Monday, April 21, 2008 IRISH TIMES HEAD TO HEAD

Should zoos be closed?

Yes: Bernie Wright

A ZOO is simply a collection of animals. It makes money by attracting paying visitors. The quality of life for the animals varies from totally inadequate to barely adequate.

Three thousand years ago, when zoos were started in the Middle East, animals were merely objects of curiosity from faraway places.

Trapped from the wild, sometimes with parent animals being killed (young animals being easier to train and manage), many of them died on their long and horrific journeys to other continents and climates. These animals were treated as prized public attractions or captive slaves. They experienced fear, hardship, an alien environment, barren enclosures, and their mental and physical needs were ignored.

In 2008, Dublin Zoo sits on roughly 60 acres. It boasts such habitats as African plains, fringes of the Arctic, rainforests, the Kaziranga forest trail and shops and restaurants. All of this and 600 animals as well, ranging from tigers, elephants, and chimps to red pandas. Even with limited mathematical skills, 100 animals per acre hardly seems like a miraculous natural environment.

To quote the zoo, it invites visitors to "go wild in the heart of the City". It's a pity the animals cannot do the same. Indeed, it is well documented that elephants can roam more than 40 miles in a day in their natural surroundings. (They also mourn their dead and live in family groups.)

Explain this to the Dublin Zoo elephants. Instinctive behaviour is still evident in third- or fourth-generation captive-bred animals.

Most animals on display in zoos are not threatened by extinction, yet captive breeding programmes are one of the most common reasons that zoos use to justify their existence. They endeavour to save species that are faltering in the wild from going extinct.

When asked "how many animals have been reintroduced back into the wild by Dublin Zoo since the 1800s", the answer was "we have none in the records, but possibly a golden lion tamarin was released to a protective area in South America six years ago". Strangely, there are no statistics for released animals.

The focus of zoos is on human entertainment, rather than education. The Alliance for Animal Rights's observations at Dublin Zoo have shown that even if learning material is available, little of it is absorbed by the public and most zoo-goers disregard it. Children, especially, rush from one exhibit to another, pausing only if animals are being fed or performing cute tricks.

With no predators, some animals might live longer in zoos, but at what price? Elephants in captivity display chronic health problems associated with confinement, including arthritis, foot diseases, skin ailments, psychological problems, and reproductive difficulties, with areas far too small to meet their needs for exercise and natural behaviour. Others just go mad. True conservation must conserve animals and their habitat in the wild. Animal species down to their last few surviving members might be taken into captivity, but only as a last resort, and these can live at specialist conservation centres.

Unnaturally housed or insane animals cannot be representative of their species. Good wildlife television programmes today can show normal behaviour of animals in their natural surrounds. Alternatively there are safari or working holidays. We do not need to confine animals in zoos to learn. Zoos only teach us that it is acceptable to keep animals locked up so long as you can justify it with an excuse - conservation, or research, or for public education, or finance. Or that humans are superior to animals because we can capture and control them and that animals exist for human purposes.

Animals in captivity are institutionalised, and totally dependent on humans. It is morally unacceptable to keep any being in an environment where their natural instincts are continuously frustrated - their enclosure is merely a prison.

Many animals have suffered in Dublin Zoo. A white rhino was shot on zoo grounds, penguins died from toxic paint in their enclosure, sea lions went blind from the chlorine in their pond. Two polar bears went insane, with typical pacing back and forth continuously. A situation with another polar bear cub, "Knut", in Nuremberg zoo, is causing a major debate about the rights of caged animals in Germany.

Although some insist that bears born in zoos have a right to human intervention to save and secure their lives, others, such as the German animal rights activist Frank Albrecht, argue that they become so dependent on man that they end up divorced from nature and turn into hyperactive, disturbed freaks.

Dublin Zoo has traded animals with circuses over the years, too. Zoos are unable by their nature to exist without causing prolonged suffering to animals. I urge anyone who visits the zoo to really look into an animal's eyes. Do they deserve life imprisonment without ever committing a crime?

Bernie Wright is press officer of the Alliance for Animal Rights (AFAR)

No: Veronica Chrisp

IF ANYBODY could witness the look of amazement and wonder on the face of a six-year-old child as he, or she, sees an elephant, a snake or a gorilla for the very first time, it is unlikely that zoos would ever again be put on the defensive by being asked this question.

