2008 Woodie Awards
Zoo babies are cute today, unwanted tomorrow
Debbie Leahy ; People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Issue date: 4/18/07 Section: Life
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Zoos justify their breeding programs as a form of conservation but many of the species being bred aren't endangered or threatened. None of the captive-bred species that do face extinction in the wild _ including elephants, polar bears, gorillas, tigers, chimpanzees and pandas _ will ever be released back into their natural environments to bolster dwindling populations. Nor does keeping animals in cages have a positive effect on species preservation. It doesn't even foster respect for animals in the wild. They are still hunted, poached, encroached upon, culled and captured for display.
In a disingenuous effort to showcase their "commitment" to animals, many zoos are engaged in renovation projects for their more popular species. Unfortunately, vast sums of money are being spent on new exhibits that do little, if anything, to enrich the often-complex needs of animals. In 2003, Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo opened its $23 million "African Journey," a cramped and poorly designed display featuring elephants and other animals. Within two years, all three elephants who had been relocated to the new exhibit died.
While zoos squander limited resources, legitimate conservation efforts struggle for funding. Scientists with the Amboseli Elephant Research Project are trying to raise just $100,000 to support the annual budget of a project that will make a difference for the preserve's 1,500 African elephants as well as for the Kenyan farmers living near Amboseli who lose their crops to elephants every year.
These efforts deserve our support. The springtime zoo baby exhibits don't.
In a disingenuous effort to showcase their "commitment" to animals, many zoos are engaged in renovation projects for their more popular species. Unfortunately, vast sums of money are being spent on new exhibits that do little, if anything, to enrich the often-complex needs of animals. In 2003, Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo opened its $23 million "African Journey," a cramped and poorly designed display featuring elephants and other animals. Within two years, all three elephants who had been relocated to the new exhibit died.
While zoos squander limited resources, legitimate conservation efforts struggle for funding. Scientists with the Amboseli Elephant Research Project are trying to raise just $100,000 to support the annual budget of a project that will make a difference for the preserve's 1,500 African elephants as well as for the Kenyan farmers living near Amboseli who lose their crops to elephants every year.
These efforts deserve our support. The springtime zoo baby exhibits don't.
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