---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A world without huge regions of total…"
description: "\"A world without huge regions of total wilderness would be a cage; a world without lions and tigers and vultures and snakes and elk and bison would be -..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5f/edward-abbey-254_bison_a-world-without-huge-regions-of-total-wi_2699031.jpg"
---

#  A world without huge regions of total wilderness would be…

![“A world without huge regions of total wilderness would be a cage; a world without lions and tigers and vultures and snakes and elk and bison would be - will be - a human zoo. A high-tech slum.” quote by Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5f/edward-abbey-254_bison_a-world-without-huge-regions-of-total-wi_2699031.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5f/edward-abbey-254_bison_a-world-without-huge-regions-of-total-wi_2699031.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5f/edward-abbey-254_bison_a-world-without-huge-regions-of-total-wi_2699031.jpg)

> “A world without huge regions of total wilderness would be a cage; a world without lions and tigers and vultures and snakes and elk and bison would be - will be - a human zoo. A high-tech slum.”

[Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Without wild,, humanity becomes confined, losing freedom and authenticity.

**In simple terms:** Nature is essential for freedom.

Key Takeaway

Protect wilderness, preserve wildness.

Themes

environment freedom wildness

Mood

urgent reflective

Type

environmental philosophical

When to use this quote

- urban planning
- wildlife protection
- education
- tourism policy
- art installations

Key Concepts

conservation anthropology ecology

Questions to Reflect On

- What does wilderness symbolize for you?
- How can cities integrate wild elements?

A Different Perspective

Human societies can adapt without wild spaces.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bison/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Earth day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth-day/) [Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elk/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Lions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lions/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Slums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slums/) [Snakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/snakes/) [Tigers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tigers/) [Wilderness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wilderness/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Zoos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zoos/)

## Related quotes

> [It's true: Every time you kill an elk, you're saving some cow's life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/it-s-true-every-time-you-kill-an-elk-you-re-saving-some-cow-s-life/)

[Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/)

> [Clearly, then, the city is not a concrete jungle, it is a human zoo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-morris/clearly-then-the-city-is-not-a-concrete-jungle-it-is-a-human-zoo/)

[Desmond Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-morris/)

> [The city is not a concrete jungle, it is a human zoo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-morris/the-city-is-not-a-concrete-jungle-it-is-a-human-zoo/)

[Desmond Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-morris/)

> [“We’ve built a ‘human zoo,’ caging ourselves in routines, technology, and artificial environments.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-breniman/we-ve-built-a-human-zoo-caging-ourselves-in-routines-technology-and/)

[Ken Breniman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-breniman/)

> [We don't understand the power of nature and the world because we don't live with it. Our environment is designed to sustain us. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-gonzales/we-don-t-understand-the-power-of-nature-and-the-world-because-we-don/)

[Laurence Gonzales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-gonzales/)

> [Film is my passion. I had no money, after Human Zoo. I was completely broke. It was horrible. My film was in Berlin on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rie-rasmussen/film-is-my-passion-i-had-no-money-after-human-zoo-i-was-completely/)

[Rie Rasmussen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rie-rasmussen/)

> [Man needs spiritual expression and nourishing... even in the prehistoric era, people would scrawl pictures of bison on the walls of caves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-botero/man-needs-spiritual-expression-and-nourishing-even-in-the-prehistoric/)

[Fernando Botero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-botero/)

> [I would love to have a battle of wits with you, Bison, but I doubt it would be a fair fight.' 'Shut your face.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-landy/i-would-love-to-have-a-battle-of-wits-with-you-bison-but-i-doubt-it/)

[Derek Landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-landy/)

> [To use the power of the bison, I had to perform that part of my vision for the people to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/to-use-the-power-of-the-bison-i-had-to-perform-that-part-of-my-vision/)

[Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/)

> [A painted landscape is always more beautiful than a real one, because there's more there. Everything is more sensual, and one takes refuge in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-botero/a-painted-landscape-is-always-more-beautiful-than-a-real-one-because/)

[Fernando Botero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-botero/)

> [You're in a bad mood,' Skulduggery said. 'I understand. I do. You're saying things that you don't really mean. It's OK.' 'I'll kill you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-landy/you-re-in-a-bad-mood-skulduggery-said-i-understand-i-do-you-re-saying/)