The ethical and well-managed zoo has a vital role in our society. Our disconnection from the living world is progressing rapidly and often the only opportunity for busy urbanites to see animals is at the zoo.

The fact is that there are simply too many of us consuming too great a proportion of the Earth's natural resources to allow non-human species a share that secures their future. Zoos are well placed to inspire their visitors to care and to encourage them to play a part in reducing the relentless rate of destruction.

Of course, in our culture, the very word zoo still has negative connotations - often evoking ideas of bored animals kept in Victorian menageries for the benefit of an unappreciative audience.

Visit a world-class facility such as Dublin Zoo and you will discover that nothing could be further from the truth.

Animals here live enriched lives in natural social groups, they are fit and healthy, able to breed and raise their own young. They can be observed in naturalistic spaces with vegetation, substrate, water features and so on that reflect their native habitat.

Animal habitats are designed with the animal's physical, psychological and social needs in mind.

The designers of Dublin Zoo's Kaziranga forest trail, for example, sought inspiration from the wild before ever setting pen to paper.

Two healthy calves later, the habitat is proving a delight for elephants and their visitors alike.

The modern zoo fulfils multiple roles: as a living classroom, conservation centre, animal sanctuary, centre of excellence in animal husbandry, animal welfare, science and research, a business and a major visitor attraction.

And of course, there is another essential element that many zoos often find embarrassing to discuss in this context - fun! In order to remind people of the joy of the natural world, and to encourage and inspire visitors to understand wildlife, the zoo has to offer a really great day out for all.

The zoo is managed by caring professionals who devote their lives to the welfare and care of animals and to understanding their needs. They are educated in the natural habitat of the animals, diet, reproductive biology, nutrition, genetics, health screening and social grouping. Modern zoos, such as Dublin Zoo, adhere to strict codes of practice in animal welfare laid down by European and global associations.

Through such organisations, partnerships among zoos and other kindred institutions, agencies and individuals are encouraged. This in turn leads to opportunities for co-operative research in conservation, biological and veterinary sciences.

By supporting specific research staff, collaborative partnerships with universities and regular publications, symposiums and workshops, they constantly develop knowledge, understanding and expertise.

Dublin Zoo financially supports a variety of projects, and great apes, tigers, tortoises, turtles and rhinos have been recipients of zoo-run funding campaigns over the last five years. This year the zoo is supporting amphibians, whose plight around the world is cause for serious concern.

Other in situ (in the wild) projects the zoo supports are the golden lion tamarin, scimitar-horned oryx, west African primates, Humboldt's penguin and the great hornbill.

There are more than 150 different species currently part of global zoo breeding programmes - these include gorillas, chimpanzees, orang-utans, snow leopards, Asian elephants, Amur and Sumatran tigers.

Dublin Zoo has, of course, changed a great deal in recent years.

Thanks to support from the Government, sponsors and its ever-increasing numbers of visitors, Dublin Zoo is becoming a world-class facility that Ireland should be proud to call its own.

More than 900,000 visited Dublin Zoo in 2007. All age groups, nationalities and different walks of life were represented - 50,000 of them were schoolchildren who visited as part of their formal education.

Many will have discovered and wondered about animals from places they have barely even heard of.

They may also have been lucky enough to speak to teachers, keepers, volunteers or expert horticulturalists who work tirelessly towards making the experience exciting, fun and educational.

Imagine the void left if the zoo was closed. Who would tell children about how elephants communicate, why monkeys hang by their tails or why flamingos are pink? How wonderful that they can see a real elephant or a zebra, or even a meerkat, without even having to switch on the television.

Veronica Chrisp is head of marketing at Dublin Zoo

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times

The Alliance for Animal Rights (AFAR) is saddened by hearing of the Oranutan Maggie’s bid to find freedom yesterday even to the point of leaving her baby   
‘ The understandably frustrated animal has been confined in an enclosure for 24 years, more than the length of a sentence that would be imposed on a human for the crime of murder. Zoos are but prisons to non human animals, yet they have not committed any crime. Those in captivity are driven insane, deprived of a natural life and are basically kept imprisoned for life so that our species can amuse themselves. Zoos are a throwback to the menageries of Victorian times. They should be abolished in this day and age as they are cruel and archaic.
Just like blacks are not made for whites nor are women made for men these animals are not on this planet to serve humans. Its their world too.’
Bernie Wright, spokesperson AFAR.

