The Four baboons who were euthanised at Wellington Zoo today again highlights the inherent cruelty of animal captivity for entertainment, according to SAFE.
Habib, 14, Osiris, 7, Les, 17, and Rafiki, 15 were all put to death today, due to what Wellington Zoo calls was a breakdown in their social structure, which led to serious fighting amongst the animals. SAFE CEO Debra Ashton says killing the animals was irresponsible and she questions the ability of Wellington Zoo to house their animals. “Clearly the behavioural and habitat needs of the baboons were not being met at the Zoo, which goes to show the flaws of keeping animals in captivity,” says Ms Ashton. “Social structures suffer in enclosed environments and could be attributed to fighting and anxiety for animals. When these social systems break down and there is fighting, vulnerable animals are not in a position to be able to escape as they would in the wild,” “My understanding is that the Zoo was making room for other animals to be brought in this year, so it is not clear why they couldn’t have been separated.” Zoos around the world have been increasingly criticised for their treatment of animals and the living arrangements that they can provide, which are often inadequate. “Wellington Zoo is responsible for the animals to live out their natural lives. Killing them should not have been an option,” adds Ms Ashton.
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“We believe all Zoos in New Zealand need to be phased out, by directing their resources and assets to support animals to the wild. |
Zoos have changed their role over recent decades and you may have not observed this change.
Baboons at Wellington Zoo were kept in pairs only, caged and with no community as found in the wild.
The more recent move to have an open range paddock on a hillside where they can roam and establish a community troop is more in keeping with the function of modern zoos where the prime role is to establish surviving colonies of animals away from their natural environment which is being destroyed by man.
Baboons have a pecking order in a troupe and fighting can establish that order as it would in the wild. Baboons can fight to the death and males have very large canine teeth capable of ripping open opponents in a fight. Then the troupe tends to join in persecuting the looser even further. Yes there is nowhere for the loser to escape to and often in the wild there is also no escape.
The picture is much bigger than the simplistic criticism by the author, but that may be because of a lack of depth of understanding about Baboon behaviour and the Zoo’s role which is not just entertainment.
Also the zoo troupe numbers have been rising and culling is really the only practical option within the framework of the Wellington City Council Zoo’s mandate. The genetic consequences of the cull are also not explored by the author but the Zoo will have taken that into account.
Yes it may seem cruel but how about the hundreds of dogs and cats euthanased each year within NZ.
The Millions of sheep, cattle, pigs, chickens and turkeys and other animals that end up packeted on supermarket freezers after many days of cruel treatment leading to their slaughter.
Pigs born on concrete and penned all their lives with no social community, no exercise and pumped with antibiotics that the omnivore humans ingest.
The chocolate you eat has dairy in it with milk taken from cows after their calf is wrenched from them a day or so after birth. Then the mother has milk stripped daily to add to the wealth of a few while adding to the poor health of many Kiwis and babies both in NZ and now overseas.
Get a perspective on animal cruelty. Its massive in NZ.
Great response. Thank you
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