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Beijing's Cohabiting zoo

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Dear Editor,

 

Regarding the 9 August 2001 article (copied in full below) 'China Opens

First Zoo with Cohabiting Beasts', it has been brought to my attention

that (less than one week after opening) a baboon has already been killed

by a lion at the zoo.

 

It is surprising and disappointing that People's Daily reported the opening

of this " cohabiting zoo " near Beijing in a manner akin to a promotion and

without giving any consideration to the obvious criticisms of mixed

predator-prey enclosures.

 

Almost prophetically -- merely days before the tragic killing of the baboon --

the article exclaims, " Although the animals have not lived peacefully, no

casualties have occurred. " As the arrangement of the zoo inherently lends

its self to an " accident waiting to happen, " it would have been fitting for

the sentence to end with " no casualties have occurred YET. "

 

My source reveals that the baboons and lions share a glass enclosure

at the zoo and that the baboons have no escape route. If this information

is correct, the zoo directors should be ashamed of themselves for

having such a callous disregard for the physical and psychological

well-being of the animals.

 

Though it is the case that baboons and lions in the wild share a range in

the open savannahs, there is a big difference between the natural cohabitation

of species when spatial considerations consist of the continent of Africa

rather than a glass enclosure in a zoo.

 

According to the article, the entire zoo is 240 hectares (593 acres) which

is .37 square miles. Even if the zoo allocated the entire 240 hectares

to the baboons, the space would still be still be in excess of four times

less space than the natural daily foraging range of a wild baboon.

 

Wild baboons live in large troops and adult males join forces cooperatively

to guard and defend the troop. Many baboon species ascend at dusk to rock

ledges in order to have a natural barrier of protection from predators while

they sleep. Some members of the troop act as sentries at night, looking

out for approaching predators. Baboons have even developed specific

alarm calls to warn of predators, including one alarm call which is specifically

for lions.

 

One must ask what defense the captive baboons at the zoo have to protect

themselves from lion attacks... If indeed these captive baboons have

no escape routes, the zoo is setting the stage for the cliché " like shooting

fish in a barrel " to materialize in to a tragic reality for the baboons.

 

Even if the baboons had convenient escape routes in the enclosure, it is

unnatural for the baboons to be confined in close proximity with a natural

predator. It is also quite detrimental - physically and psychologically - for

any species to be forced in to a constant state of physiological readiness

to guard against predation. The involuntary response to a threat known

as the " fight or flight " response causes a reaction in the brain resulting in

a release of adrenaline. Studies have proven that an increased release of

adrenaline causes physical responses such as faster pulse, heart and

respiration rates. A prolonged (or never-ceasing) " fight or flight " response

would no doubt cause tremendous damage to an organic being's immune

system.

 

For this reason, even if the zoo's " cohabiting " species scheme does not

directly result in needless deaths of additional animals, nevertheless it

certainly does lend to potential disease and impairment of the preyed upon

species.

 

If the citizens of Beijing relish a " strong visual impact " , competition and

" moderate intensity " fighting, it would be best if they just wait for the 2008

Summer Olympics. Unlike the poor defenseless animals forced to live in

the mixed-species enclosures at the " cohabiting " zoo, the competition at

the Olympics will be fair and the competitors will be present by choice.

 

Sincerely,

Linda J. Howard

AESOP-Project [Allied Effort to Save Other Primates]

 

 

================================================

Thursday, August 09, 2001, updated at 11:33(GMT+8)

China Opens First Zoo with Cohabiting Beasts

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200108/09/eng20010809_76881.html

 

Photo: China's first zoo where various animals are kept together in the

same enclosure opened Wedsesday.

 

Covering an area of 240 hectares, the zoo in the southern suburbs of

Beijing hosts over 200 kinds of rare animals, numbering over 10,000

in total.

 

Zoo-keeper Du Xuefeng said, " Only a few of zoos in the world have

put natural enemies such as wolves and porcupines, bears and deer

in the same open area. Fighting between predators and their prey may

present a strong visual impact to visitors. "

 

" However, we try to avoid intense fights by controlling the frequencies

and the exact amounts of feeding. Their mutual hostility maintained, the

beasts can fight at a moderate intensity to keep fit. "

 

Wolves and porcupines, bears and deer have been living together for two

months in the open area. Although the animals have not lived peacefully,

no casualties have occurred.

 

With a total investment of 250 million yuan, the zoo has opened dozens

of exhibition zones for visitors either in cars or on foot.

 

In addition to daily activities such as animal feedings and performances,

the zoo workers are engaged in researches on animal protection and genes.

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