Zoos

[think positive]

The problem is Skids, you get the fools who want to take selfies, get up too close, scare the animals, its just not natural. I really dont agree with them at all.

The kangaroo enclosure is really well managed, but there was still a few idiots who tried to get a hold of the kangaroos.

im actually really shocked to read some of these. The US has some bloody awful animal horror stories, but the rescue place i went to, Noahs Ark, i paid for the most expensive close up tour, and all that meant was we were inside the second fence, we were not allowed to touch the inner fence if the animal was near, no contact, no feeding. very small groups, with a VERY strict keeper. volunteers have no contact with the animals except domesticated animals (they have horses and farm animals too).

[Skids]

https://theconversation.com/in-defence- ... tion-56719

Anti-zoo and animal rights groups such as CAPS, PETA or the Born Free foundation claim that zoos are inherently cruel. They highlight animals housed in small cages for “our entertainment” and claim all should be released back into the wild.

But zoo design has moved a long way since the bad days of bare, concrete cages, and indeed innovative enclosures these days can closely replicate an animal’s wild habitats.

In fact, most zoo animals, including Harambe the gorilla, have been born and bred in captivity. They have never experienced “the wild”, which many people assume is a wonderful and safe place, despite destruction of natural habitats for palm oil, threats from climate change or the increase in poaching.

Overall, zoos provide opportunities to observe and engage with exotic animals, many of which may be threatened with extinction in the wild. Seeing them up close can spark a passion for biology, conservation and the environment.

So next time you decide to visit a zoo, take a deeper look at the animal care and information that is provided for you. You may become a defender of zoos and the vital work they do.

[think positive]

Skids, I really would love to see all wild animals living free, cows die in their sleep before they get to the table, every dog in a happy healthy home, every child free of poverty and abuse, but its never going to happen. yes zoos play apart now in keeping species from being extinct, but we still need to move forward, a long way forward in ensuring their welfare is Paramount.

i cant watch national geographic for the most part, and as much as i would love love love to cuddle a bear cub, im not going too. its just plain wrong.

Animals were not put on this earth to be our entertainment.

[Skids]

Hey, I agree totally.
But Morrigu saying I have NFI and whining about the way it is isn't going to solve anything.
Zoos have come a long way in the last few decades and, the people who work in them (there were dozens mingling in the crowd pointing things out)are very passionate about animal welfare.

I don't know what the answer is, but Perth Zoo, IMO, is at least on the right track.

[stui magpie]

Animals were not put on this earth to be our entertainment.

Interesting point.

Animal rights is a fairly new concept. While recorded history only goes back 3-4 thousand years, in that time animals have been hunted for food, used for entertainment (lions v Christians in Rome) and generally treated as the apex predator (humans) right to do what we wanted with them,

Zoos are not a new thing, there's records of Zoos going back to Constantinople a long time back.

In the oldest continuous civilisation on earth, the Australian Aboriginals, they terraformed the continent, wiping out a number of flora and fauna through firestick farming, to provide food for their favoured food, kangaroo and wallaby. The only animal they domesticated was the Dingo which was an introduced species. Marsupials are not as suited to domestication as other mammals.

In summary, nothing was put on this earth with a purpose, creature evolved to generate their own purpose. Whether animals are here to be used for entertainment or food or whatever is an ethical question for which the answer depends on the stage of the society.

You tell a starving African that they shouldn't eat meat, good luck with that. You'll get a different reaction from a hipster from Brunswick.

[Pies4shaw]

There's the key to solving world hunger and saving all our precious wildlife, Stui: tell the starving Africans to put the rhinos down and eat the hipsters from Brunswick.

[think positive]

Animals were not put on this earth to be our entertainment.

Interesting point.

Animal rights is a fairly new concept. While recorded history only goes back 3-4 thousand years, in that time animals have been hunted for food, used for entertainment (lions v Christians in Rome) and generally treated as the apex predator (humans) right to do what we wanted with them,

Zoos are not a new thing, there's records of Zoos going back to Constantinople a long time back.

In the oldest continuous civilisation on earth, the Australian Aboriginals, they terraformed the continent, wiping out a number of flora and fauna through firestick farming, to provide food for their favoured food, kangaroo and wallaby. The only animal they domesticated was the Dingo which was an introduced species. Marsupials are not as suited to domestication as other mammals.

In summary, nothing was put on this earth with a purpose, creature evolved to generate their own purpose. Whether animals are here to be used for entertainment or food or whatever is an ethical question for which the answer depends on the stage of the society.

You tell a starving African that they shouldn't eat meat, good luck with that. You'll get a different reaction from a hipster from Brunswick.

