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zoos: dissenting view

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Personally, I'm oppossed to zoos. Sounds like most think circuses are

a no-no and besides I think the cirque du soleil kind are much more

entertaining anyways! I think open range parks like Yellow Stone

where animals have acres upon acres of roaming are perfectly

acceptable. However, zoos rarely alot such ammenities. So many of the

animals are shot w/ tranquilizers and whatever else, removed from

thier natural environment and weather conditions that are most

sutible for them and then flown here for our viewing pleasure. In 1st

grade I enjoyed seeing all the different animals, but I think from an

educational stand point they are quite lacking. Ex: I don't see how

polar bears placed on mounds of fake rocks really educate someone

about the type of animals they really are. Maybe 50 years ago the

only way people would have been able to see such exotic animals were

to encage them but with modern technologies (including Animal Planet

tv, hidden cameras in the African bush, etc) we can actually see them

in their natural state, fully realizing whatever it means to be a

cheetah, elephant, etc. Someone mentioned that an elephant will

attack its trainer in circuses, but unfortunately this happens at

zoos as well. Just in the past month or so I read about an elephant

that trampled its elephant keeper w/o any provoking in a U.S. zoo.

Supposedly, this man was doing nothing harmful or teaching

it 'tricks' of any kind and I'm sure he wasnt. I think this is just

one of a few atrocities than can occur when we attempt to mistakenly

cage such animals. They are wild, non-domesticated beings. No matter

how long having been in zoos, their natural instincts cannot help but

emerging. I understand the Stewarts comment on that animals currently

in existence may not be alive if not for zoos. While I think this is

true, a few such animals would prob not be alive to today, I question

what kind of life they actually have. I think quality of life for any

being is very important and heavily associated with whether or not it

is prevented from realizing its full potential as a member of its

species. I think a better solution for saving such endangered

species, is to prevent their natural habitat from being invaded and

molested by humans. Additionally, a few types of animal species being

lost is undesirable, but I think the consequences of eroding/changing

existing world eco-systems in such a dramatic way that the current

animals are incapable of surving upon it, could quite possibly have

even more detrimental effects on human animals that have yet to be

seen or understood.

 

Advocator of Novelesque ramblings,

karen :)

 

P.S. I have no problem with anyone who would like to comment or

respond to my opinion. I think people are capable of expressing their

opinion without invoking rudeness and I hope all of you feel that I

extend the same courtesy. If not, please tell me. I'm not into

intentionally stepping on anyone's toes!

 

, " _- MatrixenO -_ "

<matrixeno@h...> wrote:

> " Worse, many species would not be around right now were it not for

zoos, and

> breeding programs, and so on. The Giant Panda is a case in point --

the

> hand-ful in the wild, were zoos not educating people about them,

would long

> since have been killed off by the land-greedy. "

>

> Great point, I didn't even think of that aspect. Very important.

They

> certainly have saved some beautiful creatures.

>

> >Do you feel this would be an educational

> >discussion,

>

> " No, people don't learn, they lecture. Haven't you noticed? "

>

> This either means I am not a person because I do learn, or I'm just

breaking

> all the rules, lol. Either way, I understand your generalization.

>

> >or do you think, while educational, it may get out of hand?

>

> " Always that hope, yes. "

>

> LOL. Ok.

>

> > Or,

> >perhaps option number three; Shawn just wasted alot people's time,

should

> >go

> >back to watching " Animal Planet " , keep his mouth shut and post

some dang

> >recipes.

>

> " Isn't frittering the time what these clubs are all about, really?

As if

> we're all in a ZOO? "

>

> Well, I for one find some of these clubs very interesting and

thought

> provoking. IMHO. Although not a waste of time for me, I again

understand

> what you are expressing.

>

> >

> >Peace,

> >Shawn

> >

> " Every guy's seen you before, somewhere. The trick is to find you. "

> --Jeff Chandler to Veronica Lake in THE BLUE DAHLIA

>

> I suggest the residence white pages. Any chance of someone telling

me how

> to get all the " girls " to see me, instead of the " guys " ? Nah, I

think I

> better figure that one on my own, not that i'm looking, lol. :)>

>

>

>

>

> " If, at first, you do succeed, try to hide your astonishment. "

> " If, at first, you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you

tried. "

>

> " The last four letters in " American " spell out " I Can " . "

>

> " Everything's ok in the end, if it's not ok, it's not the end. "

>

>

>

>

>

> ----Original Message Follows----

> The Stewarts <stews9@c...>

>

>

> Cages of Electrons

> Wed, 11 Dec 2002 08:49:57 -0600

>

>

> On Wednesday, December 11, 2002, at 02:56 AM,

> wrote:

>

> > Hey all. I was just watching " Animal Planet " , a cable network

which

> > features animals for those of you that aren't familiar with it.

It got

> me

> > to thinking about how you all might feel about zoos, since their

has been

> > talk of the treatments of animals in the group.

>

> Depends on the zoo, they vary widely. Usually newer are better.

> >

> > Do you all believe that animals should be held and raised

captive to

> learn

> > about them and teach the public about them? Do you think

animals should

> > remain free (and/or set free from zoos) amongst their natural

> environment?

> > Perhaps their is an alternative option that you believe.

>

> In many cases the natural environments are disappearing fast so the

Bush

> League can make even more pennies, and so on. >

> > This group has several different, wonderful people with

different eating

> > habits. So It might be nice to share your eating status as a

> reminder(ex.

> > eat meat, vegan, pesco, lacto/ovo), though obviously not

mandatory.

>

> Lacto ovo vegetarian, as if it's anyone's business. Nor does it

relate to

> my view of zoos.

> >

> > HOWEVER, I know these topics can be somewhat sensitive matters

to some

> > people, and I would not want a dicussion to get out of hand and

hurt

> > people's feelings.

>

> Sure, sure. LOL

>

> > So maybe we should take a vote on whether this

> > discussion should take place.

>

> I vote we don't vote.

>

> > Do you feel this would be an educational

> > discussion,

>

> No, people don't learn, they lecture. Haven't you noticed?

>

> > or do you think, while educational, it may get out of hand?

>

> Always that hope, yes.

>

> > Or,

> > perhaps option number three; Shawn just wasted alot people's

time, should

> > go

> > back to watching " Animal Planet " , keep his mouth shut and post

some dang

> > recipes.

>

> Isn't frittering the time what these clubs are all about, really?

As if

> we're all in a ZOO?

>

> >

> > Peace,

> > Shawn

> >

> " Every guy's seen you before, somewhere. The trick is to find you. "

> --Jeff Chandler to Veronica Lake in THE BLUE DAHLIA

>

>

>

> _______________

> Add photos to your messages with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*.

> http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail

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<<I think a better solution for saving such endangered

 

species, is to prevent their natural habitat from

being invaded and molested by humans.>>

 

I completely agree with you on this point. It

would be much better to save their natural environment

than to put them in a man-made one. For one reason or

another, it just seems that saving the animal in a zoo

is more successful than saving the environment. I

wish it weren't so. As long as people can make money

by destroying the environment. And as long as they're

not severely punished when they do. It will continue

to happen. Unfortunately.

 

Janice

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