http://time.com/5793/marius-the-giraffe-not-the-only-animal-zoos-have-culled/
Read the article above. In a scholarly response, provide your response to this article. What do you think? Would you have signed a petition to save the giraffe's life? What are other alternatives to euthanasia in over-crowded zoos? Are zoos really helping to protect these animals? Is euthanasia really a result of human impact? In seventh hour we started discussing how animals in zoos do not seem happy. What do you think about that? Why? Do you have any evidence to support your opinion? What zoos are doing a good job of simulation the animal's natural habitat? What can we do to increase biodiversity and improve the welfare of animals in zoos?
I think it is just awful what the zoo is doing to some of the animals. The zoo is suppose to be a safe place for animals especially if they are endangered. And then to leave it open to the public to watch the lions eat the animals is terrible. Of course i would have signed the petition because it is terrible what they are doing. This zoo should be shut down in my opinion and all the animals should be transferred to a different zoo.
ReplyDeleteI do agree that it is awful that they did the autopsy in public, but I find it very irrational to go to all those measures just for the animals to sent away to another zoo. Technically zoos are suppose to be safe, but aren't prisons suppose to be safe as well?
DeleteI agree with what Caige said, especially with the fact that it was not right for the lions eating the poor giraffe to be shown in public. Every zoo is responsible for the well being of ALL of their creatures, and killing their animals just defies this purpose. I also agree that any zoo that takes place in the murder of their own animals should be shut down, and have the remaining animals transferred to place where they won't have to worry about their evident death.
DeleteI agree that all the animals should be transferred elsewhere. We don't need animals to be taken care of by such cold hearted people. Something must be done to stop this.
DeleteI agree zoos should be a safe place for animals. Not a place where animals are killed and then fed to lions.
DeleteI agree with cage. The zoos are a place to keep animals safe, not killing them and feeding them to other animals. If the zoo is still going to be doing what it's doing then i agree with caige and the zoo should be shut down. The people must have felt sadness and guilt of watching it and not doing anything. I don't think that the people should have that image in their heads, especially little kids.
DeleteI agree that it wasn't right to have the autopsy and feeding of the loved giraffe so public. As for shutting down the zoo though I see that as sort of a waste of time because as it said in the article that all zoos do it to keep the more endangered species alive. So transferring them wouldn't really do anything.
DeleteIn general I think it is terrible to kill an animal especially one who is supposed to be protected in a zoo. I would have signed the petition to save the giraffes life. I think instead of killing the giraffe or letting it into its natural habitat, I think the giraffe should be shipped to another zoo that doesn’t have as many giraffes or shouldn’t be disturbed at all. I think zoos both are and aren’t protecting animals. Zoos are protect animals by giving them all the things they need like space, food and water, but aren’t protecting animals by killing them if there is not enough room. I think animals don’t seem happy because even though they have space, they don’t get to explore new places or meet new animals.
ReplyDeleteI do too think that they should of done something differnet about the giraffe. Like Move it to another zoo like you said. I also agree with how zoos are not protecting by killing them. They're has to be a better soultions for these animals.
DeleteI agree with Jaylynn that the zoo's are not protecting the animals enough. Zoo's are helping to protect them by giving them shelter and resources, but if the species is already endangered and they kill an animal from that species. Are they really benefiting anyone?
DeleteI agree, what is a zoo for if they do not protect there animals? I also said that if the can't manage the amount of animals they have at a zoo then why not ship them to a different zoo? Depending on the animals habitat and companions it has I think decides whetter the animals happy or not.
DeleteI agree! Animals should be able to interact with each other, inside or outside their species. Zoos need to do a better job of managing reproduction, so that they don't have to kill any animals.
DeleteI completely agree with the idea to distribute the animals to other zoos. It only makes sense to move them to somewhere else where they may be needed.
DeleteTo begin with, both sides of the argument kept to themselves and never seemed to meet in the middle. Of course, we can’t bring an animal who lived its whole life in captivity to its wild habitat, but it would also be morally wrong to reduce space by killing the animal. It seems there’s a one way street when it comes to a zoo’s space. Some solutions, or alternatives to euthanasia,I thought of was making more zoos, exchanging animals per hour or so (3 zebras go in the morning, 3 go out at night.), to deal with the abundance of animals in a zoo. As for the petition, if I did have a chance to sign it, I would sign it, but hesitantly as well too. I would probably make sure that the giraffe would have a safe path if they remained to live.
ReplyDeleteI think zoos are at least trying to protect animals, as I remember seeing many endangered animals being brought into a zoo. As for keeping them in the state of mind as if they were in the wild, that’s another story. Euthanasia in my opinion could be effected partly by the public, but also zoologists as well. Zoos don’t seem to make the animals live like their wild counterparts, making them hard to leave the zoo when space gets crowded. But of course, not even the wildest of animals could survive our firearm.
For the most part, animals actually do seem kinda happy in my eyes. The way they interact with zookeepers are both appealing and awing. For example, I remember seeing this zebra in a zoo licking the zookeeper and being photogenic when taking pictures. Also, the zebra learned to wave and smile on command! So, the animals in zoos do seem really happy, and even a little smarter than their species in the wild.
Finally, zoos are replicating the animals’ habitat decently. Don’t get me wrong, zoos have definitely evolved from just being a cage to intricate models, but they don’t seem real. When I view an animal’s “stage”, I can tell how most of the items used seemed a little… fake. I’m pretty most animals could sense that too. They don’t have the space to run, or the mountains to climb, or the herds to run within their area. A way to improve biodiversity in zoos is to add more animals, obviously, but also being wise with their animals. Grouping animals that don’t have a predatory symbiosis and are in the same habitat could be wise for adding space for other animals. Also, using alternatives of food for animals could be a nice idea to stop killing zoo animal, such as cow meat? Or bringing frozen meat from already dead animals in the wild? Hey, if we could eat frozen meat, maybe semi-domesticated animals could too.
I do see the purpose for euthanizing an animal but do not think it should be done in the zoo itself. The zoo has thousand of dollars they use to make sure that the animals are healthy. That means that no animal should be starving but in the Copenhagen zoo they thought it necessary to feed it to the lions. I personally believe it would be more humane if it died in the wild because it would help animals that actually need food in the wild. I would have signed a petition to save it or relocate. I think there is different options instead euthanizing an animal at zoo like relocation, or death in the wild. I do think that zoo animals might be safer and healthier but I do not think that they are happy. They are in the same space for years. They lose their skills of hunting and surviving because there is no threat to them. For Instance at the Lincoln Park Zoo the polar bears are kept in the same space there whole life primarily unless moved to another zoo. I do think that zoos are trying to replicate the environment by making sure the water temperature is right and to put natural features in like the rocks. I think to increase biodiversity in zoos is to have more of a reserve than a zoo where there is not animals particularly from everywhere in the world but rather have african animals at this zoo where they can have bigger space to roam and replicate better conditions of the wild and have rainforest animals at a different zoo.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Clay. I think that instead of euthanizing animals as the sole way to create biodiversity, the zoos should consider letting them go in the wild. Yes, the majority of the animals will die, but at least it will provide food for a wild lion, instead of a lion that always has something to eat in captivity.
DeleteIn regards to Clay’s interpretations of the article, I completely agree with him. I would for sure sign a petition to save the giraffe’s life or even relocate it. Euthanization does help spread biodiversity and help population management but, I believe there are more humane solutions to solve these problems.
DeleteIn response to clay. I think the animals should have a chance in the wild and if they die they would feed a lion who actually needs food. If we don't make their habitats bigger and more dangerous then they will never return to the wild.
DeleteIn response to Clay, I agree that it would have been more humane to let the giraffe die in the wild, but eventually this could become a problem because we won't ever be able to release them back into the wild if they are all raised in zoos.
