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Saturday, April 1st 2006

12:34 AM

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Belgrade Zoo is one of the worst zoos in the world and has been condemned for many years by every international zoo inspection body ...

Maneka Gandhi

Respected Member of Indian Parliament, honorable animal welfare activist and former Union Minister for Environment and Forests

The International Primate Protection League worked for years on the case of the "Bangkok Six" orangutans starting in 1990 when the six babies and two siamangs were smuggled from Indonesia. Fortunately officials at the transit airport (Bangkok) confiscated the babies, four of whom died. The smuggling network included Matthew Block of Miami, Kurt Schafer of Germany, Krijn Dekker of the Netherlands, James Lee of Singapore, and Vuk Bojovic, Director of Belgrade Zoo. Milka Knezevic Ivaskovic campaigned against Bojovic's filthy dealings, but ended up getting sued. She is a very brave woman, IPPL strongly supports our Serbian colleagues in their efforts to life better for this horrible zoo's animal prisoners.

Shirley McGreal, www.IPPL.org


Zoos are never an ideal environment for any animal.  Although some may be better than others, they can never fully replicate the natural habitat of animals.

 -Although many zoos profess to have conservation on their agenda, it is usually a perfunctory gesture and one which is included to appease their customers.  How many zoos reintroduce animals into a more natural environment, following any conservation project?  How much money do zoos actually invest in conservation?  In any case, imprisoning some animals, to benefit others, is never an acceptable trade-off.

 

Most animals, like those in Belgrade Zoo, are used purely in the name of entertainment and do not benefit the animal in any way.  The conditions in Belgrade Zoo are simply atrocious.  The cages and enclosures fall way short of an acceptable standard (if there is such a standard!).  The environments are so removed from these animals' natural environments, which will obviously cause repetitive psychotic behaviour: simply driving them mad!  Cages and enclosures are incredibly small and offer no stimulation.  Seeing large predatory carnivores, like Polar bears,  whose home range would cover many kilometres, confined to a barren prison, is unforgivable.  Intelligent primates, like Chimpanzees and Orang Utans incarcerated without space to climb and socially interact with others of their species, is heart-breaking.  None of the animals in Belgrade Zoo should be there.  They should all be re-homed into more suitable sanctuaries, or, where possible, be reintroduced into the wild.

 Always for the Animals

 Garry Sheen>>>>Essex Animal Freedom

PO Box 5707, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS1 1WW, Tel: 0709 2033 024

 

 (This text is taken from correspondence with Merritt Clifton)

 

I do not understand the evident lack of attention to the

Belgrade Zoo by the international zoo community.

If I happened to be the head honcho at a respectable zoo, trying to do well by the

animals, I would look at the Belgrade Zoo and others like it as bad

examples whose deficiencies expose all zoos to activist criticism,

and would jump on the situation with both feet, prominently and openly.

I would want to have clearly on record that I do not consider this to be acceptable zoo keeping.

 

Probably, acceptable zoo keeping can be done at such a site, but would require some rethinking.

 For example, the primates who could best be kept there would

be Japanese macaques, who are adapted to cold temperatures (if they

have access to a real or artificial hot spring), and are in overabundance

in parts of Japan to the point of being exterminated as common pests. 

A large outdoor enclosure with vines growing over the rocks of the old castle

and an artificial hot spring could be built at the Belgrade Zoo, 

and could be a world-class exhibit.

 No other primates are appropriate for the habitat,  and those

of other species should be sent elsewhere.

 Bears should be kept on natural soil,  in large enclosures

with lots of trees.  Maybe the Belgrade Zoo could do that.  If not,

it should not have bears.  Keeping bears in stark iron cages,  of any

size,  is just plain inhumane and wrong,  and even a five-year-old

should be able to see so.

 I am not at all anti-zoo,  but I am strongly anti-bad zoo,

and the Belgrade Zoo is a bad zoo,  made worse by the evident

management neglect of opportunities to improve.

 

Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

www.animalpeoplenews.org  

anpeople@whidbey.com

 


(This text is taken from correspondence with Mary Alice Pollard)

 

I grew up as many of us did, in an age where all zoo's were deemed acceptable –

 I am glad that I was different than most children - I remember animals and I felt their pain –  I did not feel happy seeing them in cages far too small -  I did not feel happy seeing these magnificent wild animals deprived of ALL THAT IS NATURAL to them –

 I did not feel happy seeing them pace back and forth, frustrated from the lack of natural activity both emotional and physical. Thankfully times have changed and the majority of zoo's work very hard to give their animals the most natural as possible surroundings, company of the same species and most of all providing activities for them to keep their minds and bodies active. Good zoo's breed in order to bring back a species that is fast becoming extinct. When I go to ' a good ' zoo now, I can tell immediately if an animal is happy and contented. I see vast enclosures where the animals can move around, play and socialize with their own kind! I meet staffs who care about their every need, emotionally/physically and medically when required! And as much as I dislike to see animals in captivity - I look at friend Gorilla as he sits and calmly chews on a bit of food - How Lucky You Are ... NO ONE WILL HURT YOU - NO HUNTER WILL KILL YOU AND SELL YOUR HANDS FOR ASHTRAYS, OR MOUNT YOUR HEAD ONLY TO HANG IN SOME RICH MAN'S HOUSE !

 We must work towards a world that is as natural as possible for our captive animals, if they must be captive!

  What do I see in the faces of the animals in Belgrade Zoo ?

 I see eyes that cry - I see animals bored, with no proper space - I see animals deprived of a proper social activity with their own kind ... I see a zoo that only cares about the money they make - instead of the needs of the animals.

 How sad that is - if they cared more for the animals there - then I am sure the popularity and support would double!

 This is a zoo who's representatives and staff are obviously not willing to spend the money required to update the facility for the animals there - I believe so strongly that it should be CLOSED DOWN immediately, and the animals moved to a more appropriate, safe and caring facility!

Mary Alice Pollard

Founder, Cornwall's Voice for Animals UK

http://justnicephotos.homestead.com/CVFA.html

(Following text is taken from correspondence with Dana Lynn Cruzan)

 I don't think wolves are good in a zoo.  Unless the other alternative is death.

 Wolves need to have privacy. 

They do not like to be stared at.

They love people when they trust you and have to see them thru a cage would not be condusive to them.

 There are wolves at the Living Zoo in Rancho Mirage, CA.  I checked it out last month and was thrilled.  They have a HUGE wooded, rocky, pond enclosure.  The only show themselves to the people when they want to.  The people see to the side and above the wolves.  This is one I have approved of.

 Wolves are such social animals that having no contact and having to see people would be hard for them.  We have a few wolves in our sick pens which are small, only because we grew to fast and they would have been killed.  But we are always working on getting them out of it. 

 Our wolves have relationships with people, long ones and each wolf knows each person and has a special relationship with them.

Danna Lynn Cruzan aka Angelwolf, Wolf Mountain Sanctuary

www.wolfmountain.com

angelwolf326@yahoo.com

 
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