Animals don't like being caged.

I don't know what to think of zoos in the long run but all animals want to be free .



The laughing made me sad.

Yeah its difficult one. In most civilised countries captive animals are usually part of breeding and conservation programmes, and also serve as very effective method of educating the young, and others about the need to care for the planet. Outside of the civilised world is a different story altogether. I use the term "civilised" because the way a society treats those that do not have a voice is an accurate measure of that term.

They can put me in a cage as long as I get free health care, savory meals and am bred to a variety of females on a regular basis. Seriously, though, animals in zoos are generally well cared for and act as ambassadors of their species to humans. No predators and three squares a day isn't all that horrible.

a reply to: Metallicus

If we could ask them what do you think they would want?.
If think it would depend on the animal I suppose.

originally posted by: Metallicus
They can put me in a cage as long as I get free health care, savory meals and am bred to a variety of females on a regular basis. Seriously, though, animals in zoos are generally well cared for and act as ambassadors of their species to humans. No predators and three squares a day isn't all that horrible.

Yeah its much like being in prison except you get people looking at you and laughing or awwing all day. as they are caged they can't do the things they would naturally do... Like hunt, migrate, herd and graze. They are essentially house cats who just sit around all day licking themselves and waiting to be fed.

a reply to: boymonkey74

i feel the same way as you,

The kids are always trying to make contact with animals at the zoo.
if we put some humans in a cage and let aliens watch them, they would freak out 2
Only for medical reason a cage is good.
I heard a story about a woman that watched the same gorilla every day, eventually the gorilla broke lose and broke her bones, IDK if she was dead that was a long time ago.

it's a double edged sword really.
no matter how well you treat them, it just does not compare to having an entire forest to live in.
On the other hand, zoos are for most people the only way to come into contact with some truly amazing animals, and without that point of contact, many more animals would have gone extinct by now.
the impact of seeing the animal right in front of you, living and breathing is way more powerful than just watching it on tv, so in a way the tigers at the zoo are suffering for the greater good: awareness, and hopefully, preservation.
A needed sacrifice in the greater scheme of things

A lot of this assumes the animals cogitate the way we do. For many, they don't know any other life. Is it really different than our own pets?

a reply to: boymonkey74

Seeing those people taunt the animals pissed me off.
I actually heard some fool say that zoos and circuses are needed because in another 20 years the animals' habitats will be gone anyway. My response? "Oh, no! Don' stop destroying their habitats so they won't need to be locked up. Let's build more zoos!"

The last scene with the gorilla breaking the glass happened in Omaha, Nebraska. My son happened to be there with his class for a field trip. The gorilla enclosure is always depressing and there is always that group of kids who have to taunt the animals. I can see why they react the way they do.

Probably needs to be more policing in the Zoos, for such behavior. I know here, at our local zoo, if anyone does that, the other guests will take them to task for it.

a reply to: Gazrok

Or parents who would actually correct their children's behavior. Sadly, the parents are usually doing it also.

originally posted by: Metallicus
They can put me in a cage as long as I get free health care, savory meals and am bred to a variety of females on a regular basis. Seriously, though, animals in zoos are generally well cared for and act as ambassadors of their species to humans. No predators and three squares a day isn't all that horrible.

I am with you Metallicus! That sounds delightful.

a reply to: IShotMyLastMuse

And people need contact with wild animals because of....why? When we have contact with wolves and pumas they get shot and killed. People are so stupid that 2 have been injured by Bison at Yellowstone just recently. I think zoos are no better than circus'. They all need to be banned. If I want to see a certain wild animal,I'll turn on Nat Geo and get my fix.Bet that woman that had her window down at the lion park had a lot more 'contact' than she ever dreamed of.This is why we DON'T need contact with wild animals.We are too dumb and end up being in the food chain.

a reply to: Gazrok

I think they know that they want to be free,not in a darn cage to be stared at. Gorillas and other animals will go through the forest and you may never ever see them at all. They do it on purpose,they don't WANT the contact with other species.And they have learned that man is cruel and dangerous.then they are forced to have to interact with us. And staring at a silverback will always cause them to get upset. The zoo needs to keep people back away from the glass. If they don't get as good a look at them,oh well,your too stupid so there you go.

I agree. It breaks my heart to see animals in zoos and circuses, just as it makes me sad to see birds in cages.

My 11 cats are free all day long to roam, climb trees, roll in the grass and dirt, hunt, and run through the weeds. There are hundred of acres out here....no traffic, no roads, no neighbors.

They do need to come in at night in order to not become coyote food, though, but we give them as natural a life as a felis domesticus could want.

Some day people will realize that animals, particularly wild ones, need their space to live their life as they are meant to......and some day, people will also get that same opportunity.