The Houston Zoo

(and others)

 

 

The Houston Zoo has done a fabulous job in trying to create natural looking habitats for the animals (for the most part). When I was a kid, I remember the animals, such as a lioness, confined to 8x10' cages, and were pacing back and forth all day. They had gone stir crazy.

Now, at least, they have some room to move around and the enviornment is similar to their native habitat. However, they are still very restricted in comparison to nature, but even worse, they are not allowed to do the job they were born to do. If you are a lion, you were meant to chase down a gazelle for the kill .. not to wait for the zookeeper to bring you cut up meat. If you are a giraffe, you were meant to eat the leaves off acacia trees .... not have bags of hay put on a 18 foot pole. All of the animals have been denied what their DNA requires them to do, and therefore, just lie around all day, every day, every year. I do not feel sorry for a criminal sentenced to life withour parole - he deserved it, but these animals did nothing to deserve their capture.

Why do we have zoos? I suspect it is so people can learn about the animals; to be able to see what one really looks like. Then, why not just kill one animal and have it stuffed. Then, show videos of how they act in the wild. Then, you would be getting a better feel for the essence of the animal. Otherwise, kids go away thinking that bears just sleep all day and chimpanzees just stare at one another or look through glass at humans, because they have nothing else to do.