Our resident eco-radical takes a trip to the zoo, and sees things a little differently.
by Robert Nanninga
was at the World Famous San Diego Zoo not long ago,
and I have to admit that place really trips me out. I visited the zoo with
a friend from out of state and her mother, brother and niece. Watching her
brother relate to his four-year-old daughter was like a scene out of National
Geographic. I think zoos should have a space for homo sapiens.
As soon as we arrived, we made a beeline to the
Children's' Zoo, which I found tawdry at best. The exhibits were tired and
seemed neglected. The petting corral had domestic sheep and goats in what
appeared to be crowded conditions. The kids might have been enjoying themselves
but the livestock appeared to have better things to do.
It was here among all these families that I started
to recognize a sinister plot. Now, I know most people are aware of Disney's
plan for world domination. I just wasn't prepared for yet another ugly truth.
Picture this scenario: little Johnny is running around completely unfocused
and mom, wanting him to calm down, knew exactly how to do it. "Look
Johnny," she says, "it's Timon from the Lion King." Bingo,
it worked every time.
Meerkats are not the exception. Any animal that
even vaguely resembled a pig became Puumba. It did not matter if it was
a wild boar or a Vietnamese pot bellied pig. What did matter was that the
parents and children could find common ground in their Disney vocabulary.
I know some of you are saying, " Chill out
Bob," and you're right. But what really bothers me is that if all animals
are seen through the eyes of Disney, wildlife becomes little more than a
cartoon. Children's Zoo's should be a place of education, not misrepresentation.
Let's see what else bothered me. The incubator
where you get to see baby chickens - very cute. However, I was aware that
those adorable chicks were soon to be snake food. The baby gorilla in diapers
triggered a depression that would not leave me until I left the zoo. And
before I get hundreds of letter explaining why the gorilla was wearing Pampers,
once again let me say - I know. Nevertheless, it was heartbreaking for me
to see this young primate completely alone in a cage, totally removed from
it's natural social structure.
After the Children's Zoo we hopped on the Skyfari
and headed towards the Polar Bear Plunge. This million dollar exhibit is
very impressive. It is a shame that Castor, who had been with the Zoological
Society for nearly three decades, didn't survive long enough to enjoy it.
A letter I received recently from the President of the Zoological Society
was intent on assuring me that it wasn't their fault that the old bear died
and that the Zoological Society is committed to providing outstanding facilities
for their animals. It also told me to look forward to the arrival of two
polar bear cubs.
Correct me if I am wrong, but aren't polar bears
suppose to be solitary animals? The aforementioned letter also stated that
Zoological Society scientists are leaders in their various disciplines.
If this is true, why are these scientists committed to overcrowded living
conditions? It seems to me that the Society's logic is self-serving at best.
After the Polar Bear Plunge we went over to Hippo
Beach. I must admit the Hippos appeared to be very happy, which isn't surprising
since hippos don't require much in the way of creature comforts. Food, water
and mud just about covers it. Unlike polar bears, hippos don't have a wanderlust
and are content to stay in one place, conditions permitting.
Primate Mesa is comprised of the wonderful Gorilla
Tropics exhibit, which is a state of the art enclosure, as are the orangutan
and bonobo chimp facilities. However, not far from these liberal spaces
other primates are still forced to endure brick and wire cells that make
no effort to simulate natural living conditions. If this is the best the
world has to offer, we are all in trouble.
I must admit I much prefer the Wild Animal Park.
This modern day ark is actually rescuing species from the brink of extinction
- a noble calling if ever there was one. This park provides animals with
enough room to actually break into a run and establish breeding hierarchies.
To be honest, I am a voyeur at heart and seeing two endangered white rhinos
making more white rhinos was a priceless treat. If rhinos could understand
politics and performance art, this would be a combination of the two.
As a member of the Zoological Society, I am very
aware of the success they have had. I firmly believe they are doing the
work of the Goddess. It is where they are doing the work that disturbs me.
Instead of spending millions of dollars on a polar bear enclosure in San
Diego, that money could be spent on purchasing habitat in the arctic.
Underneath this conversation is the specter of
human overpopulation and greed. Tribal warfare in Central Africa is threatening
to undo all the work of Diane Fossey. Jane Goodall has been hitting the
lecture circuit trying to change behaviors. But it seems that education
isn't enough. Saving the animals for their own sake has not played very
well around the world. The new approach being taken by the conservation
community is showing people how they will benefit from keeping other species
around. By convincing villagers that Gorillas translate into tourist dollars,
protecting species becomes a monetary issue. Too many people consuming shrinking
resources is a recipe for disaster.
Some people would say the only way to save these
animals is to put them on display as a teaching tool. In answer to that,
I would reply that the planned polar bear exhibit at Sea World is aimed
more at selling beer than at species preservation. The tragedy of truth
is a hard pill to swallow. I know that organizations such as the San Diego
Zoological Society are a necessary evil, but these well-meaning folks are
a bucket brigade on the Titanic.
If you ask me, polar bears in San Diego is a crime
against nature. As concerned citizens of planet earth, we must do more to
protect the wild spaces that are rapidly disappearing. Shipping animals
halfway around the world is little more than a band-aid designed ease the
pain of guilt. So here is a fond farewell to Castor; it's a shame we learned
very little from your time with us.
Robert Nanninga can now be heard as the co-host of Earth Talk on KCEO AM1000 every Wednesday between 7 and 8pm. Call in and be heard.
