Thought Provoking Black and White Photos Capture the Sad Lives of Zoo Animals

Animals in the zoo are unable to live life like they should. They cannot move about their natural terrain like they would if they were free. They cannot express their natural behaviors or interact with one another as they please. If you’ve been to a zoo, the chances are good that you’ve seen the sadness in an animal’s eyes. You’ve seen them pacing or laying there with a dazed look, dreaming of life as it should be. There is no better way to convey the emotions of these animals than through photography. Seeing their faces and their body language in an image truly makes one realize how unnatural it is for them to be in a cage.

Though many zoos have good intentions, intentions of teaching people to love and respect animals, it isn’t the most effective way to do so. Zoo Conservation efforts are not without large setbacks, either. Though they are preserving endangered species, are they actually helping its cause if the animals can never return to the wild?

Mexican photographer Davis Solis, has created a series of sad, but stunning photographs of zoo animals that are meant to convey the emotions of zoo animals. Looking at these images, it is hard to imagine why we ever thought keeping animals in captivity for us to look at was a good idea …

“See the animals at the zoo, locked up like criminals,” writes Solis. 

“[They] inspired me to photograph and capture their faces …”

“… full of sadness, and tell the world that they want to be free.” 

Though some zoos have good intentions, the animals cannot live life as they should.

They must live in the confines of cages.

They will never have the chance to live like nature intended.

All image source: Davis Solis/Behance