Does a zoo have more harm than good?

Yup. They are not objects.

I am only for zoos that provide excellent, large habitats and do not breed babies to suck in the public and do not breed, period, any of the more common animals. There are many zoos that have amazing conservation programs such as breeding near extinct species and re-introducing them into the wild such as Pandas and the California Condors into the wild.

I am completely opposed to marine parks that use Orcas for entertainment.

The Phoenix Zoo is the largest privately owned, non-profit zoo in the United States. Here are activities that they have previously engaged in and are currently engaging in:

Since opening in 1962, the zoo has focused on animal conservation efforts. Programs at the Phoenix Zoo include captive breeding for reintroduction (for instance the Arabian oryx, black-footed ferret, Mexican wolf, Ramsey Canyon leopard frog, and thick-billed parrot), sanctuary for animals that are no longer breeding (for instance the African wild dogs at the zoo), and rescue and rehabilitation (for instance lead poisoning treatments for the California condor).

The Phoenix Zoo participates in the Species Survival Plan (SSP) for 29 species with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The goal of the SSP is to engage in animal husbandry and research projects for selected species that are in need of conservation efforts.

The information provided above clearly demonstrates that not all zoos do more harm than good. Your generalization as the OP on this question / statement wasn’t very good, unfortunately.

@heyman. I apologize for my last sentence above because I read the initial question wrong. I thought it flatly stated “Zoos have more harm than good” but it is actually formed into it a good question. I need to get my eyes checked. =)

The animals in zoos exist for our amusement. I don’t see any good in that.

Minority opinion here.

Zoos help people bond with animals they would not normally see. This can be important when you talk about deforestation or hunting to extinction. If people have never seen a cheetah, a lion, or an elephant, they may not care about these creatures being slaughtered by safaris.

Is it better for the animals who are trapped in their cages and pens? No.
Is it better for their species? My opinion is yes.