· Other animals like the two Polar Bears in the Dublin Zoo were driven insane in their enclosure.
· A girl was mauled by a Tiger in 2006.
· A white Rhino was shot when also making a bid for freedom some years ago.
· Sealions went blind and penguins died from toxins .

Bernie Wright,.spokesperson AFAR. 087 2651720.
Or Circuswatch ..Nuala Donlon 0863985761 for comment.

The story… An adventurous orang-utan went on-the-run today in Dublin Zoo making a bold bid for freedom after 24 years in captivity.Normally protective mother Maggie left her baby Mujur behind and managed to enjoy an hour on the loose wandering around in front of her enclosure. Zookeepers believe the 26-year-old ape made a long stretch for branches at the edge of the compound, grabbed a wall and climbed over at around midday. The alarm was raised within minutes but it was an hour before zookeepers managed to confront Maggie and shoot her with a tranquilliser dart gun.

 DUBLIN ZOO yesterday dismissed criticism from animal rights activists after an orang-utan escaped from its enclosure.

The 26-year-old ape, Maggie, made her escape on Wednesday by reaching out to branches at the edge of her compound and climbing out over a wall.

The alarm was raised within minutes by a group of schoolchildren and two of their teachers, but it was an hour before zookeepers could sedate the animal with a tranquilliser dart.

Bernie Wright, of the Alliance for Animal Rights, said that animals in captivity were being driven insane. 

 "The understandably frustrated animal has been confined in an enclosure for 24 years . . . Zoos are a throwback to the menageries of Victorian times. They should be abolished . . . as they are cruel and archaic," she said.

A spokeswoman for Dublin Zoo said: "Clearly, we do not imprison animals . . . Animals in zoos live longer than in the wild. They have no natural predators and are free from drought or conflict."

Ms Wright accused the zoo of keeping animals in captivity for the amusement of humans and pointed out that zoos deprived animals of a natural existence.

The zoo's spokeswoman rejected this assertion and added: "[ Our] animals are healthy and active. Animals are kept in proper social groups, they raise their own young and . . . [ live in] habitats which are inspired by their lives in the wild."

The statement from Dublin Zoo pointed out that 10 per cent of their profit went towards animal conservation.

The spokeswoman said that escapes were very rare: "Following an incident of this kind, the zoo undergoes a full and thorough de-brief."

The zoo insisted that no member of the public was in danger and said that drills were carried out regularly to ensure that their team was prepared.
Rory Tevlin
© Irish Times 4.04.08

By Joe Fay Posted in Bootnotes, 25th April 2008 11:18 GMT

 An Irish Independent columnist has called for Dublin Zoo to be shut down. In his November 5th Diary article, Peter Cunningham focused on the plight of the incarcerated animals and described zoos as depressing.

"Why do we bother keeping tigers and lions and gazelles and monkeys cooped up in wet paddocks and cramped cages for the Irish winter?" he asked. "Even in such world famous zoos as those in San Diego and in Sydney, where the climate is mostly sunny and warm, the sight of orang-utans loping around their enclosures, or of leopards walking endlessly up and down their cages, their primal urge to roam and kill forever denied them, jars my conscience." Mr Cunningham went on to dismiss claims by zoos that they serve an educational role. "We don't need to capture and enclose these creatures," he wrote. "We no longer need them to educate us about faraway lands, since we can watch them in their natural settings with the touch of a button. It feels like an abuse of power to continue their unnatural imprisonment."

Also rubbished in the column were boasts by zoos that they help conserve species. "I am aware of the argument that emphasises the role of zoos in saving endangered animals by breeding them in captivity, but isn't this the usual self-justifying tosh one always hears from quangos?" Mr Cunningham added. "Okay, some pandas have been bred successfully in China, and a bison or two elsewhere, but do these random successes allow us to keep large numbers of animals locked up for entertainment and commercial purposes? Seeing a zebra that deserves to be galloping across the plains below Kilimanjaro confined to a pony paddock does nothing for my respect for zoologists."

Orangutan escapes from Dublin Zoo

The story An adventurous orang-utan went on-the-run on the 5th of April 08 in Dublin Zoo making a bold bid for freedom after 24 years in captivity.