Zoo industry must review operations, observers say after incidents
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jim robertson
Jan 1, 2010, 4:43:28 PM1/1/10
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• November: A thousand-pound grizzly bear named Samson nearly escaped from its living quarters at the Toronto Zoo after officials found that he had clawed away a wooden covered section. His female companion, had been recently removed from the pen, because she had been digging holes near a fence.
http://www.globalsaskatoon.com/entertainment/industry+must+review+operations+observers+after+incidents/2336618/story.html
Zoo industry must review operations, observers say after incidents
Linda Nguyen, Canwest News Service: Sunday, December 13, 2009
OTTAWA — Although a recession and several controversial animal deaths this year weren’t enough to stop Canadians from visiting zoos in increasing numbers, some observers say the industry needs to learn how to stay relevant in a society growing more skeptical about keeping animals in captivity.
In the last 50 years, some zoos have attempted to shift away from menagerie-style venues where parents take their children to gawk at caged tigers and giraffes to almost museum-style exhibits that encourage animal lovers to learn and interact with different species.
Yet, some critics say the industry is not doing enough, is taking too long to implement change and putting animal welfare at risk.
Those concerns have been fuelled by a wave of incidents at zoos across Canada that have left animals dead or threatened. Most recently, the Calgary Zoo president announced an independent review of its animal operations following the suspension of an employee over the death of a female capybara, a species of giant rodent.
It was killed after getting caught in a hydraulic door.
Industry watchdog Zoocheck Canada said the attempts by traditional zoos to provide “window dressing” for the public visiting their facilities is a farce, and instead, officials should spend money on creating sanctuaries for their animals.
“Animal conservation breeding centres and retirement centres are different because they place the animals first, the staff second and the public last,” said Rob Laidlaw, the group’s executive director in Toronto.
“They make the biological and behavioural needs of the animals as a priority.”
The animals at facilities such as the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and the Haliburton Wolf Centre in northern Ontario are allowed to roam in large areas alone all day, live in real environments and are given the chance to do normal activities like roll in the grass and forage.
Some only allow visitors on certain days during specific hours to avoid placing undue stress on the animals. Other facilities only house animals that are indigenous to their climates.
“A lot of zoos are trying to do far too much. They have far too many animals. They make claims that these animals are well-treated but that’s just greenwashing,” said Laidlaw.
“In an ideal world, no animal would be held in captivity but that’s not going to happen. We need to move away from fancy exhibits and the public needs to change its mindset.”
Ian Duncan, who sits on the animal care committee at the Toronto Zoo, said for zoos to succeed, they need to specialize in specific species and forget the concept of having large collections of many animals.
“Gradually zoos have assumed more of an education role, a research role, a conservation role,” said Duncan, a retired animal behaviour professor at the University of Guelph. “All these things will increase in the future into a decision for zoos to only keep one or two animals.”
By not trying to cater to too many animals, zoos, such as one in Toledo, Ohio, have been able to recreate microenvironments for specific species, like toads only found in a two-hectare swath in Tanzania, he said.
Bill Peters of the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums said there’s been a “real dramatic change” on the concept of what zoos are and their societal contributions.
Out of an estimated 300 zoos — including sanctuaries, wilderness parks and roadside petting attractions — across the country, only 26 have volunteered to be accredited by CAZA standards.
Peters said the lack of mandatory regulations surrounding the zoo industry is one of its downfalls.
Nevertheless, Canadians are still heading out to visit zoos.
“Most of our members reported increased visitorship in the last year even though there were economic constraints,” said Peters, who noted the concept of the traditional zoo will never die.
That’s because the public needs to maintain a real-life connection with wildlife, especially now in our increasingly urban society, he said.
“Seeing the reaction of people, whether they are adults and kids, the emotions and the way they act to animals and the reality of animals is something you only get in zoos. You can’t get it with video or other media,” he said. “Having a real setting with real animals can leave a powerful impact.”
A list of incidents at Canadian zoos
• January: A Turkmenian markhor died after it accidentally slipped and hung itself at the Calgary Zoo.
• February: Four zebras died allegedly from stress after being forced to share their enclosure with cape buffaloes at the Greater Vancouver Zoo in Aldergrove, B.C.
• June: The deaths of 41 cow nose rays due to human error prompted officials at Calgary zoo to shut down the entire exhibit. Later, a visitor at the zoo snapped a photo of a western lowland gorilla yielding a knife that was accidentally left behind by a gorilla keeper.
• October: Two men scaled a fence at the Calgary zoo were mauled by a two-year-old male Siberian tiger named Vitali during a overnight break-in.
A celebrity-backed campaign was launched by animal rights groups, calling for the retirement of Lucy the elephant from the Edmonton Valley Zoo. William Shatner and Bob Barker want the 34-year-old pachyderm, who suffers from a number of health problems, moved to a sanctuary in the U.S.
• November: A thousand-pound grizzly bear named Samson nearly escaped from its living quarters at the Toronto Zoo after officials found that he had clawed away a wooden covered section. His female companion, had been recently removed from the pen, because she had been digging holes near a fence.
