Guest guest Posted March 23, 2004 Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 ***************************Advertisement*************************** eCentral - Your Entertainment Guide http://www.star-ecentral.com ***************************************************************** This message was forwarded to you by yitzeling. Comment from sender: This article is from The Star Online (http://thestar.com.my) URL: http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2004/3/23/features/7431194 & sec=f\ eatures ________________________ Tuesday March 23, 2004 Unwilling exhibits SAHABAT Alam Malaysia is not surprised to hear about the recent rampage by a group of wild monkeys at a bird park in Malacca. This is to be expected as primates have become the victims of development. The homes of the macaque, slow loris and silvered leaf monkey continue to shrink with every tree felled by man. Trapped without an escape route due to the absence of wildlife corridors, these animals are driven to the kill by starvation. Wildlife personnel and the public may think that killing these wild monkeys will put an end to the problem, but little do they realise that the animals are not to blame. The problem is actually generated by humans who had earlier ravaged the animals’ habitat and forced them to look for new territories. Whenever there is development, the conservation of wildlife is the last thing that decision-makers take into consideration. Most of the time, the issue of conservation is neglected. While many take pride in what we call development, many creatures are crying out for their lost homes. Many are fleeing their homes in search of safer habitats but they can hardly find one. Unlike man, animals are not endowed with the capacity for rapid adaptation to new environments. As for aviaries, zoos and aquariums, SAM views them as anti-nature and anti-social. They represent life imprisonment for the animals, and are little more than money-spinners under the guise of nature conservation. Rather than spending RM5mil on a bird park which resulted in dwindling bird population over the years, the money could be put to better use by conserving birds in their natural habitats. Clearly such facilities perpetrate abuse towards animals. Captured and shoved into enclosures, these animals can only leave their prisons upon death. Until the final moment, the animals are forced to live as exhibits for the gratification of man. These facilities indiscriminately take animals from their original habitats too. There is need for the Science, Technology and Environment Ministry to monitor the number of aviaries; many such facilities mushrooming all over the country. Many of the exhibits are in a miserable state. Rather than coming out with a proposal to build a world-class zoo, the Ministry should seriously consider its commitment to upgrade all animal facilities throughout the country to ensure better living standards and husbandry. Species are better off in their homeland, not as living trophies behind bars. S.M. Mohd Idris, President, Sahabat Alam Malaysia <p> ________________________ Your one-stop information portal: The Star Online http://thestar.com.my http://biz.thestar.com.my http://classifieds.thestar.com.my http://cards.thestar.com.my http://search.thestar.com.my http://star-motoring.com http://star-space.com http://star-jobs.com http://star-ecentral.com http://star-techcentral.com 1995-2003 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Star Publications is prohibited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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