DeleteFor most of us this kind of treated to the animals is unacceptable,specially on a zoo, however, is understandable if we keep on mind that the amount of resources of a zoo are limited, and other solutions more acceptable would involve large amounts of money.But would be a good idea create entities in charge of control this situations.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the article, I was thoroughly disgusted by the fact that European zoos are killing their precious animals just to keep the balance in the biodiversity. The animals killed, including the beloved giraffe Marius, did not deserve to die, because even though there might not be enough room for them in the zoo, they could have been released into a preserved area in the wild. You can bet I would have signed the petition to save the giraffe’s life! Instead of using euthanasia, zoos could have (as mentioned before) release their animals in a protected area in the wild, or they can donate them to other zoos that would be willing to take them in. It seems to me that these zoos are actually not helping to protect these animals, because they are more concerned with having space available for other creators than they are for protecting the ones they already have. Euthanasia is not a result of human impact, because having the animals killed in the wild is no better than having them killed in the zoo. I believe that animals in a zoo are not happy on the inside, because they are longing to get out of their cages and finally be free. Evidence for this was in the article about the rhinos, saying that after the males and females separated into captivity, once they reunited, they could not reproduce. Zoos that do a good job of simulating an animal’s natural habitat include those without animals in cages, ones where animals have space to run freely and are surrounded by plants from their native ecosystems. To increase biodiversity and improve the the welfare of animals in zoos, the animals should go through the process of neutering and contraception to regulate the populations, but no killing should be done so that every creature in the zoo will have an equal chance of living.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you Mia animals in zoos are being psychologically damaged by living there. Also euthanizing zoo animals is completely idiotic what's the point of saving an animal from the wild if it is just going to be put down?
DeleteI agree with Mia, I believe that these animals did not deserve to die. I think that these Zoos as she said are suppose to be there for the protection of the animals, not the killing of them.
DeleteCall me cold-hearted, but I would not have signed a petition to save the giraffe’s life. Personally I am against the concept of zoos just in general and I believe there are much better possibilities on how to protect these animals and increase biodiversity. The sad truth is many of these animals that are being euthanized would have died even earlier in their natural environment, but this way I see it as decreasing the death rate but still keeping the circle of life similar to how it would work in the wild. I do believe animals in zoos are not happy because of the possible of the zoo being corrupt and the inaccuracy compared to their natural environments. Is an hour of our entertainment really worth all animals and zoo workers go through? If the welfare of a species is extremely suffering we should help rehabilitate in private sanctuaries, not glass containers
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you Olivia. Zoos are not the best option for protecting our animals, and they do not seem happy there. I think that private sanctuaries instead of zoos is a great idea. The animals do not need to be disturbed and gawked at, but left to lead normal lives in the protection of a sanctuary.
DeleteI thought this article was interesting I never thought this many people would stand up to try and save a giraffe. I would not sign a petition trying to save a giraffe because it is the circle of life the lion has to eat too. I think an alternative to euthanasia could be letting the giraffe go back to Africa where it lives in the wild. Or just donate the unwanted animals to a zoo that wants them or needs them. I think zoos are protecting animals, but not the ones they use as food. Because they feed them to other animals to solve the problem. Yes I do think that euthanasia is a result of human impact because we are the ones killing the animals and feeding them to other animals or getting rid of them. I don’t think animals are happy in zoos because they are wild animals and ment to be that way. They don’t want to sit inside of a cage there entire life. I think zoos are doing some things to increase the animals habitat in the zoo, but it will never be the same as the wide open savanna in Africa. To increase biodiversity in zoos we can have better habitats for animals. Bring more animals to zoos to look at and less of one animal so they don’t have to be killed. If zoos did this more people might come to zoos, and the animals may be happier in the long run too.
ReplyDeleteI didn’t think about donating the unwanted animals to other zoos who want or need them. It would be much more humane than euthanizing them.
DeleteI agree they shouldn't have just killed the giraffe. They should've transferred it to a place where it could live out the rest of their lives.
DeleteIn response to Clay. I do agree that keeping animals in zoos does keep them safe and they live longer, but they become less wild and are not the same animal that they use to be.
ReplyDeleteI agree that animals should be released back into the wild or just moved to another zoo. In my paragraph I wondered why the zoo couldn't just build more habitats. While it would be expensive they should be looking out for the animal's best interest.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is completely horrible what these zoo’s are doing. Especially when the animals are supposed to be protected, and they are in the zoo for a reason. They didn't choose to be in a zoo, and they definitely did not choose to be euthanized. I definitely would have signed the petition. These animals need to be protected, and the zoo is not helping the situation by putting the animals in danger and killing them. Then they have the nerve to let the lion actually eat Marius right in front of visitors. If children saw that, and I’m sure some did, they would be scarred for life. I think if there is not enough room in the zoo you just have to move the animals to different zoo. People should not be killing these poor animals just because there are too many. We have to as people come together and come up with another less inhumane solution. As it is zoo’s are not exactly like their natural habitat, so they are at disadvantage. Zoo’s try their best to replicate their habitat, but it will never be the same. I do not think animals are particularly happy, they are separated from other animals, so that can’t really socialize or explore on their own. To increase biodiversity we should add different animals to the zoo. Obviously not picking ones that could be dangerous to the others, but choosing ones that can have different symbiotic relationships. Maybe at some point the zookeepers can help with the socialization of the animals.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you. I didn't even think about pairing animals based on their symbiotic relationships! That is a really smart idea.
DeleteI also agree with you, seeing a poor giraffe get eaten as a small child would traumatize me. I think they really shouldn't euthanize animals in zoos to deal with overpopulation. We don't do it for humans... (I hope.)
DeleteIf the petition was presented to me, I would totally sign in favor of saving Marius. I don’t agree with the way the zookeepers went about killing him. I mean who wants to bring their kids to the zoo and when they reach the giraffe enclosure, have their kid say “Mommy why is that one sleeping so much?” It pains me so much to see dying animals- even more so the endangered ones. Yes, it’s educational but a lot of people would prefer not to see a giraffe carcass being mauled by lions, at their trip to the zoo. But, I also understand that the zoos are in a tough situation. If they keep to many of one species there won’t be enough room for the endangered species and if they send that one species back to their natural habitat, most likely the animals won’t survive. If it was up to me, I wouldn’t encourage euthanasia but if there was no other acceptable zoos for the animals, I would allow it but with very strict restrictions- no killing any baby tiger cubs! I think euthanasia somewhat benefits biodiversity, but only when it takes place for a legitimate reason.
ReplyDeleteI thought this article was very interesting and gave a lot of insight into how the decision to euthanize animals is made. I wouldn't have signed a petition to save Marius, because biodiversity is extremely important, more important than one giraffe's life. There are not many options besides euthanize in a zoo, and I think it is one of the most humane ways to put down an animal. The reason Marius got so much attention was the spectacle that was made of his death. The way the zoo handled it, giving an anatomy lesson to the public and feeding him to the lions was disgusting and inhumane. When a convict is given the death penalty, we do not let the entire country watch, and then give them a lesson in his anatomy. The zoo has every right to put down an animal, but they have to do it humanely, and treat the animal with the same respect they would treat a human.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with Madeline Korte- there isn't a more humane way to control the biodiversity problem in the zoos. I do think the whole "autopsy" in front of the public was a bit overboard, but at the same time, shows how open the zoo was about the death of Marius. The openness proves that the zoo wasn't trying to hide anything or under publicize it to make them look even guiltier.
DeleteAfter reading the article "Marius The Giraffe Is Not The Only Animal Zoos Have Culled Recently" I found it sicken what they do to the zoo animals. I believe if an animal is living in any zoo it has the right to live out its life and if the zoo can no longer support the animal transport it to another zoo. If I could sign the petition I would have because the animal has the right to survive. Other alternative rather than euthanasia would be to transport the animal or to control the reproduction rate of the animals. Zoos like this one are not benefit the animals in anyway if your going to just kill the animals might as well not have the zoo and leave the animals wild. Euthanasia is a result of human impact and the people doing this should just leave the animals alone if they are planning on just killing them. I don't think zoo animals really mind living in a zoo if they have companions, enough space and enough food. The zoos that are doing a good just feed the animals enough food, give the animals space to exercise and aren't killing the animals. To increase biodiversity in zoos I think they should mix the animals that would normal live together and let them do everything themselves, like they do in Animal Kingdom in Disney World. All in all, I do not think euthanasia is not the right thing to do because there are better options.
ReplyDeleteI agree why should zoo's take in animals they can't support? I also think that euthanasia is straight up wrong. Zoo's aren't really protecting animals if they just kill them. The animals don't even seem happy in the small zoo exhibits and there are no other species of animals with them.