[Derek Landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-landy/)

> [Ostrich is a very lean meat. Bison is a very lean meat. Chicken is a very lean meat. Notice something about my favorite meats?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-guthrie/ostrich-is-a-very-lean-meat-bison-is-a-very-lean-meat-chicken-is-a/)

[Arlo Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-guthrie/)

> [I know now what this meant, that the bison were the gift of a good spirit and were our strength, but we should lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/i-know-now-what-this-meant-that-the-bison-were-the-gift-of-a-good/)

[Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/)

> [If the Americans, in addition to the eagle and the Stars and Stripes and the more unofficial symbols of bison, moose and Indian, should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-huizinga/if-the-americans-in-addition-to-the-eagle-and-the-stars-and-stripes/)

[Johan Huizinga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-huizinga/)

> [From the animist point of view, humans belong in a sacred place because they themselves are sacred. Not sacred in a special way, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/from-the-animist-point-of-view-humans-belong-in-a-sacred-place/)

[Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/)

## More by Edward Abbey

> [A man could be a lover and defender of the wilderness without ever in his lifetime leaving the boundaries of asphalt, powerlines, and right-angled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-man-could-be-a-lover-and-defender-of-the-wilderness-without-ever-in/)

[Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/)

> [Apuleius married a rich widow, then wrote \_The Golden Ass\_.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/apuleius-married-a-rich-widow-then-wrote-the-golden-ass/)

[Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/)

> [Except for the scale of the operation, there was nothing unusual about Hitler's massacre of the Jews. Genocide's an old tradition, as human as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/except-for-the-scale-of-the-operation-there-was-nothing-unusual-about/)

[Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/)

> [By the age of eighteen, a human has acquired enough joy and heartache to provide the food of reflection for a century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/by-the-age-of-eighteen-a-human-has-acquired-enough-joy-and-heartache/)

[Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/)

> [“Our institutions are too big; they represent not the best but the worst characteristics of human beings. By submitting to huge hierarchies of power,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/our-institutions-are-too-big-they-represent-not-the-best-but-the/)

[Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/)

> [No man-made structure in all of American history has been hated so much, by so many, for so long, with such good reason, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/no-man-made-structure-in-all-of-american-history-has-been-hated-so/)

[Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/)

> [Where all pretend to be thinking alike, it's likely that no one is thinking at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/where-all-pretend-to-be-thinking-alike-it-s-likely-that-no-one-is/)

[Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/)

> [Nobody has so many friends that he can afford to lose one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/nobody-has-so-many-friends-that-he-can-afford-to-lose-one/)

[Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/)

> [“But why, the questioner insists, why do people like you pretend to love uninhabited country so much? Why this cult of wilderness? Why the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/but-why-the-questioner-insists-why-do-people-like-you-pretend-to-love/)

[Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/)

> [Civilization is a youth with a molotov cocktail in his hand. Culture is the Soviet tank or L.A. cop that guns him down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/civilization-is-a-youth-with-a-molotov-cocktail-in-his-hand-culture/)

[Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/)

> [All revolutions have failed? Perhaps. But rebellion for good cause is self- justifying -- a good in itself. Rebellion transforms slaves into human beings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/all-revolutions-have-failed-perhaps-but-rebellion-for-good-cause-is/)

[Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/)

> [“Me, I'm living under a sword too, as Jack may have told you. An old wino's disease, which could lay me in the grave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/me-i-m-living-under-a-sword-too-as-jack-may-have-told-you-an-old-wino/)

[Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/)

> [“Look here, I want to say, for godsake folks get out of them there machines, take off those fucking sunglasses and unpeel both eyeballs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/look-here-i-want-to-say-for-godsake-folks-get-out-of-them-there/)

[Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/)

> [Reason has seldom failed us because it has seldom been tried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/reason-has-seldom-failed-us-because-it-has-seldom-been-tried/)

[Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/)

> [“What is the essence of the art of writing? Part One: Have something to say. Part Two: Say it well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/what-is-the-essence-of-the-art-of-writing-part-one-have-something-to/)

[Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/)

[Explore all 807 Edward Abbey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/)

## More Bison quotes

> [A painted landscape is always more beautiful than a real one, because there's more there. Everything is more sensual, and one takes refuge in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-botero/a-painted-landscape-is-always-more-beautiful-than-a-real-one-because/)

