Zoos
belonging to World Association of Zoos and Aquariums filmed allowing shocking
mistreatment of elephants, dolphins, lions, bears, penguins and whales
The Guardian, Oliver Milman, 24 March 2015
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| A white tiger jumps for his food at Taman Safari in Indonesia. Tourists are able to pose with tigers there. Photograph: Beawiharta/Reuters |
Dozens of
examples of harrowing cruelty towards animals in zoos have been overlooked by
the world’s top zoo organisation, animal welfare groups have alleged.
Zoos
belonging to the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (Waza) have been
filmed over the past five years making animals perform dangerous tricks,
confining them to inadequate premises and beating them, contrary to Waza’s code
of ethics, which demands the “highest standard of animal welfare”.
In
November, an animal keeper at Mysore zoo in India was filmed beating an
elephant, and Taman Safari in Indonesia runs a travelling dolphin circus in
which dolphins are forced to jump through flaming hoops. Tourists are also able
to pose with tigers for photos.
Zoo Negara
in Malaysia has been condemned by a local MP for the terrible condition of its
animals, and Dehiwala Zoo in Sri Lanka has come under fire after the deaths of
a hippo, a lion and all the zoo’s penguins. The zoo has also been criticised for
an elephant show in which handlers threaten the animals with sticks to make
them do tricks.
A manacled
performing elephant has been filmed at Dusit Zoo in Bangkok, and Almaty zoo in
Kazakhstan and the National Taiwan Aquarium have been accused of housing bears
and beluga whales, respectively, in sub-standard enclosures.
In 2009, a
South Korean TV show filmed a small, terrified bear being placed inside a tiger
enclosure at Everland Park.
All these
zoos are members of Waza, a Switzerland-based organisation that acts as the
peak member body for the world’s zoos. As revealed by the Guardian, Waza is being taken to court by an Australian conservation group over its alleged
complicity in the infamous dolphin hunts in Taiji, Japan.
Waza’s code
of ethics states that where animals are used in performances by zoos, they must
“focus on natural behaviour” and “not demean of trivialise the animal in any
way”.
It states:
“Waza and its members should make all efforts in their power to encourage
substandard zoos and aquariums to improve and reach appropriate standards. If
it is clear that the funding or the will to improve is not there, Waza would
support the closure of such zoos and aquariums.”
Despite
these stipulations, Waza has confirmed that no zoo featured in the videos of
alleged cruelty has been expelled, or publicly or privately condemned.
Waza has
more than 300 individual zoo members, including London Zoo, the Zoological
Society of San Diego, Toronto Zoo, Bronx Zoo and Melbourne Zoo.
Sarah
Lucas, head of Australia for Dolphins, which is leading the court action
against Waza, said the organisation was too closely wedded to the interests of
its members.
“It’s very
easy to find abuses in these zoos – elephants being beaten or bears being kept
in tiny, grimy cages – but Waza doesn’t call out its members on any of these
abuses,” she said.
“It’s easy
to form the view that Waza is an organisation that protects its members’
interests above that of the animals.
“Many of
the zoos and aquariums do take the code of ethics seriously, but there’s
clearly a significant number that don’t and Waza itself doesn’t take it
seriously. They need to enforce it, to take action. They’ve either got to do
their job or stop pretending to be a policeman for zoos and aquariums.”
Lucas said
Waza’s dual role as a voice for zoos and a conservation organisation was
“inherently conflicted”.
Waza has
previously expelled zoos for breaches of conduct, such as Johannesburg Zoo for the illegal importation of animals last year.
A
spokeswoman for Waza said it took “reputable and reasonable complaints” very
seriously. She said there had been no complaints over any of the examples of
abuse highlighted by the Guardian, but that the man filmed beating an elephant
at Mysore zoo had been fired.
The claims
have raised concerns among Waza members, with one, Kolmarden Zoo in Sweden,
weighing up whether to quit the organisation.
The
director of the zoo, Mats Höggren, said he could not be part of the same
organisation as the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which takes
dolphins from the Taiji hunt.
“We can’t
be even indirectly associated, that’s not possible,” he said. “We feel horrible
about what’s happening over there and we need to put pressure on Waza to do
something.
“We will
wait a little longer but there needs to be something constructive or we will
terminate our membership, for sure.”
Höggren
sits on the executive committee of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, and said it would also discuss Waza membership.
Sir Richard
Branson has added his voice to the condemnation of Waza’s link to the dolphin
hunts.
“I was
shocked to learn that the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which is
meant to protect animals, has members that are heavily involved in the horrific
capture of dolphins in Japan,” the Virgin founder said in a statement.
“I join
with Australia for Dolphins in calling on Waza to end its support for these
organisations, and to end its toleration of taking animals from the wild using
traumatic methods. Waza is the world’s peak captivity body and it should take a
strong stance – no dolphins or whales should be captured from the sea ever
again.”
Related Articles:
World's top zoo organisation accused of links to Taiji dolphin slaughter in Japan
Question: Dear Kryon: I live in Spain. I am sorry if I will ask you a question you might have already answered, but the translations of your books are very slow and I might not have gathered all information you have already given. I am quite concerned about abandoned animals. It seems that many people buy animals for their children and as soon as they grow, they set them out somewhere. Recently I had the occasion to see a small kitten in the middle of the street. I did not immediately react, since I could have stopped and taken it, without getting out of the car. So, I went on and at the first occasion I could turn, I went back to see if I could take the kitten, but it was to late, somebody had already killed it. This happened some month ago, but I still feel very sorry for that kitten. I just would like to know, what kind of entity are these animals and how does this fit in our world. Are these entities which choose this kind of life, like we do choose our kind of Human life? I see so many abandoned animals and every time I see one, my heart aches... I would like to know more about them.
Answer: Dear one, indeed the answer has been given, but let us give it again so you all understand. Animals are here on earth for three (3) reasons.
(1) The balance of biological life. . . the circle of energy that is needed for you to exist in what you call "nature."
(2) To be harvested. Yes, it's true. Many exist for your sustenance, and this is appropriate. It is a harmony between Human and animal, and always has. Remember the buffalo that willingly came into the indigenous tribes to be sacrificed when called? These are stories that you should examine again. The inappropriateness of today's culture is how these precious creatures are treated. Did you know that if there was an honoring ceremony at their death, they would nourish you better? Did you know that there is ceremony that could benefit all of humanity in this way. Perhaps it's time you saw it.
(3) To be loved and to love. For many cultures, animals serve as surrogate children, loved and taken care of. It gives Humans a chance to show compassion when they need it, and to have unconditional love when they need it. This is extremely important to many, and provides balance and centering for many.
Do animals know all this? At a basic level, they do. Not in the way you "know," but in a cellular awareness they understand that they are here in service to planet earth. If you honor them in all three instances, then balance will be the result. Your feelings about their treatment is important. Temper your reactions with the spiritual logic of their appropriateness and their service to humanity. Honor them in all three cases.
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