DeleteI completely agree with Nikhil that if a zoo ca no longer support an animal, they can transport it to another place instead of killing the innocent animal. There needs to be a change in zoos like these
DeleteI agree with you because the animals in the zoo deserve the right to have the chance to survive. Also I agree how that zookeepers shouldn't plan on killing the animals because they could transport the animals to a different location. To increase biodiversity, I agree how you said they should mix the animals with different ones because this can improve interdependence relationships.
DeleteI agree because it's unfair how they are not giving the animals a chance for survival and they are just killing them. This may help stop overcrowding, but zoos are supposed to protect the animals. I also agree to increase biodiversity you must mix the animals together because this would improve interdependence relationships.
DeleteI agree because it's unfair how they are not giving the animals a chance for survival and they are just killing them. This may help stop overcrowding, but zoos are supposed to protect the animals. I also agree to increase biodiversity you must mix the animals together because this would improve interdependence relationships.
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ReplyDeleteI felt very mad after reading this article. I don’t understand why researchers think it is their decision to kill animals because they think it’s best. They can’t just choose to take a life for the benefit of science. It has to be best for the individual as well. Therefore, I would definitely sign the petition to save Marius’s life and other’s. Why exactly are they killing animals? If they have to take animals into captivity, they need to treat them well and care for them. If they want to study animals and populations, I believe they should retain them in a nature preserve - that way they aren’t cooped up in a cage but aren’t roaming around in the wild either. Once they have studied them, they should let them be. I do believe that zoos are trying to protect biodiversity and endangered species, but are not protecting the animals that need it most. Would it make a huge difference if they kept those poor animals alive? I feel it is quite uncalled for and disgusting that zoos feed their animals intentionally to other animals in the zoo. In the wild, the prey had a fighting chance. Euthanasia, in my mind, should not even be reality. The thought of it is sickening. I don’t understand why this is practiced.
I believe that zoos are trying to create a good environment for animals identical to their natural habitat. It is hard to say if those animals are happy. I believe they are living very contently, without dangers or stress. To increase biodiversity I believe we should put certain animals in preserves, away from other species but still in the wild. To improve the welfare of animals in the zoo, I believe zoos should continue providing resources and good living conditions for the animals. Life is truly an amazing gift, and we shouldn’t misuse our power to take that gift away from other creatures.
In response to Bethany, I agree completely, and in fact, these word are almost similar to the ones that I used in my blog post. I am disgusted as to how the zoo intentionally killed Marius and then fed him to other animals. Aren't the zoos that take the animals supposed to provide food without harming that of other animals being held in the the zoo? I find it very interesting as to how most of us all believe that animals are taken from their natural habitats and then put into zoos, so that they can maybe be more comfortable and have the ability to reproduce. But then after reading this article, it comes to reality that in some zoos, it is found to be okay to intentionally take the life of one animal, and another's life is spared because they were provided with their necessary resources.
DeleteI agree with you Bethany, taking away a life of an animal that is supposed to be being protecting is uncalled for. It’s not exactly the wild so animals shouldn't become prey while in protected habitat that watched over. I like your idea of putting some of the animals in a preserve so that they actually have places to go, because seeing them all cooped up is saddening.
DeleteI totally agree with you, in my opinion these zoo keepers shouldn't have the right to take these animals life away nor should euthanasia be allowed to occur in these zoos. Especially towards animals that are in great condition, but are then killed because there is "lack of space" in the zoo. I hope there is something that can be done to stop what's occurring to these animals, because they don't have room in the zoos due to overpopulation.
DeleteI think euthanasia is a humane way to take care of the animals if killing them is the only option, but it's not. Zoos could definitely work harder to find a different answer. I like your idea to keep more animals in a nature preserve, so that they are able to interact with one another like they were intended to and euthanasia wouldn't be needed because the animals would regulate each other. I don't think it's really such a big deal to keep those animals with repetitive genes. Yes, they take up more resources and therefore more money to care for, but they should think about that before they let the animals reproduce so much.
Deletei completely agree with bethanys solution why have animals all cooped up it is not fair for the animals humans are selfish
DeleteIn response to Mia, your paragraph made me understand a little more thoroughly about how the zoo animals are being mistreated. I mean, if zoos are REALLY trying to help the welfare of the beloved species of the world, why kill them? Isn't that the exact opposite reason animals are placed in zoos in the first place? Animals in the zoo should live like their wild relatives, but also have advantages over them, not disadvantages.
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing the video of feeding Marius to the lions, and i was pretty shocked, and I thought this is the first one but this article was very eye opening to what really happens and how often it happens. I could see where the Biodiversity problem comes in, and i realize that zoo's get crowded and the population might need to be brought down to make room or others but I do not realize why they euthanize a Tiger and possibly other endangered species. Instead of using euthanasia to kill the animals they could at least look for another zoo to send them to so that animal could possibly help the population increase of that species.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Clay Berna I also agree that there are other options instead of killing the animals, either through euthanasia or in the wild.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Olivia, I also think that zoos are not the best option for animals to live in because of how much they are caged in. I also agree that we should work on preserving safe, big environments for animals instead building small enclosed spaces for them.
ReplyDeleteThis article actually made my stomach ache. Just the thought of an innocent animal being killed because of “overrepresentation” makes me sick! I know that for sure I would have signed a petition for Marius’ life! Some other alternatives to euthanasia (though they may not be the best options) are transferring the animal to another zoo, where it isn’t over represented. Or letting the animal back into it’s natural habitat. I feel that zoos aren’t really helping to protect these animals. One reason I feel that way is because, in the article it said how one person wrote a letter completely willing to adopt a zebra in order to save it from being euthanized. But the zoo claimed it was their “responsibility to make sure this living creature is properly cared for”, couldn’t they just have taught the person how to properly care for the zebra? I sure it still could have been happy! But no, instead they killed the zebra and didn’t even give him a fair chance at life. Personally, I think blaming euthanasia on poachers and hunters is okay, but on all humans? I don’t think so. Also, I do feel that in most zoos, animals aren’t happy. I’m sure there are some wonderful zoos where the animals thrive, but I think in most the animals are miserable. I think this because animals weren’t meant to live in an enclosure, they should be out in the wild running free, hunting their own food. Unfortunately, though the animals can not do that in a zoo. One zoo that seems to be doing a good job at simulating an animal’s natural habitat is the Wellington Zoo, North Island, New Zealand. This zoo has a huge amount of land that is dedicated to over 100 different species, which seems very suitable. I think one thing that would help biodiversity and improve the welfare of the animals in zoos is getting rid of the cages, and providing the animals with as big and as close to their natural habitat styled enclosure as possible. I feel like that would drastically improve their life and happiness!
ReplyDeleteIn response to Bethany, I completely agree with you! And I think you made a very interesting and true point about how you think they should treat the animals kindly! I really loved that section of your response! Overall you have very agreeable and valid thoughts and opinions!
ReplyDeleteBlog #4: The Killing of Marius the Giraffe
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this article, I won’t lie, but I did get a little grossed out, and it was at the very least a little saddening to not just read the article, but to also watch the short video of a quick overview. Also, I think that if I had been more aware of this situation, I would have wanted to jump up and protest just as many others wrote they did. Nevertheless, I had no idea that zoos were intentionally culling their animals just so they could feed meat to their carnivores. I believe that I would have signed a petition to save the giraffes life, and I say this because I don’t believe that the giraffe deserved to die the way that it did. Some other alternative to euthanasia in other zoos are to ship the animal back to its home in the wild where it originally came from, but as stated in the article, they feel that this is cruel because the animal would be shipped away, and only to have the same outcome; in their home. In my opinion, it is hard to answer whether or not zoos are really helping to protect these animals, because when they originally take them away from their home, the intention is to most likely “save” a life, but also to put them into a more comfortable position to find a mate and reproduce. But then, after reading this article, and watching this video, it is interesting to discover that these animals are intentionally being culled and fed to others. Don’t get me wrong, but I do enjoy going to zoos, but then again, looking back upon those times, I can agree with the fact that animals don’t seem to be all that happy, and I think the reason behind this is that they are not living within their natural habitat, which can sometimes be a necessity. To increase biodiversity and the welfare of animals in zoos, maybe we could pick up the animals that are at a higher risk of harm or extinction, other than those that are picked up for mating breeding, reproducing, and then soon culled. This process only decreases the population.
