reputable zoos are accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and are held to high standards for the treatment of the animals.
 According to the AZA, accreditation means, "official recognition and approval of a zoo or aquarium by a group of experts."
A good zoo provides an enriched habitat in which the animals are never bored, are well cared-for, and have plenty of space.
Zoos are a tradition, and a visit to a zoo is a wholesome, family activity.
Seeing an animal in person is a much more personal and more memorable experience than seeing that animal in a nature documentary.
Some would argue that humans have little, if any duty to non-human animals because humans are more important, and if keeping animals in zoos serves any educational or entertainment purposes, it serves a purpose to the humans, even if that purpose is not beneficial for the animals.
Some zoos help rehabilitate wildlife and take in exotic pets that people no longer want or are no longer able to care for.
Both accredited and unaccredited animal exhibitors are regulated by the federal Animal Welfare Act, which establishes standards for care.
				Reasons against keeping animals in zoos
Keeping animals in zoos is seen as an infringement of animal rights.
 By confining these animals, they are unable to mingle freely with their mates as the case would be in a natural setting.
 These animals are psychologically distressed as a result of being in a controlled environment with a lot of human interference.
Secondly, these facilities serve to remove genetic diversity from the wild since the ones left in the wild have fewer breeding mates to choose from.
As a result, inbreeding becomes inevitable, which is not good as it perpetuates some unwanted genes.
From an animal rights standpoint, we do not have a right to breed, capture and confine other animals, even if they are endangered.
Being a member of an endangered species doesn't mean the individual animals have fewer rights.
Animals in captivity suffer from stress, boredom, and confinement.
Intergenerational bonds are broken when individuals get sold or traded to other zoos, and no pen or even drive-through safari can compare to the freedom of the wild.
Baby animals bring in visitors and money, but this incentive to breed new baby animals leads to overpopulation.
Surplus animals are sold not only to other zoos, but also to circuses, canned hunting facilities, and even for slaughter.
Some zoos just kill their surplus animal outright.
The vast majority of captive breeding programs do not release animals back into the wild.
The offspring are forever part of the chain of zoos, circuses, petting zoos, and exotic pet trade that buy, sell and barter animals among themselves and exploit animals.
Ned the Asian elephant was born at an accredited zoo, but later confiscated from an abusive circus trainer and finally sent to a sanctuary.
Removing individuals from the wild will further endanger the wild population because the remaining individuals will be less genetically diverse and will have more difficulty finding mates.
If people want to see wild animals in real life, they can observe wildlife in the wild or visit a sanctuary.
A true sanctuary does not buy, sell, or breed animals, but takes in unwanted exotic pets, surplus animals from zoos or injured wildlife that can no longer survive in the wild.
If zoos are teaching children anything, it's that imprisoning animals for our own entertainment is acceptable.
The argument that children will have more compassion animals they can see life does not hold water.
Not one of the today's children has ever seen a dinosaur, yet kids are crazy about them.
At least one study has shown that elephants kept in zoos do not live as long as elephants in the wild.
The federal Animal Welfare Act establishes only the most minimal standards for cage size, shelter, health care, ventilation, fencing, food, and water. For example, enclosures must provide "sufficient space to allow each animal to make normal postural and social adjustments with adequate freedom of movement. Inadequate space may be indicated by evidence of malnutrition, poor condition, debility, stress, or abnormal behavior patterns." Violations often result in a slap on the wrist and the exhibitor is given a deadline to correct the violation. Even a long history of inadequate care and AWA violations, such as the history of Tony the Truck Stop Tiger, will not free the animals.
Sanctuaries also rehabilitate wildlife and take in unwanted exotic pets, without breeding, buying and selling animals like zoos do.
Animals sometimes escape their enclosures, endangering themselves as well as people. There have even been incidents of zoo animals eating other zoo animals.

Conclusion
In order to have a win-win situation for humans and wild animals, a few measures need to be implemented. This could include releasing the animals back to the wild after a given period. It would also be good to ensure that the environment created for these animals is not very different from their natural one. This will make it easy for the animals to cope when they are released back to their natural habitat.