Reflections, Reflections

I hate zoos. I hate the proselytizing, the sacharine speeches from pro-zoo people lying to themselves about the pain and damage they are really causing to the animals. And today I find out, that after mistreating animals who should be out in the wild where they belong, our brave new world zoos give them drugs: animal Prozac.

So first, the zoo makes the animal suffer, then it drugs their brain outs. And for what grand reason? For these garbage of little human animals to go there are gawk. It´s barbaric. This article refers to the PETA trying to get zoos to stop having elephants, partly because of recent deaths. I hope they succeed. Elephants are some of the coolest animals on the planet. Not that any other animal deserves to be mistreated, but specially elephants and the big monkeys, it´s criminal. Like the Ambulance blog guy says, "I like animals much better than people." In situations like this, decidedly.

Elephant Deaths Spur New Debate Over U.S. Zoos - excerpt:

Based on the Oxford University report that found 40 percent of zoo elephants engage in stereotypical behavior, the report's sponsor, Britain's Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, urged European zoos to stop importing and breeding elephants and to phase out exhibits.

Dodman said he frequently observes stereotypical behavior among zoo animals: polar bears rocking in place or swimming in endless circuits, parrots grooming themselves until they bleed, gorillas regurgitating and re-ingesting meals, and big cats pacing the same routes in trance-like patterns.

Most zoos embrace efforts to enrich the animals' lives by varying feeding rituals and providing toys, with some success; an Alaskan zoo is even building its elephant a treadmill. But elephants and other animals that range widely in the wild are less easily distracted, critics say.

Some zoos give animals behaving stereotypically the same antidepressant drugs found to ease compulsive behaviors in people, Dodman said.

"The key is providing more space and companionship for elephants, which often travel in large herds and forage for hours," Buckley said.

The key is to put zoo administrators in cages in the jungle and let the elephants gawk at them.



Update Feb. 14-2005
A new site for animal lovers - adults and kids.

and another gorgeous photo:

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