This article really made me upset. No matter the animal kind it should matter if they are being killed. It was stated in the article that people only started caring when certain animals were being killed, but if I could’ve, I would’ve signed the petition to keep Marius alive. Even though it is just one giraffe, and it fed the lions, this could’ve stopped killings in zoos. People may say this is necessary, but I believe that zoos shouldn’t try to force animals together. I don’t think the animals are happy in zoos, and I believe that euthanasia is because of humans. If we didn’t force animals into zoos, and we didn’t try to find animals that fit a description perfectly, we wouldn’t have to kill animals. Zoos should try to get more space, and less animals so they have more room. If zoos did this, the animals would be happier.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the article about Marius The Giraffe, I was appalled that zoos would kill an animal just to keep population conservation in order. It is not the most ideal solution. These zoos that do this type of thing should just send these animals to zoos in need of more animals or have the space to take them instead of just putting the to death row. What ever helps save these animals I’ll sign, because what if the animals become endangered in the next year? Then the zoo would have made a mistake for taking away yet another animal. Zoos need to be protecting these animals a little better, because some habitats aren't as nice as others. Animals deserve the very best place to live out their life while they are put on display. At the Lincoln Park Zoo I always feel so bad for the big cats because out of all the animals that are quite large, they have the least amount of space. I've never really payed attention to these kinds of things but hope they don’t extreme of things in United States zoos.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you in the sense that zoos cannot predict the total outcome of a species based on a breeding program. Many factors such as disease or poaching could easily cause a species to become endangered. Therefore zoos should spare the excess animals and move them to a different location.
DeleteI Think it is cruel for a zoo to put down the animals it should be protecting. I would’ve signed the petition to save the giraffe’s life. An alternative that the animals could survive instead of being euthanized would be to send them to a zoo that has more room or less of that species. Zoo’s are protecting them to a certain extent, but once they get the population up they just kill them off which doesn’t protect the animals or the species. I think if humans cared more about the environments they destroy (deforestation) then the animals wouldn’t need to be in zoo’s in the first place. The cages in zoo’s aren’t anywhere near the size of an animal's habitat in the wild and their is no biodiversity in a zoo’s habitat because the animal’s are separated. I think zoo’s either need to make the exhibits way bigger and then mix the species of animals to increase the biodiversity.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Madeline, I totally agree. Although I do think they could be a little more creative in finding ways to keep biodiversity without euthanizing the animals, but I think you're right about how it was inhumane how they treated Marius after they euthanized him. Even though he was only and animal it wasn't right to give hi an autopsy in public for people to watch.
ReplyDeleteI thought that this was very surprising. I can't believe they would euthanize animals at a zoo. Aren't the animals in the zoo supposed to be there to live in a place like their environment, but still be taken care of? I wouldn't have signed the petition to,save Marius, only because you're only saving one of the many animals that would be euthanized and it wouldn't have made that much of a difference. I honestly hate zoos in general, and I think there are other options to helping animals that are endangered be safe and repopulate. Even though zoos ,as have a lot f different animals I don't really think they help protect them because any animal that lived in a zoo its entire life wouldn't be able to live in the wild and isn't as hapy as an animal of the same species that lives in the wild. I think humans have a big impact on euthanasia because without us no animal species would be endangered, and zoos would never have existed.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this article all I could think about is what the word zoo really means. A zoo is an establishment that maintains a collection of wild animals, typically in a park or gardens, for study and conservation. What sticks out to me in this definition is the word conservation, which means preservation, protection, or restoration of the natural environment, natural ecosystems, vegetation, and wildlife. This article brought my attention to how zookeepers can be easily compared to people who value material items. Treating animals as material items such as cars and purses and dispose of them because they have the newer version or already have enough of the same item (even if they’re okay). This is wrong as a humanitarian. While these consumer adics get rid of the once favored goods through ebay and yard sales, zookeepers are disposing of lives through euthanasia. Not only would I have signed a petition to save the giraffe’s life but, I would have started a petition to stop euthanasia at zoos. Humans are determining the future of animals lives by who gets euthanized and who does not. The alternative to euthanasia in overcrowded zoos are to neuter the animals on site and stop over populating these zoos. Well, I do believe that zoos are very important in protecting animals that are on the verge of extinction, protecting endangered species but its at the expense of the animals that are viewed by zookeepers as “less important”. Overall, I certainly did not see euthanasia in the definition of zoo nor do I believe this should be condemned.
ReplyDeleteI'm really torn after reading this article. A greater half of me is skeptical about zoos using euthanization, while another part of me understands the need to control overpopulation. That being said, why couldn't they come up with different means of dealing with the issue? Obviously, animals raised in the zoo cannot be released into the wild because zoo life and the real world are vastly different, but up arises a question I'm surprised wasn't addressed in the article: Why not just stop allowing the animals to reproduce so rapidly? I know that they need to keep new generations of species coming, and that animals need to reproduce to function correctly, but couldn't they regulate that in some way without hurting the animals? And why not release animals into the wild that haven't become acclimated to zoo life? Yes, most animals need to be taught early on by their parents how to survive, but that doesn't apply to every species. I'm just saying there's more than one available option to consider, because it seems like they aren't really branching out. Also, zoos really need to listen to the petitions. Maybe not for every animal, because there will always be someone who will oppose what they are doing, but how on earth could they kill a giraffe named after a character in Les Miserable!? It's unbelievably cruel! (Why name animals you're not going to keep anyways?) While I enjoy a nice day observing animals in the environment, I've never that big about zoos. (I really only go for the stuffed animals, am I right?) Zoo animals never seem to be happy, but who would be!? They are stuck in an unchanging habitat their entire lives, being watched by strange organisms that walk on two legs. All of their resources and environmental factors are controlled by people who weren't meant to control them. I've played enough zoo tycoon to know how unsatisfied they must be. Overall, I think zoos should try a bit harder to save extra animals rather than euthanize them, or otherwise stop them from be produced in the first place.
ReplyDeleteThis article was sad they kill animals just to make space for the animals that are endangered at the zoo. You should take the animals that are not endangered out of the zoo because they are just going to keep dying if you don't. The process they are using is euthanize. Another thing they can do instead of euthanize is look for another zoo or habitat to put these species in. Zoos get very crowded and they are not doing the right thing by killing some animals.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Olivia, caging animals in the zoo is not good for the animals, they need to know what its like to live by themselves in the wild instead of getting took in care of all the time. Put also zoos are a very fun place to go so it sorta goes both ways.
ReplyDeleteI am shocked that anyone would do such a thing to an animal! It's absolutely disgusting that the Zoo would feed the remains to other animals in front of an audience. In response to the petition, I would have signed to save any animals life. Other alternatives for the animals would include shipping them to other zoos who need a range of diversity in their animals, or by releasing them to a natral habitat. It is true that animals seem bored when in captivity. But without the zoo, we would have a harder time learning about them, and there is only so much the zoo can do to keep the animals mentally stimulated because the zoo is not a natral habitat.
ReplyDeleteI believe that hurting animals and killing them in zoos seems very brutal to the animals affected. They are brought into zoos in the first place, and are paying the price just because biodiversity and adding new animals is the new focus to organizations. It is the responsibility of zoos to protect every animal and they shouldn’t forget about other animals, such as the giraffe even if more safety has to be stressed onto other animals. I personally think it is not worth it to get rid of other animals and endanger their life. Instead, they should be kept at other zoos and monitor the population growth so that each place isn’t crowded. If space is really a problem, then other animals shouldn’t be brought into the zoos and live on their own. Many animals enjoy living out in the natural environment, so ultimately they should be happy. I would sign the petition to help save the giraffe’s life because i don’t think it’s right to take an animal’s life away and kill them, even if it were for the purpose of adding animals. In addition to that, euthanasia is not something I would support zoos to do.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Madeline, I agree with you. I don't find it educational for kids to watch an animal being pretty much dissected and examined. You don't know how that can affect that kid. I also agree with shreya. Why can't they just send the animals off to a better zoo where they can prosper, than killing them. Obviously all zoos aren't having a surplus of animals.
