Zoos and Wildlife Parks

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/9664354/Zoos-and-wildlife-parks-are-no-way-to-treat-an-animal.html
littlewid-x-

Thanks for the Link LW
I completely agree with Damian Aspinall. There is no need for Zoos as we know them to still exist today, where they are purely there for the purpose of putting animals on display. As he says with the advent of the Internet, people can learn about, and see anywildlife they wish to, Though wildlife blogs by experts, web cams such as we have on here, videos on You Tube, and all the wildlife documentarys on TV. It should all now be about preservation, and breeding of endangerd speciea as he says in wide open spaces, where they can breed and interact naturally. Of course places like this will need funds to do it, so there will still be visitors, but they should be designed for the benifit of the animals to make it as natural as possible, and the viewing experience should be second to that. Anyone really interested in animals would wish to see them as naturaly as possible, not as close as possible.
WS

with what you say WS and also Damian and I applaud him for what he has done and is doing for conservation, more people need to take note of what he is all about.

littlewid-x-

Damian continues his plan to release more animals to the wild.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2272602/Born-wild-Aspinall-returns-primates-Indonesian-forest-Kent.html#axzz2Jffdw7O2

littlewid-x-

Missed this thread first time round whilst in Zambia. Will catch up later but I agree re zoos and am all for releasing back to the wild when feasible.

Lai

It's great that Damian wants to release the wild animlas from Howletts, and he has put so much hard work in already with Primates successfully. I agree that Zoos that exist just for prupose of human viewing experience should cease to exist, how ever I also think there is still a place for breeding, and conservation programes for endangerd species within a
Zoo/Wildlife Park format to preserve them, and for future release.These places would not be able to exist without funding, and will need to raise most of that through paying visitors, but the criteria for them should be for the comfort, and quality of life of the animals, and not for the enhancement of the viewing experience of human visitors. The release of animals is governed by lots of issues, the main one being suitable, and large enough habitat, as that is the reason so many animal species are in danger in the first place, and also the problem of poaching needs to be resolved. This means that it will be decades before some species can be released back into the the wild, and successfully increase the wild population.

WS

Ive recently been looking for colleges to go to after I finish my last year in high school and its not as easy as you think. I want to pursue a career that involves animals. Thats either working at a zoo (which would be awesome!) or rescuing animals (which is what I really want to do ) and they dont offer degrees for either of those. See my problem? well my point to this post is that I would like to find out what its like to work for a zoo, if anyone would know. I hope i can find some answers..