[Fernando Botero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-botero/)

> [Ostrich is a very lean meat. Bison is a very lean meat. Chicken is a very lean meat. Notice something about my favorite meats?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-guthrie/ostrich-is-a-very-lean-meat-bison-is-a-very-lean-meat-chicken-is-a/)

[Arlo Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-guthrie/)

> [I know now what this meant, that the bison were the gift of a good spirit and were our strength, but we should lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/i-know-now-what-this-meant-that-the-bison-were-the-gift-of-a-good/)

[Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/)

> [If the Americans, in addition to the eagle and the Stars and Stripes and the more unofficial symbols of bison, moose and Indian, should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-huizinga/if-the-americans-in-addition-to-the-eagle-and-the-stars-and-stripes/)

[Johan Huizinga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-huizinga/)

> [From the animist point of view, humans belong in a sacred place because they themselves are sacred. Not sacred in a special way, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/from-the-animist-point-of-view-humans-belong-in-a-sacred-place/)

[Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/)

> [You're in a bad mood,' Skulduggery said. 'I understand. I do. You're saying things that you don't really mean. It's OK.' 'I'll kill you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-landy/you-re-in-a-bad-mood-skulduggery-said-i-understand-i-do-you-re-saying/)

[Derek Landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-landy/)

> [To use the power of the bison, I had to perform that part of my vision for the people to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/to-use-the-power-of-the-bison-i-had-to-perform-that-part-of-my-vision/)

[Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/)

> [I would love to have a battle of wits with you, Bison, but I doubt it would be a fair fight.' 'Shut your face.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-landy/i-would-love-to-have-a-battle-of-wits-with-you-bison-but-i-doubt-it/)

[Derek Landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-landy/)

> [Man needs spiritual expression and nourishing... even in the prehistoric era, people would scrawl pictures of bison on the walls of caves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-botero/man-needs-spiritual-expression-and-nourishing-even-in-the-prehistoric/)

[Fernando Botero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-botero/)

> [I want to figure out a way to not be stupid with money, then make a whole bunch of it, then I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-matthews/i-want-to-figure-out-a-way-to-not-be-stupid-with-money-then-make-a-2/)

[Dave Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-matthews/)

> [In an early version of the story, I thought Aang could shepherd a herd of twenty bison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-konietzko/in-an-early-version-of-the-story-i-thought-aang-could-shepherd-a-herd/)

[Bryan Konietzko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-konietzko/)

> [Man needs music, literature, and painting - all those oases of perfection that make up art - to compensate for the rudeness and materialism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-botero/man-needs-music-literature-and-painting-all-those-oases-of-perfection/)

[Fernando Botero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-botero/)

> [“We made this stupid rule and this stupid rule. Boys are not allowed to love each other. Then we painted a bison on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-smith/we-made-this-stupid-rule-and-this-stupid-rule-boys-are-not-allowed-to/)

[Andrew Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-smith/)

> [What do women do when they get together? We sit around and talk! Men, not so much. My theory is that this difference is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-mccarthy/what-do-women-do-when-they-get-together-we-sit-around-and-talk-men/)

[Jenna McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-mccarthy/)

> [Americans are good at herding Bison. The end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-clarkson/americans-are-good-at-herding-bison-the-end/)

[Jeremy Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-clarkson/)

[Browse all 23 Bison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bison/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "A world without huge regions of total wilderness would be a cage; a world without lions and tigers and vultures and snakes and elk and bison would be - will be - a human zoo. A high-tech slum.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Edward Abbey"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-world-without-huge-regions-of-total-wilderness-would-be-a-cage-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Bison"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-world-without-huge-regions-of-total-wilderness-would-be-a-cage-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5f/edward-abbey-254_bison_a-world-without-huge-regions-of-total-wi_2699031.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5f/edward-abbey-254_bison_a-world-without-huge-regions-of-total-wi_2699031.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5f/edward-abbey-254_bison_a-world-without-huge-regions-of-total-wi_2699031.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“A world without huge regions of total wilderness would be a cage; a world without lions and tigers and…” — Edward Abbey",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Edward Abbey",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "A world without huge regions of...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-world-without-huge-regions-of-total-wilderness-would-be-a-cage-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-world-without-huge-regions-of-total-wilderness-would-be-a-cage-a/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