DeleteIn response to Madeline Korte, I agree how it was very inhumane to kill an animal that way, even though it may be viewed as educational. You have a good point that the reason the issue of Marius the giraffe was very publicized and had many responses was because of how the animal was killed and out for other people to see. Just because the giraffe is an animal, it doesn’t give it any less of a right to bring respect.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I do not think it is a zoos place to kill an animal, especially when they aren’t common, like tigers for example. One zoo killed three tiger cubs for “genetic diversity.” While they say letting the animals go into the wild would be a death sentence, I have heard of zoos that train the animals to be wild again. At least if the released animals died right away wild animals would get food and the animal had a chance at survival. Killing it right away is a worse death sentence, there’s no hope for them. I would have signed the petition to say the giraffe's life, there are better alternatives that I mentioned above, humans need to be more creative and considerate. Killing is the easy way out. I also saw that some people said to move the animals to a different zoo which I think is a good idea because then less animals have to be taken out from the wild.
ReplyDeleteZoos should be a safe place for animals to live. I do think zoos today have done a much better job at preserving the animals natural habitats like the monkeys have an entire fake jungle to swing in without any threats of predators, lack of food or poachers. As long as the animals have all their needs taken care of and the zoos maintain a safe environment for them, I would say the animals are happy. This is just my opinion though based off what I have seen at local zoos.
I would have to say that I disagree with increasing the biodiversity in zoos because more animals would have to die in order to “make room”. Apparently the zoos can’t build more habitats. Unless an animal is injured or incapable of living in the wild, it shouldn’t be taken from the wild just for our enjoyment. That’s why we have cameras and National Geographic.
Overall, I believe zoos don’t have the right to kill any animals because they should be looking out for the animal's best interest, not just what’s convenient for them.
I can recognize that sometimes animals need to be put down, but there should be other options too. If they could have given the giraffe to another zoo, or released it into the wild, I'm sure they would have. I don't think that they should have let visitors see the body be eaten though. Some species are more endangered than others, and its our job to protect those that might die out for good. Would you rather painlessly euthnaize a bald eagle to save an okapi calf, or would you rather the calf be left in the wild?
ReplyDeleteIn response to Bethany, some zoos don't have that choice. Some animals are born in captivity, so they can't be released into the wild. Other times, they don't have the funding. A lot of zoos are overcrowded, so it would be hard to give the animals away. And although you do have a point that the animals aren't happier in the cages, they are safer. According to the article, this doesn't happen often, so it's not like they're killing animals everyday. And when they did, they picked the animal that would be least likely to have an impact on the survival of the species.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is very heartbreaking that they had to out the giraffe down. It was even harder watching the video of him being fed to those lions, and with everyone watching. I had no idea that those kinds of things were even ALOUD in a zoo, i always thought that they were there to keep the animals from harm. I can understand how biodiversity can become an issue, but what confused me was why they were euthanizing the cubs. If there really isnt any other option other than to put the animal down, why make it a healthy young cub? Tigers are endangered species, isnt the goes to bring up their population? I believe that there could have been more options if they were more open to it.
ReplyDeleteI think this article is very sad, but there aren't many good options other than euthanize. I do think I would have signed the petition to save Marius' life if I had not known the reasoning behind his death, but now that I am informed about the diversity problem I would have thought twice. There aren't any other good options, really. Zoos are not protecting animals - rather, they are condemning them. Euthanasia is not helping. There is no such thing as "happy" zoos. Animals are meant to be wild, and although they are taken care of in zoos, nature cannot happen freely unless it is outside a cage.
ReplyDeleteWhen reading this article, the sickening conclusion is… we treat many animals poorly not only in the wild but captivity also. Understanding that animals have to be killed to conserve the animals population. Still have to question that is putting animals in captivity truly the only solution to solve the endangerment to animals? Learning that the slaughtering of marius was not the only incident but that zoo’s have made culling something that is a normal way of preserving precious species. Yet, the fact that these zoo’s have cunningly murdered helpless animals as a way to preserve other more endangered species is quite reasonable. Zoo’s have become a sanctuary for endangered species and trying to preserve them is what they do for a living. Marius was only one of many animals that have fell victim to this cruel slaughter, but “We don’t even do it once a year” (Houlden). But considering the fact that this is just an excuse for these zoos to keep on killing is something that questions the integrity of people. When does “not even once a year” become something that is on regular basis. Have we truly run out of options to save animals that the only reasonable thing to do is kill an animal that isn’t as endangered than the others in a zoo? Since hunting certain animals has become illegal in most parts of the country, then why isn’t it illegal to kill a helpless animal that had no right to be slaughtered. Yes, death is a part of life for all ecosystems, but killing a young animal to preserve another species is not natural. Helping endangered animals is one thing, but slaughtering one is something else. Trying too hard to control nature is something that needs to stop, especially the killing of an animal. Letting nature balance itself out is something that has been going on for centuries. destroying pure habitats and polluting our Earth's atmosphere is something that humans have been doing for years now, but now that it is too late, why are countries now starting to change when the damage has left things too far gone to be preserved. If this petition was giving to me, yes of course I would sign because it is unreasonable animal cruelty that needs to be stopped.
ReplyDeleteThis article gave me many different emotions. For obvious reasons it is awful to know that zoos are killing some of their animals, but on the other hand, I understand why they have to do it. Even though this may not seem like the most beneficial solution, when I think about it, there is not many options. So for that reason, I don’t think I would have signed the petition to save Marius. However, I do think that euthanasia is human’s fault because it is our job to protect the environment and keep the animals safe. I think it is very likely that animals are unhappy in zoos because although the environment is similar to that of their original habitat, it is not the same considering all the human contact they have. Zoo animal’s lives are definitely more boring than animals in the wild because they are robbed of a very important value- freedom. This reminds me of the movie “Madagascar” and how even though the zoo animals enjoyed the zoo, they longed for the freedom of the wild. But all in all, I believe that zoos are doing the best they can for the overall wellness of the animals in general and should keep doing what they are doing, even if it sadly requires killing an animal if necessary.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you, although if an animal grew up in an artificial habitat then they would only know that to be its original habitat.
DeleteIn reply to Emma- I agree that killing all these animals is terrible, but it is completely understandable why they do it. I wish there was a better solution to this major issue, but for now there’s not much we can do.
DeleteIn reply to Nikhil - also agree that zoos cannot support animals. Supporting animals requires large environments and natural habitats, which zoos cannot provide.
ReplyDeleteIn reply to Madeline:
ReplyDeleteI agree that the spectacle involving Marius's death was extremely inhumane. Zoos should focus on downplaying euthanasia instead of broadcasting it, because no one wants to witness an animal they know and love being murdered and inspected.
The animal lover side of me would have wanted to save the giraffe, but in reality the EZAZ reasoning makes a lot of sense. I believe its not as bad as some are looking at it because, they aren't just killing the animal and letting it rot they are using it to provide food for other animals in their zoo. Also if their over reproducing then how are they supposed to provide for all their animals theres a chance some could get sent back to the wild where they will probably die anyway. The alternatives are time consuming and will take some money because the only thing they could do that won't spark protests would be build a bigger zoo. zoos are protecting animals from many things like climate, poachers, and even invasive species that could kill their habitat. Well zoo’s are like hospitals in the respect that sometimes they get good people to take care of them and others get only alright care. But if people don't pay attention how bad some nurses treat their patients why should they care about how much a person cares about an exotic animal. Although i will admit that the zoo life is way different than real life because, in a zoo they don't learn how to gather food for themselves or how to attract mates; which isn't usually a big concern due to the fact that we don't usually send these animals back to the wild. Basically I feel like the zookeepers are right and people should pay more attention to current events in their town or country then a national breeding program that isn't wasting animals.
