You believe the lies that zoos tell? (Zoos)

Member Name: samantha

Product:	Zoos
Date:	15/10/01 (701 review reads)
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I’m just nipping downstairs to lock the cats in the bathroom for the rest of their lives. I might wave at them through the window occasionally. Of course I’ll make sure they have good medical care, are well fed and I might even put a sign up ‘ Nermal’ – a not particularly rare breed of fat black cat who has the ability to open doors especially when you are on the toilet.

I might let people come round and take photographs.

I went to a zoo once, London Zoo. I was only about 9 or 10 and it upset me to see the animals sleeping on concrete floors, not having enough space, rocking backwards and forwards, trying to hide from the screaming children (even I do that).

The argument that zoos protect rare species of animal, instigate breeding programmes and in some cases even release rare animals into the wild is a valid one. But zoos are not necessarily the best vehicle for these endeavours. I do not object to certain ‘zoo’s’ that may come under the term ‘sanctuary’. The seal sanctuary at Gweek do an excellent job. What I do object to is the belief that some animals can be kept enclosed and unhappy for the good of others.

Likewise the argument for breeding in zoos is flawed. Very often they have a low number of breeding animals. Flaws are enhanced and often animals do not take well to breeding in captivity. We save species by saving there environments, protecting there welfare, bringing pressure upon countries to legislate for there welfare, provide monetary assistance. Not by locking ‘samples’ up.

Poaching is another poor argument. Animals at danger from poaching (elephant, rhino, bears) need to be protected in there own environment.

But what about the poor little children who will never see ‘wild’ animals if we do not keep them enclosed in zoos? What sort of argument is that, I only ever saw the one elephant when I was 10 and I can’
t say the lack of hot and cold running animals has concerned me. Zoos do not provide any insight into the animals that they keep. Once an animal is taken from its natural environment it’s behaviour adapts, it’s social behaviour and it’s hunting behaviour.

Neglect is another problem. Whilst we can acknowledge that the animals in zoos in England are in a much more heavily regulated environment than the zoos of less affluent countries I’m afraid you can’t slap them on the hand for there conduct when we are not setting such a fine example ourselves.

Neglect can lead to mental problems. Born Free report that symptoms of distress affect animals in eight out of 10 large zoos with symptoms including repetitive behaviour and obsessive grooming.

‘Abnormal behaviour recorded by the foundation's researchers included rhinos walking round in circles, red deer twisting their necks, lynxes, leopards, brown bears and Siberian tigers pacing up and down and overgrooming by orang-utans and chimpanzees.’ (Animals in British zoos 'distressed'
Nick Fielding, The Sunday Times)

Just what you want your children to see.

Profit. Lets not pretend that most of the zoos in the world are keeping animals for a misplaced belief in there welfare. PETA reports that

‘Although more than 112 million people visit zoos in the United States and Canada every year, most zoos operate at a loss and must find ways to cut costs (which sometimes means selling animals) or add gimmicks that will attract visitors. Zoo officials often consider profits ahead of the animals' well-being.’

I will leave the last word to Virginia McKenna, of the classic movie Born Free and go and let the cats out of the bathroom, Nermal is starting to rock backwards and forwards and Brogan nearly fell down the toilet.

"It is the sadness of zoos which haunts me. The purposeless existence of
the animals. For the four hours we spend in a zoo, the animals spend four years, or fourteen, perhaps even longer -- if not in the same zoo then in others -- day and night; summer and winter. . . . This is not conservation and surely it is not education. No, it is 'entertainment.' Not comedy, however, but tragedy."’

(PETA Factsheets > Animals in Entertainment)

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