The proposal has been presented to Belfast Council, with some councillors in favour and others opposed. And of course the zoo staff and their union are worried about possible job losses if the zoo is slimmed down.
But it can't be right that all those majestic animals, which normally have miles and miles of open space as their daily habitat, are cooped up in small enclosures where all they can do is prowl aimlessly round and round.
It may be all right for small animals like meerkats and prairie dogs, which have plenty of space to run around in, or fish in massive tanks, but the larger animals must be thoroughly miserable in their cramped quarters. It's a known fact that elephants for example die much earlier in zoos than elephants in the wild.
The plan's critics say some animals simply couldn't be returned to the wild. Barbary lions are now extinct. Other animals used to captivity wouldn't survive a natural habitat full of predators or polluted with pesticides.
They say it's important for children to see as many animals as possible in the flesh, that seeing animals on the internet or on TV just isn't the same.
Presumably the zoo would retain those Northern Irish animals in danger of extinction, such as the barn owl, the red squirrel, and the Irish black honeybee.
Jenny and I have been to the zoo a few times, and we love watching all the animals we never normally encounter, but it can't be right that most of them are there simply to entertain us or feed our curiosity.
They deserve better than that.
Pic: meerkats at Belfast Zoo
The zoo's we have visited in the last few years (San Diego and Indianapolis) make a very big deal about conservation and how animals are treated. I don't know enough about the topic to say whether or not their points are valid.
ReplyDeleteBijoux: I applaud your caution. It's a complicated issue with lots of pros and cons.
DeleteWe have eliminated so much of their natural habitat so bear a huge responsibility for this. Our over population and rapacious management of the planet has been disastrous for all living creatures not to mention pollution and desertification of their ranges.
ReplyDeleteI am very torn about this as I believe it isn't black and white at all.
For instance koalas need to be saved and where? Zoos perhaps.
I always enjoyed the Toronto Zoo as it was the spectators in cages watching them and the animals roaming free. That may have changed now.
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www: What I said to Bijoux. Yes, a lot of natural habitat has been destroyed as a result of reckless human behaviour.
DeleteIt sounds like Toronto Zoo was (or is) more enlightened than others. We've been to Toronto but never visited the zoo.
the large zoos now I think are being much more mindful of the animal's needs and true rights of life. I know ours has huge areas for them. probably still not what they would have in the wild... but they also don't have to worry about predators when they drink form the stream or pond! and their health is safeguarded by professional vets.
ReplyDeletelike Bijoux says... it's never black or white.
the ones I wish would be outlawed FOREVER are those little side show types of zoos run by people who KNOW NOTHING about the needs of the animals. it's sad. and pathetic. they should ALL be outlawed! no exceptions.
Tammy: True, in captivity they don't have to worry about predators and (usually) they're well looked after. But I've seen some awful stories about circuses and how badly their animals are treated. I think more and more circuses are doing without animals though.
DeleteI don't mind seeing animals in zoo settings as long as the animals have large enclosures. A lot of zoo's have done better about making he enclosures a lot bigger.
ReplyDeleteMary: Yes, animal enclosures do seem to be getting generally bigger, which is good. Even so, it's hard to accept that the larger animals are happy in an enclosure.
DeleteI can't believe the meerkats at the zoo are happy, either.
ReplyDeleteJoanne: You might be right, but they look happy enough racing around and chasing each other.
DeleteI mostly hate zoos because I feel sorry for the animals, but I went to the San Diego zoo years ago and they seemed to have much better living conditions.
ReplyDeleteJean: Some zoos do seem to have much better "habitats" than others, but there must still be little comparison with natural habitats.
DeleteIf there's habitat where the animals can safely live away from humans who would do them harm I agree that would be best for them. We would have to clearly designate land for them, but as I viewed a show with the Columbus, Ohio Zoo director when he was visiting Africa, South America so much of the protected land for the big animals is shrinking in size, combatting poachers. Land in S.A. decreasing, too, affecting all forms of life.
ReplyDeleteThe San Diego Wild Animal Park -- has a different name now, I think -- did a much better job of housing some of their big creatures, but still a relatively confined space compared to how they usually live in the wild.
I'm reminded of a "Twilight Zone" TV episode with man landing on another planet where the astronauts found themselves specimens of interest to that planet's residents. Don't know if the series was as popular or ever aired where you live.
Joared: A shame that so much protected land is shrinking. There are certainly problems with the idea of "returning animals to the wild". It's not as simple as it seems.
DeleteThe Twilight Zone was shown in the UK, but I never saw it. I can imagine strange earthlings being put in a zoo along with rare animals!
I agree with you that animals and birds should not be caged. I have forgotten quite when it was that I last visited a zoo. I have however gone to reserves and seen elephants, lions and tigers in their natural habitat and that experience is simply out of this world.
ReplyDeleteRamana: Seeing animals in reserves must be very gratifying after seeing them in cramped cages and enclosures.
DeleteAs a child I loved zoos. As an adult - taking my son and his friends? Well, not so much. Some animals seem to be "ok". But to see, say, a wild cat (lion, tiger, panther) pacing up and down, up and down, up and down even a (relatively) generous amount of space, not so much. No room to run, no chase for their prey - food just served.
ReplyDeleteThe joy how to soar like a bird comes to mind. Denied.
But then, who knows, maybe we, humans, are kidding ourselves that we have all the freedom in the world just because we aren't visibly "caged".
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Ursula: Yes, I hadn't considered the birds, but they can't fly very far in even the most spacious aviary. Let alone migrate across the globe!
DeleteI think humans are very much caged. So much of what we do is subject to laws and regulations and social mores of one kind or another. Not much freedom for refugees or trafficking victims.
More and more zoos seem to be trying to house animals in more natural habitats. But it's sure not the miles they would have in the wild. But not just zoos - I've always felt terrible for birds who live in little cages in peoples' homes. Just seems so unkind to me.
ReplyDeleteAgent: I totally agree. All those budgies and canaries, they must be so frustrated that they can't just fly around freely wherever they want. And hamsters and guinea pigs are equally restricted.
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