ReplyDeleteI think this article was very strange. Because I have never heard of a zoo doing this before so I thought it was strange. I also wonder why did they show this to the public. Because this seems to graphic for little kids. If i had the chance i might of signed a petition to save the gliffaes life but I don’t know much about petitions. And this was in europe, but if this was in the U.S.A then i would have signed the petition because I think giraffes are pretty cool animals. I don’t know if there are any other alternatives to euthanasia in a zoo because like the zoo officials said if they release them to the wild then they will die. And they can’t just give away and exotic animal to some random citizen. Because the animal needs special care and a skilled person can only do that. I think zoos are doing there best to protect the animals because like they said a zoo can only get so big. I think euthanasia is a result of human impact but it is not necessarily a bad thing. We only hold these animals in zoos because they might go extinct. Because of poachers and this is the only way to preserve them. And also a zoo can only hold so much of one animal because as animals get more endangered they will have to make space for them.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Clay Berna I also think they should not feed the giraffe to the lions. And how the zoos have thousands of dollars that they should let the animal die humanely in the wild. I also agree that why would they have to feed the giraffe in the first place I think no animal should be Hungary in a zoo.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to the whole concept of zoos, I don’t really support them in general. Although, this article does provide some valid points supporting both the positive and negative effects of euthanasia. Killing certain animals in zoos does help the spread of biodiversity and population management but, it is not right to kill an animal that has done nothing wrong except take up space. I understand that many animals take up the space where different species could be developing but, the animals were placed in the zoo by mankind. They have no choice to live in the zoo or not so, we cannot punish them by killing these certain animals. A valid option that the scientists could pursue, would be placing the animals that they were going to kill in a different zoo nearby, since if they go into the wild they would be at their death sentence right away. All in all, it is especially not right to publicize euthanasia to the visitors at the zoo and show the giraffe being fed to the lions.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Elise about how she doesn't support zoos. I also don't support them because they mistreat most all of their animals, when they should being living happy in the wild. Also I agree with her about killing the animals. It's wrong.
DeleteMarius The Giraffe Is Not The Only Animal Zoos Have Culled Recently
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the article, I was upset with the information I had just received. The animals in zoos deserve much more respect and should be treated much better. People should not have the right to kill animals in zoos just to balance out biodiversity. When you think about all of the things us, as humans, would do to save another humans life, the list goes on and on. But when it comes to an animals life, we don't mind what horrible thing we do to them. I definitely would have signed a petition to save the giraffes life. alternatives to euthanasia in zoos include setting them free into the wild, creating space in another zoo, or separating males and females. The only problem is that they say these suggestions will only make things worse for the animals. Are they positive these possible soIutions would not actually be beneficial? Have they ever tried anything like this to prove their point? I agree that animals in zoos are probably unhappy. They have very little space to roam around compared to what they would have in the wild, and are constantly being watched. If I in their position, I would feel the same way!
In response to Jaylynn, I too believe that animals in zoos are mistreated. Animals deserve respect and loyalty towards them. If these animals are causing problems for the zoo, i'm sure there are more options then to kill hem. I would sign the petition for the giraffe.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I can see what the zoo was trying to accomplish, I would have been much more comfortable if the giraffe had been set to another zoo. It was wrong for the zoo to make something so disturbing to many young children public. They should have at least killed Marius privately, instead of creating a scene just to grab a viewer's attention. I would have definitely signed the petition to save the young giraffe’s life. Marius never had a choice in his death, and he was murdered at the hands of humans. Marius was not killed by a natural limiting factor, he was killed by one of the biggest offenders to biodiversity on this planet. At least Marius would have had a slight chance of living if he had been sent back to a savanna; he could have even been rehabilitated. Zoos are not really helping animals if they are killing them to establish biodiversity in zoos, we all know zoos are not natural ecosystems. I can tell that they are not helping the biodiversity in the natural ecosystems where the animals came from. Animals in zoos are obviously not going to be happy if they have no control over their live’s. Zoo’s that keep all animals of a biome in one niche as close to the real biome as possible would regulate biodiversity much better than a human controlled zoo that keeps each species of animal separate.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on the fact that the scene with the lions shouldn't have been in front of children. If you absolutely have to do that, do it after hours when no one can see it.
DeleteI see where you are coming from, however, these cruel things have to be done, and sometimes publicly, because of the negative choices people made in the past that called for these environmental centers to be established. The publicity teaches lessons of how we affect the world by our decisions. Also, the meat was used to feed carnivores, as it would in the Savanna, rather than the lion being fed meat from native ecosystems, such as slaughtered farm animals.
DeleteAfter reading the article I was disgusted to see the way how they have to kill these animals because of the diversity that is going on through the animals lives. Not just that, but I thought it was cruel how they didn't let the animals live their lives and instead they just killed the giraffe because there wasn't enough food or supplies provided for the animal. If there was petition to save the giraffes I would definitely, without a doubt sign it because killing animals could have an affect on the ecosystem and can create conflicts that could create problems in the future. The animals deserve the right to live out their lives and should be provided with the support. Euthanizing these animals may reduce the overcrowding of animals, but it shouldn't be a right to where they should just kill the animals. Releasing them into the wild may be difficult for them, but at least they have a chance. I believe that alternatives than euthanasia would be to transport the animals to a different zoo or releasing them into the wild because this would reduce the reproduction rate and areas wouldn't become so overcrowded. I believe that adding different animals to the zoo would help biodiversity because this would increase the interdependence of animals in the zoo. I believe that animals in a zoo aren't happy because they are wild animals and they would probably want to have a different habitat. Overall, zoos aren't doing the best because they aren't giving any of the animals the rights to live their lives the way they should. They shouldn't be killed right in front of people's eyes. Not euthanizing may be difficult, but at least you are giving the animals a chance for survival.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I think that the if it is necessary to get rid of an animal to make room for a new one, then that animal should still get a chance to live its life. There should be a way for the zoos to be able to release the animal safely back into the wild rather then just killing it.
DeleteI totally agree with Liam; animals should have the freedom to live their lives with our support, not by encaging them and killing them when there's too many.
DeleteZoos really aren't what we make them out to be. Sure, there are happy animals in zoos but for the most part they are upset and not the way they are meant to be. If zoos are meant to keep animals in a humane and safe environment, why are they feeding lions the giraffe and killing the animals they are meant to keep safe? The animals should be re-located to a wildlife preserve. To increase biodiversity they could put different animals that live in similar habitats in one exhibit and let them live the way they were meant to.
ReplyDeleteI think this is very cruel to do to an innocent animal. If I was aware of the petition. I would hav signed that immediately, but not only that I would have tried to get others to sign it as well. Other options were to possibly send the giraffe to another zoo or to give it to someone who wanted it, but apparently to them that would be worse because it wouldn't get cared for as much as killing it... However, I do see their reasoning behind this, which does make sense since they only have a certain amount of room, but I will still believe that overall they did a terrible thing with Marius. Also I do not necessarily believe that animals in the zoo aren't as happy because ether are given a lot from the zoo such as food, a habitat, they are well taken care of by the zoo keepers (medically and hygienically) and also some of them have companions they are put with. Zoos actually make life a lot easier for the animals and who wouldn't want an easier life? Last, I would like to say that their is no reason we should have to kill any animals at the zoo. If we are that desperate to make room in the zoo we should've opened another zoo or let them free, for animals live life everyday like us.
ReplyDeleteI believe it is inhumane that zoos are doing this. I fully acknowledge that they are trying to do a good thing, but the zoos seem to lack any empathy for the animals. I would sign a petition to save this giraffes life because even through it wasn’t an animal that needs to be protected doesn’t mean it needs to be killed. I think a good alternative to euthanasia is to send those animals to a less crowed zoo. Finally I think people are causing the high level of euthanization. Because we are the ones who are causing there to be animals who are more important than others. Instead of having all the animals just as important.
ReplyDeleteI do not think it was okay that the giraffe was fed to the lions. I do not think it was alright to show this to a public audience, especially with little children present. I would have been okay with the giraffe being euthanize if the giraffe was in pain or near death. But this was a healthy giraffe that had a home in the zoo where it could have lived out his life. I would have signed a petition to save any animals life if it was healthy including the giraffes life. An alternative to killing these animals is shipping these animals off to other zoos. That is how most animals get to the zoo. I do think it is partly humans fault for poaching and illegal trading of animals such as the giraffe, but there are other ways to deal with this. Williams-Mitchell is wrong that it is all humans fault when they themselves are killing the animals and showing the inhumane act to the public. Animals would rather be free. When they are trapped in zoos, they are safe, but they have very little space, it is noisy all day, they get food when people decide they get food, and they are sometimes separated from their young. To increase biodiversity, the amount of species in an ecosystem, we can again get different animals to be at a zoo. Even though I do not think this is a great solution, it is better than putting healthy animals down.