I have no problem with the African guy eating meat, i do have a problem with him killing an animal for a trophy, or abusing an elephant to make it rideable.

I also agree with P4S! eat the hipster! but then where would MAFS come from!

[David]

I think there’s a bit of a tendency among some animal-rights types to romanticise the natural world. Even without humans, nature is a brutal, cruel, violent place, and many wild animals spend a considerable portion of their existence trying to avoid death. While I agree that zoos in the past were pretty miserable places, the modern zoos I’ve been to (Melbourne, Werribee and Adelaide) seem pretty unimpeachable, and I dare say the animals there live much better lives than they would otherwise. Add the work that modern zoos do for conservation and I think you’d have to be a bit of a puritan to oppose them.

(On the other hand, I’m not a fan of the more "entertainment-oriented" places like the Melbourne Aquarium. Their penguin enclosure in particular seems pretty sad, and honestly I was getting cabin fever myself with their stupid music droning on in the background.)

[Morrigu]

You tell a starving African that they shouldn't eat meat, good luck with that.

Or you could try telling an apparently starving Aussie that they shouldn't eat meat and well it's God damn BBQs at 10 paces

As an aside I've never met an African ( or a starving African for that matter but that may be because we don't go to Sudan or Somali or the like) in any of the countries we have wandered through on numerous visits who doesn't have the utmost disdain for white rich Westerners who pay to come and kill animals for fun - that they don't get! And neither do they get any financial benefit as is often suggested - those who " own" the animals that are killed by these big brave "hunters" for trophies are their countries rich white men and they reap the rewards.

[Morrigu]

I think there’s a bit of a tendency among some animal-rights types to romanticise the natural world. Even without humans, nature is a brutal, cruel, violent place, and many wild animals spend a considerable portion of their existence trying to avoid death.

Yes it is and yes they do - that is the natural world and that is how it should be no matter how cruel it may seem - no romance here! Humans who want to romanticise it support zoos and captive breeding cause it makes them feel better cause they think the animals life is better.

[luvdids]

Hang on.... what's the issue with hand feeding selected animals?

These sessions last from 10 - 20 minutes and, if fully booked, raise over $8000/wk extra to help meet the zoos bottom line.
.

Corrected for accuracy

I'd suggest that having the animals partake in these activities would be more beneficial to their lives in captivity than not.

[Skids]

Maybe a read through their annual report, before an arrogant eye roll?

https://perthzoo.wa.gov.au/about-perth- ... ual-report

There ya go, corrected for accuracy

[luvdids]

Maybe a read through their annual report, before an arrogant eye roll?

https://perthzoo.wa.gov.au/about-perth- ... ual-report

There ya go, corrected for accuracy

Not sure what you corrected exactly?

Fascinating report, did you read it??

Total income $26,323,913.00. "A total of $242,000 raised previously was allocated to wildlife conservation projects in 2017-18" Wow. Didn't realised they were so generous.

Also interesting to see their report on operations - in particular the market research results:
(% of visitors:)

98% believed the zoo educated visitors about conservation problems facing wildlife
97% believed the zoo looked after the quality of life of animals in its care
93% believed Perth zoo saves wildlife
95% believed the zoo encouraged people to be more conscious about conservation of the environment
61% say their visit to Perth Zoo had an influence on their likelihood to contribute to the conservation of wildlife

So over 90% believe the zoo is doing right by the animals and conservation but only a little over half are likely to help themselves, down from 67% the year before... This stat's going the wrong way, their educating efforts seem to not be working.

Thanks for posting it!

[Morrigu]

^Absolutely bloody wonderful to see they are adding to their financial coffers by making the elephants paint and then selling their 'art" - mind you Melbourne zoo (and who knows how many others) also provide their elephants with this wonderful opportunity!

Such a natural elephant behaviour - I've lost count of the number of times we've been sitting at a waterhole and a herd of eles have wandered in, retrieved their easels from the bushes picked up their paint and paintbrushes and got right to painting!

[stui magpie]

There's the key to solving world hunger and saving all our precious wildlife, Stui: tell the starving Africans to put the rhinos down and eat the hipsters from Brunswick.

I like the way you think, but the difficulty would be in capturing all the Hipsters and transporting them to Africa. It could also be considered environmental vandalism.

Plan B. We convince the Chinese that the testicles of a Hipster has 1000 times the aphrodisiac properties of Rhino horn and similar for other body parts or secretions of other endangered animals.

In one fell swoop we collapse the market for Rhino horn (and Bear Bile, Shark Fin etc) and divert all the Chinese currently stockpiling baby formula. to roaming around Brunswick carrying box cutters instead.

Granted, it doesn't provide any income for the Africans but does solve other problems.