Why Zoo Animals would make great rock climbers

by Joel Bates

Sitting encircled in the shade at the bottom of the climb, the instructor asked the youth group, “Why was climbing and challenging ourselves so important to our faith?”  The students thought quietly until one man, a volunteer sponsor, raised his hand.

“It’s like the animals at the zoo,” he said. 
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This got everyone’s attention.  Shane, a former teacher-turned-zookeeper-turned-farmer, had signed up to help chaperone the group on this rock-climbing adventure with Discovery Ministries and found that the lessons from the day dredged up past experiences with animal husbandry that snapped a connection to human faith and resilience.  He saw the truth of the experience not only applied to his students but also challenged him.  

I had asked Shane what made him switch from public school teacher to zookeeper.  Without hesitation, he replied, “The beasts at the zoo were easier to manage and tamer!”  Then he related a study done on zoo animals to increase their resilience.  Zookeepers had begun to suspect the animals were susceptible to illness and morbidity when faced with adversity because everything was provided for them, a life made easy by eliminating struggle.  Turns out the lack of challenge was not doing the wildlife any favors. 
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In a 2025 review, “Why Measuring and Building Resilience Is Applicable to Zoo and Aquarium Animal Welfare,” Jessica C. Whitham and Lance J. Miller explained testing a theory they called “stress inoculation.”  They had presented appropriate, manageable challenges to the animals over time to build resilience.  In short, they used smaller, deliberate challenges to combat larger-scale, harmful stressors.  And guess what?  It worked.  The animals in the test bounced back quicker from traumatic veterinary visits.  They adapted better when transferred from one pen to another and even did better socially with other zoo animals and human visitors.

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Pondering this with our climbing group, we discussed the unprecedented levels of suicide, depression, anxiety, and fear amid a modern culture that has attempted to rid our lives of challenge, replacing it with as much convenience and comfort as we can stomach.  It dawned on us that maybe we need what the zoo animals need—deliberate times of adversity.

One kid raised his hand, “I guess this climbing day is challenging on purpose to help us grow in our character.” 

I couldn’t communicate our intent at Discovery Ministries much better except to add James’ sentiment about challenge found in James 1:2-4:  
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“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
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James would agree with those zookeepers, emphasizing that as humans, we should go a step farther and thank God for the trials He allows, joyfully seeing the purpose in developing steadfast faith so we won’t lack anything.  This lack isn't a material pursuit of having everything we need—God provides well for that, too.  Still, James is giving us the answer that combats the deeper challenges of life like anxiety, hopelessness, depression, and fear.  He’s giving us a prescription to “abide” in Jesus.  It starts with agreeing to let God bring challenges to us, trusting that He will not give us more than we can bear, and believing that He will be present with us as we walk through them. 
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It’s a lot like a novice rock climber clambering up a granite slab attached to a rope and belayer, but faced with a fear of heights.  The belayer will catch the climber when he falls, but he also wants to see the climber reach the summit and achieve the victory.  It’s a measurable challenge worth pursuing because that victory contains a sealed treasure, reminding us that we can conquer fear and rely on something outside ourselves to catch us.  It’s the invisible, less tangible treasure of true bravery that no one can take away from us.  This happens in our inner being and is visible only with our spiritual eyes.  

By the end of our discussion with the climbing group about how the zoo animals can illustrate the importance of challenge, one junior high boy raised his hand: “Do you think bears can climb as well as people?” 
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Maybe the zookeepers can study that next.

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“And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered
a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” – 1 Peter 5:10