ReplyDeleteOf course i would've signed the petition because in my opinion, killing animals that are endangered is terrible. People shouldn't have to watch a giraffe getting torn apart. Making the lions eat the giraffe was not the only option out there because the zoo was getting more crowded. There were plenty of more things the zoo could have done to save the giraffes life. The zoo could have sent the giraffe to another zoo that would accept it. Or they could have also let it go free in the wild where it is suppose to be. In my opinion the zoos are not helping protect the animals. Protecting animals does not mean that they have to feed other zoo animals to carnivores. If they really wanted to protect the animals then all the animals need is food, water, and shelter. I think zoo animals are not happy at all. They are trapped in a cage their whole life and they do not get to explore the wild or do not get to meet new animals either.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this article, I can't really say that I am shocked. I do think that the whole process is absolutely absurd but I really and truly can say that I am not at all surprised by the decision the zoo made to do this. in regards to signing a petition I personally wouldn't just because I do not feel as though my voice or any of the other people signing the Petition voices would be heard either. The zoo does have the right to do want they want even if we, the people do not agree with it. I think though that the zoo is reality though is not doing what they have set out to do: which is protect animals. I think that in this process the zoos completely overlook the fact that the whole point of a zoo is to protect animals. In the article they did state that if they let some of the animals out back in to the wild they would have no chance of surviving, but I feel that the main goal of a zoo should be to help the animals be able to return in to the wild as stronger, better species. Overall, zoos should be more focused on the animals health, well being, and protection.
ReplyDeleteI found it shocking that this is happening within zoos. Being a place where people go to view animals the would not usually be able see, I was surprised to hear that these zoos are killing healthy animals just to make room for others. It seems very inhumane. Most people think of zoos as a place of protection for some animals, depending on how you view it, so you would think they would make an attempt to release the animal back into its habitat before just putting it down. I found this article very eye opening to things that places like zoos don't release to the public.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said on how people view zoos as a place where they protect animals but maybe now that has changed.
DeleteAfter reading this article, I must say I was quiet surprised at the outrage, in nature, no matter how cute a animal is, it would die, of old age, predators, disease, or otherwise, and euthanasia is a neccary evil, the earth is only so big, and we need to prioritize zoo's to keep more scarce species, not cute overpopulated mammals. I would not have signed the petition, Giraffes do not need as much protection as other species, and I agree with zoos, biodiversity is important, the human race has screwed it up enough, we need to at least put it in a stable state. I personally cannot think of any alternative to euthanasia, true it is horrible, but we cannot release the animals, they have been in captivity for to long, they most likely lost most of there natural instinct in favor of just getting feed, and if they were put back in the thier natural habitats,they would be unable to survive, they would most likely starve, so in my opinion euthanasia has no alternative that ends up with zoo animals living. Are zoos protecting zoos? That really depends on your definition, they are keep small pockets of species alive, but not thriving, and they are losing all of there natural instinct, so they are in a way being protected, from nature, species die out, but if it's because of us, then it's are responsibility to fix it, sense we are the biggest wild card in biodiversity, the moment we step foot somewhere there's a good chance were going to mess the natural order up in one way or another. I believe Euthanasia is and isn't a result of humans, in some cases yes, some animals don't need to be killed, but in others, like protecting common species, it's not are fault, more important animals need to be protected, animals that were are probobly are fault of nearly wiping of the face of the earth, thousands of animals die every day in the sake of energy, nitrogen, and other important ways of life. We are doing nothing wrong, when it comes to Euthanaisa, but in some cases it's uncalled for, killing off a rare species to make room for a cute animal, that's wrong, killing of a cute animal that has millions in population size to make room for a species that is almost extinict, that's right in my opinion. I believe animals are unhappy in zoos, no creature wants to be caged, it's not in thier nature, they miss the wide open spaces, the freedom they once had, not those fake habitats that have no likeness to there acutal habitats. I believe in order to increase biodiversity and the welfare of zoos is to completely scrape the whole zoo concept, true it has good intentions, but the animals are left simply as prisoners, watched by humans as simple amusement, what needs to be done is instead of zoos, we should build entire ecosystems in large, yet isolated areas, that simulate the animals native homes, with flora and fauna to add the homey feel, and make the zoos a purely scientific, not simple displays.
ReplyDeleteI think it is terrible that they killed this giraffe, and that it is happening to other animals around the globe. I probably would have signed a petition to save the giraffe’s life. There are alternatives to euthanizing animals in overcrowded zoos, including releasing the animals into the wild, and sending them to another zoo. It is hard to tell if zoos are really protecting these animals, yes they are keeping the species alive, but if these zoo-raised animals were released into the wild they would most certainly die. Euthanasia is definitely a result of human activity because we are the ones who cut down the forests they lived in, polluted the air and water, and we hunted some to extinction. I think animals in zoos do not seem happy because they are trapped in a small area, preventing them to do what they would do if they were free, like lions may want to eat some live meat, deer may want fresh grass… I do not have any evidence to support this, but I do know that the animals I see in zoos always seem like they rather not move, just lay down in a spot where they have the most privacy. I visited the Minnesota zoo last year, and I think they are doing a very good job. The original planners for the zoo chose an area that was naturally diverse with plenty of existing forest, grassland and small lakes and marshes, so they didn’t have to create nature, just add to it. A lot of acreage is dedicated to the animals native to Minnesota so there is no need to simulate habitat The zoo focuses on quality over quantity so there aren’t a lot of exotic animals, so they focus on a few and try to recreate their habitats as best as possible, with room for growth. To increase biodiversity we can support programs that will save the world’s various habitats so animals will be able to exist in the wild. Zoos should try to be less concerned with popular attractions and more concerned about creating better lives for the animals.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I think euthanasia is a reasonable solution to overpopulation in zoos. Although it may seem cruel, there could be much worse. It is better that zoos are concerned about endangered animals. The truth is, the animals would have died at some point, and the zoos would never euthanize an animal if the were at risk for becoming extinct. I understand that some may think it is cold-hearted to kill an innocent animal, but it is just a part of life. It’s also beneficial because not only can the zoos manage biodiversity, but they can also feed the lions and make space for even more new species. Of all all the ways to control this problem, euthanasia is the most responsible and safe. I would not have signed the petition, because saving a single animal’s life is not as important as saving an entire species.
ReplyDeleteI think that the article was interesting because it showed both sides of the story. It was gruesome that zoos would do this to animals to “control the population” when the animals are in there for that exact reason. Ironically, the result was what nobody could have thought; kill the animal. Euthanasia is painlessly killing something that has an illness or is hurt, in many countries it is illegal to do this to people, so why should we be able to do this on animals? In this case zoo’s are not doing a very good job to protect the animals. There are in fact, alternate ideas besides killing the overcrowded species, and it is letting them back into the wild. I think this is a good idea because the animals need to be free from captivity. If the zookeepers are thinking that the species would die when delivered back to the wild, then they are obviously not doing a good job of simulating the animals natural habitat.
ReplyDeleteIn this article it talked about how in zoos they are having to kill animals because there is not enough space, too many of that animal, and also to save room for animals that are more likely to become extinct. I think this is really wrong! They brought these animals to a zoo for a reason... To protect them, not just kill them off and feed them to a lion. I Understand that sometimes the breeding gets messed up, but that's no reason to kill the animals. If people in the zoos brought them there to live a better life they shouldn't be killing all of them to feed to the lions. In the article it says that they don't do this every year. But later on it says that they do this to antelope and wild boars every year. This is wrong and it needs to be stopped. There will be no more animals in the zoo because we are killing them all to give to lions. Just buy some meat for the lions and stop killing innocent animals that were brought to zoos to live better lives
ReplyDeleteI agree, I also think that if they don't want an animal they should help to see that it goes back into the wild to enjoy however long it has.
