FW: Rude awakening for Thailand's zoos

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The Nation (Thailand)

May 19, 2002, Sunday

 

EDITORIAL: Rude awakening for Thailand's zoos

 

Rude awakening for Thailand's zoos

 

Wild animals kept in zoos are supposed to be well fed

and well taken care of, and so their existence, if

somewhat mundane, is safe and secure. Unlike the

dwindling number of animals in the wild, zoo animals

do not have to worry about hunger or predators. Most

zoo-goers also do not find much wrong with the way zoo

managements handle the animals they've been given.

 

That's why it has come as a surprise to be told by

some international wildlife-conservation groups that

Thailand's zoos are among Asia's worst offenders for

the poor treatment of the animals in their care.

According to these animal-rights activists, such " fun "

activities as training wild animals - notably

elephants, tigers, bears and birds - to perform tricks

to entertain zoo visitors are inhumane or even cruel.

 

Getting an exotic bird to ride a miniature bicycle,

getting an elephant to sit cross-legged or play soccer

are crowd-pleasing tricks that are staged at a number

of zoos in this country. Commercial wildlife-breeding

centres also stage regular shows with crocodiles and

tigers which pull in huge numbers of paying tourists.

 

Humans have a tendency to want to ascribe human

characteristics to animals, which really amounts to a

peculiar concept of what constitutes cuteness in

animals.

 

The sight of elephants clumsily chasing and kicking a

football makes for a hilarious spectacle. But the

rigorous training, in which corporal punishment is

often used, is largely kept out of public view.

 

For example, the use of a sharp hook on an elephant's

sensitive hump by mahouts to control the creature's

movements, particularly in high-paced activities like

playing football, is a constant source of pain and

anguish to the animal. To be fair, many mahouts have

genuine affection for their elephants and do use the

hook in sensible ways that do not inflict unnecessary

pain.

 

Other animals, such as tigers, are made to perform

dangerous tricks, such as jumping through hoops of

fire, by trainers who do not hesitate to crack their

whips to get the big cats to do what they want them to

do. Such circus-like performances tend to hide the

real ordeal of the animals, which suffer repeated

physical and psychological abuse.

 

To most people, the key function of a zoo is to

educate and preserve species, and most do that

admirably. But not all live up to their professed

mission as they seek to find new ways to boost revenue

and profits by attracting more visitors.

 

Most research work being conducted at the zoos

concentrates on finding ways to breed and maintain

more animals in captivity.

 

Not enough is being done to shed light on their

behaviour and how best to simulate natural habitats

and find ways to release some captive-bred animals

into the wild.

 

Insensitivity to the needs of animals in captivity and

such cruel practices as forcing the creatures to

perform circus-like tricks do little to reduce

ignorance or teach people about the importance of

wildlife and conservation.

 

After all, what is the use of having a collection of

interesting animals if the conditions under which they

are being kept causes them to lose the true

characteristics of their species?

 

Wild animals are supposed to live free, not merely to

serve human purposes. All zoos that meet international

standards in regards to the ethical treatment of their

animals have banned all performances by the creatures

in their care.

 

Despite the fact that Buddhist Thais generally see

themselves as among the more compassionate towards

living things, this society still has a long way to go

to do away with ignorance and insensitivity about

ethical and humane treatment of animals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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