I don't doubt Jonathon's commitment to better the lives of animals but I wish he would re-read his article.
He mentiones the origins of the Oregon Zoo in a pit barely tended by a city employee. I'm just old enough to remember the end of the old zoo and the beginning of the new. People were justly proud that they had replaced the cruel and primitive pits with a new hygenic and humane zoo. And it was hygenic and humane by the standard of the day. A place where the physical needs of the animals were well cared for. Sadly, we did not understand that we also needed to care for their emotional needs. That's what creating the new facility is about. Increasing the quality of care to include the emotional health of the animals.
Why care at all? Because if we don't they are likely to disapear. I venture that Oregonians are quite generous in donating to habitat preservation but more often than not the disappearing habitat occurs in areas of the world where human economic and political problems make it impossible to secure a place for the animals. Zoos are a way to hang on while we solve human problems that hopefully will give a place back to the animals. I for one am not ready to give up yet.
Lastly all animals are not alike. Asian elephants, the ones we have in our zoo have been semi-domesticated for thousands of years. It seems to me that with that long experience there may be more effective solutions to the "trauma" Jonathon mentions. Frankly, I wonder if we shouldn't put them to work in the park. Oh not to get their labor but to give them purpose. Anyone who has ever owned a herding dog can attest to the benefits of
sarah barron - 16 years ago
I am proud to say Detroit Michigan eliminated their Elephant Exhibit. I hope others will follow Detroit's fine example.
Debra Krichko - 16 years ago
I'm thankful that someone finally spoke out regarding the fact that elephants do not belong in the zoo, or the circus, or any type of public viewing captivity. I think it's sad that the Portland Zoo has capitalized on the event of the baby elephant that was bred only to grow up and suffer and that the media has given it so much positive exposure without exposing the truth of captive elephants. Few will remember Tina, who was born at the Portland Zoo, transferred to a game farm in Canada and 33 years later was released to the elephant sanctuary in Tennessee. Just one year after being given her freedom, she died from osteomyelitis, a foot disease, common in captive elephants and a direct result of the limited conditions that she was raised in.
The Tennessee elephant sanctuary (elephants.com) has provided refuge for these animals, rescued from zoo and circus life, and given them the freedom to walk their 2700 acres and simply be elephants. Yet they continue to see first hand the illness, stress and death that is caused by years of confinement.
In the wild, elephants walk up to 30 or more miles a day. Unless you build a facility the size of Beaverton, this won't be accomplished and is a $30 million band aid, almost ridiculously equivalent to the treadmill Alaskan zoo keepers brought their elephant Maggie - to encourage exercise. They finally gave in to public pressure and released Maggie to the PAWS sanctuary in California.
This is exactly what the Portland Zoo should do for their elephants.
I don't doubt Jonathon's commitment to better the lives of animals but I wish he would re-read his article.
He mentiones the origins of the Oregon Zoo in a pit barely tended by a city employee. I'm just old enough to remember the end of the old zoo and the beginning of the new. People were justly proud that they had replaced the cruel and primitive pits with a new hygenic and humane zoo. And it was hygenic and humane by the standard of the day. A place where the physical needs of the animals were well cared for. Sadly, we did not understand that we also needed to care for their emotional needs. That's what creating the new facility is about. Increasing the quality of care to include the emotional health of the animals.
Why care at all? Because if we don't they are likely to disapear. I venture that Oregonians are quite generous in donating to habitat preservation but more often than not the disappearing habitat occurs in areas of the world where human economic and political problems make it impossible to secure a place for the animals. Zoos are a way to hang on while we solve human problems that hopefully will give a place back to the animals. I for one am not ready to give up yet.
Lastly all animals are not alike. Asian elephants, the ones we have in our zoo have been semi-domesticated for thousands of years. It seems to me that with that long experience there may be more effective solutions to the "trauma" Jonathon mentions. Frankly, I wonder if we shouldn't put them to work in the park. Oh not to get their labor but to give them purpose. Anyone who has ever owned a herding dog can attest to the benefits of
I am proud to say Detroit Michigan eliminated their Elephant Exhibit. I hope others will follow Detroit's fine example.
I'm thankful that someone finally spoke out regarding the fact that elephants do not belong in the zoo, or the circus, or any type of public viewing captivity. I think it's sad that the Portland Zoo has capitalized on the event of the baby elephant that was bred only to grow up and suffer and that the media has given it so much positive exposure without exposing the truth of captive elephants. Few will remember Tina, who was born at the Portland Zoo, transferred to a game farm in Canada and 33 years later was released to the elephant sanctuary in Tennessee. Just one year after being given her freedom, she died from osteomyelitis, a foot disease, common in captive elephants and a direct result of the limited conditions that she was raised in.
The Tennessee elephant sanctuary (elephants.com) has provided refuge for these animals, rescued from zoo and circus life, and given them the freedom to walk their 2700 acres and simply be elephants. Yet they continue to see first hand the illness, stress and death that is caused by years of confinement.
In the wild, elephants walk up to 30 or more miles a day. Unless you build a facility the size of Beaverton, this won't be accomplished and is a $30 million band aid, almost ridiculously equivalent to the treadmill Alaskan zoo keepers brought their elephant Maggie - to encourage exercise. They finally gave in to public pressure and released Maggie to the PAWS sanctuary in California.
This is exactly what the Portland Zoo should do for their elephants.