Presumably, most animal rights activists reject violence as a means to achieve their goals. However, even the largest organization PETA explicitly does not dissociate itself from the militant wing of the movement and even acts as its public speaker.
Since the 1990s, there has been a considerable trend away from animal protection to animal rights movement, especially in North America, Europe and Israel.
Nowadays the breeding of endangered species is one of the most important tasks of zoological gardens. For this, a global network all around the world was established. Zoo organizations provide databases on the stock and genetic specifications of the animals. With the International Species Information System (ISIS) [now: Species360], zoos worldwide coordinate their breeding efforts in order to avoid inbreeding.
Nature conservation has to take place where there is still wilderness. Zoos make a contribution by keeping animal species in order to save them from extinction.
In the zoo live animals are often called to be „in captivity“. But zoo animals feel secure in their enclosures and do not know absolute freedom in nature either.
Animals have certain requirements regarding to how their artificial zoo environment should be designed. However the size of the enclosure is not that significant.
The fact that zoological gardens try to protect endangered species from extinction through breeding programs is well known. But they also have other tasks.