• December: Tara, a 41-year-old elephant, died unexpectedly at the Toronto Zoo, the largest in Canada, leaving only three elephants left in the exhibit. The others mourned the matriarch for hours.
The SPCA investigates allegations of abuse involving the Mountain View Conservation Breeding Centre in Fort Langley, B.C. The allegations include case files on about 50 deaths at the endangered-species facility, whose services are used by B.C.’s Environment Ministry. According to the employee allegations, animals are neglected, abused and dying.
In the last 50 years, some zoos have attempted to shift away from menagerie-style venues where parents take their children to gawk at caged tigers and giraffes to almost museum-style exhibits that encourage animal lovers to learn and interact with different species.
Yet, some critics say the industry is not doing enough, is taking too long to implement change and putting animal welfare at risk.
Those concerns have been fuelled by a wave of incidents at zoos across Canada that have left animals dead or threatened. Most recently, the Calgary Zoo president announced an independent review of its animal operations following the suspension of an employee over the death of a female capybara, a species of giant rodent.
It was killed after getting caught in a hydraulic door.
Industry watchdog Zoocheck Canada said the attempts by traditional zoos to provide “window dressing” for the public visiting their facilities is a farce, and instead, officials should spend money on creating sanctuaries for their animals.
“Animal conservation breeding centres and retirement centres are different because they place the animals first, the staff second and the public last,” said Rob Laidlaw, the group’s executive director in Toronto.
“They make the biological and behavioural needs of the animals as a priority.”
The animals at facilities such as the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and the Haliburton Wolf Centre in northern Ontario are allowed to roam in large areas alone all day, live in real environments and are given the chance to do normal activities like roll in the grass and forage.
Some only allow visitors on certain days during specific hours to avoid placing undue stress on the animals. Other facilities only house animals that are indigenous to their climates.
“A lot of zoos are trying to do far too much. They have far too many animals. They make claims that these animals are well-treated but that’s just greenwashing,” said Laidlaw.
“In an ideal world, no animal would be held in captivity but that’s not going to happen. We need to move away from fancy exhibits and the public needs to change its mindset.”
Ian Duncan, who sits on the animal care committee at the Toronto Zoo, said for zoos to succeed, they need to specialize in specific species and forget the concept of having large collections of many animals.
“Gradually zoos have assumed more of an education role, a research role, a conservation role,” said Duncan, a retired animal behaviour professor at the University of Guelph. “All these things will increase in the future into a decision for zoos to only keep one or two animals.”
By not trying to cater to too many animals, zoos, such as one in Toledo, Ohio, have been able to recreate microenvironments for specific species, like toads only found in a two-hectare swath in Tanzania, he said.
Bill Peters of the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums said there’s been a “real dramatic change” on the concept of what zoos are and their societal contributions.
Out of an estimated 300 zoos — including sanctuaries, wilderness parks and roadside petting attractions — across the country, only 26 have volunteered to be accredited by CAZA standards.
Peters said the lack of mandatory regulations surrounding the zoo industry is one of its downfalls.
Nevertheless, Canadians are still heading out to visit zoos.
“Most of our members reported increased visitorship in the last year even though there were economic constraints,” said Peters, who noted the concept of the traditional zoo will never die.
That’s because the public needs to maintain a real-life connection with wildlife, especially now in our increasingly urban society, he said.
“Seeing the reaction of people, whether they are adults and kids, the emotions and the way they act to animals and the reality of animals is something you only get in zoos. You can’t get it with video or other media,” he said. “Having a real setting with real animals can leave a powerful impact.”
A list of incidents at Canadian zoos
• January: A Turkmenian markhor died after it accidentally slipped and hung itself at the Calgary Zoo.
• February: Four zebras died allegedly from stress after being forced to share their enclosure with cape buffaloes at the Greater Vancouver Zoo in Aldergrove, B.C.
• June: The deaths of 41 cow nose rays due to human error prompted officials at Calgary zoo to shut down the entire exhibit. Later, a visitor at the zoo snapped a photo of a western lowland gorilla yielding a knife that was accidentally left behind by a gorilla keeper.
• October: Two men scaled a fence at the Calgary zoo were mauled by a two-year-old male Siberian tiger named Vitali during a overnight break-in.
A celebrity-backed campaign was launched by animal rights groups, calling for the retirement of Lucy the elephant from the Edmonton Valley Zoo. William Shatner and Bob Barker want the 34-year-old pachyderm, who suffers from a number of health problems, moved to a sanctuary in the U.S.
• November: A thousand-pound grizzly bear named Samson nearly escaped from its living quarters at the Toronto Zoo after officials found that he had clawed away a wooden covered section. His female companion, had been recently removed from the pen, because she had been digging holes near a fence.
• December: Tara, a 41-year-old elephant, died unexpectedly at the Toronto Zoo, the largest in Canada, leaving only three elephants left in the exhibit. The others mourned the matriarch for hours.
The SPCA investigates allegations of abuse involving the Mountain View Conservation Breeding Centre in Fort Langley, B.C. The allegations include case files on about 50 deaths at the endangered-species facility, whose services are used by B.C.’s Environment Ministry. According to the employee allegations, animals are neglected, abused and dying.
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