DeleteIn response with Trevor, I agree that the cages that the animals are stored in are nothing compared to the habitat they would be living in if they were free. It is also a good idea to mix the species together to create more biodiversity. This could be good for the zoo's and the species.
ReplyDeleteThis article brought forth many aspects, but I can’t agree with any of their reasons for doing this. If I had the chance, I would sign the petition to keep Marius alive. Even though the article said they couldn’t ship animals to other zoos, I think it’s the healthiest way to keep from killing them. If it wasn’t for us we wouldn’t have this problem. We force animals out of their natural environments into a cage way smaller than their original habitat, to live out their lives like prisoners. It’s also why animals seem so unhappy in zoos; they don’t have freedom. And, zoos try their hardest to make the cages close to their environments, but it’ll never be a perfect match with the size and unnatural feel to them.
ReplyDeleteI definitely wouldn't have signed the petition. Regardless of however awful you think killing an animal is, I believe the zoos are doing the best thing possible given the circumstances. There is no argument that zoos cannot keep all the animals they breed for a variety of reason such as available space or the ability for that animal to have healthy offspring. Giving the animal to another zoo is in many cases not lawful, and when it is it seems that you may just be hurting the biodiversity of that zoo so that isn't a very good option. Then you could try putting the animal back in the wild, yet that will most likely also result in the death of the animal but in this case a slow and torturous death. This leaves the option of killing the animal in the most humane way possible as they have been doing in many zoos. In my opinion, if people find it so cruel to kill these animals in a humane way, how to they justify torturing the animal by forcing it to spend a life in captivity. The best option in the interest of the animals is to abolish zoos all together but people are too selfish to do so even though they claim that they care about the animal and its rights. This is why when people claim that they really care about the animals in the zoos the first thing I wonder is if they actually care why aren’t they trying to stop zoos from keeping animals in captivity as they are.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the article: Marius The Giraffe Is Not The Only Animal Zoos Have Culled Recently, i think this is just terrible, pathetic, and sad. We all have the resources and tools to do what we want, and need to do or change. Breaking news, animals don't. We were created to good in this world and for the past so many years, we have been making every wrong turn. I would unquestionably of signed the petition for the giraffe in a heartbeat its pointless to kill a Giraffe just for biodiversity of the zoo. Its pointless to build a zoo if you don't build one that can be prepared for overpopulation and other reasons to kill these animals. Alternatives to euthanasia in zoos would encompass the setting them free into the wild, creating space in another zoo, or separating the males from the females. No i don't think they are doing enough. There just doing enough to what they can get by with, without them getting heavily criticized for it, unlike what happened at the european zoo. Youthuesiam is a result of of human impact because our selves have to change the way animals live and how they live in their environment. Though, its not necessarily all a bad thing, but the bad definitely outweigh the good that comes out of this. There would be a decent size of zoos that are interpreting the given species natural habitat. Basically any certified animal sanctuary would be doing a good job at this. There is a reason why animals aren't happy in captivity, because they were built to be in a specific community and were destroying theirs. Therefore, we have to take the remaining species that are endangered because of poachers and construction to expand human life as it grows, and force them to breed to conserve life of species. In Fact, we arent even doing that. Were spending around a million dollars a year just for renting species to attract more visitors to zoos according to a claim stated by a BBC author. We clearly need to improve the biodiversity in zoos. We need to get this point out and need to spread it among others. Also according to BBC news, Zoos are getting hefty cutbacks and the AWA act standards require minimal housing and feeding Which needs to get changed and improved as soon as we possibly can.
ReplyDeleteIn response to liam, animals should have the right to live out their lives with support. I also agree with you about releasing them into the wild and giving them a chance at the least.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Caige I disagree with sending the animals to another zoo and shutting this one down. This would most likely only lead to the new zoo having the same issues as the old one. There's a reason that the animal was killed is was the best choice in regards to the zoo and the animal. It saved the zoos biodiversity and the animal wasn't left in the wild to die slowly from its lack of ability to take care of itself.
ReplyDeleteInitially, I was shocked that at the fact that Zoo’s are killing their own animals. After reading the article it is now clear why the zoos do it, but is it morally right? I would definitely sign the petition to save Marius because he didn’t make the choice of being born and raised in a zoo. Not only does the act of euthanization seem inhumane but the author seems to explain that it is the only plausible solution. There are plenty of alternatives such as releasing the animal into the wild or perhaps into a wild preserve where the animals will be somewhat protected. Although I do believe that euthanization is not right, I understand it is what zoos must do to solve overpopulation. I suppose most animals in zoos are happy as long as they are properly taken care of. Overall, euthanization isn’t a very good thing in society’s eyes, but in reality, to increase biodiversity, zoos must do what they need to in order to ensure the future of endangered species.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the zoos are right. Though I don’t agree with the public autopsy and feeding of the giraffe it still had to be done. I personally probably would not have signed the petition. Euthanasia is a impact of human behavior. If we didn't poach animals to near extinction or destroy most of their habitats they wouldn't have to make room for the more endangered species. The zoo does protect the endangered species from being hunted or killed to extinction but the animals are definitely not happy. They have a very small fraction of the space to run around in. its like being put in a box for the rest of your life. I wouldn't want to live in just one room for the rest of my life, and I don’t think anyone else would either.
ReplyDeleteI think the culling of animals is wrong, especially if they are big attractions to the specific zoo, but I understand why they do it. I don’t condone it myself, nor would I ever willingly do it, but I see where they think they are doing the right thing. I don’t think zoos are helping protect animals as they are in an artificial habitat, made by humans, and raised by humans, only to be caged and locked up. Other alternatives are to simply release the animal back into the wild, teach it to live in it, then release it. Then and only then will there be a morally right way to end overcrowding in zoos.I think that animals in zoos are indifferent, as they are raised by the zoo, so they don’t know what the wilderness is like, and if they were captured and brought into the zoo, then they most definitely are unhappy. To increase biodiversity I would just create a mini ecosystem in each exhibit, but without any predators so there would be no traumatic experiences for children as they would see an animal get eaten. I personally would have hated to see that when I was younger.
ReplyDeleteI understand that a zoo may need to take measures when something happens with a population, like feeding animals to other animals, and that seems completely normal to do with an overpopulation of species. The thing that really gets me is that the zoo publicizes the event of doing this, and allows even children to watch. This is odd to me why they chose to do it this way. If it weren’t for feeding animals to other animals, I think that another alternative would be to send overpopulated animals to different zoos.
ReplyDeleteI believe this article is very different. It makes you understand why the zoo would have to put down the animals, but in the same way it’s kind of sad and wrong. I probably wouldn't have taken the time to sign the petition for just the one giraffe. The others deserve justice too.Its not right for the zoo to kill off animals for any reason. There always is a solution they could take before killing the animals. The zoos could have taken someone up on their offer to take care of the animals. Like the lady who was going to take the zebra she had a horse stall. It doesn't matter if a zebra isn't like a horse. She probably would of taken good care of it . It could've lived instead of dying. If someone didn't take care of the animal then they could have taken it away away and tried something else. Some zoos are helping endangered species back on their feet, others there not. No some animals are not happy. There cages are often too small and not big enough for the animal to exercise. Often times also the zoos will make a bigger cage for the animals that are more popular. The animals never get to experience their habitat where they're from. I think the zoos make their habitats look real but I believe the animals can tell that its just not real enough. They don't really have no where to go there that day in one place. Kind of like being locked in the same house forever.
ReplyDeleteThere are ups and downs to this article. First off, I’m all here for contributing to biodiversity but at what cost? Personally, I would not have signed the petition to save the giraffe’s life because one giraffe is not going to have a huge effect of the ecosystem. But if they were to kill an endangered species then we would have a problem because they would just be contributing to the problem. I really do think zoos are helping the animals although, they look “unhappy” who are we to judge an animals mood? The zoos are a safer and more dependable habitat than the wild. The safe conditions may help reproduction and thriving among these endangered species. I also really appreciate how the zoos are stimulating the wild but its less harsh and attainable.
ReplyDeleteI really agree with everything you've said. I also think that zoos are helping, and can help endangered species, and think other people should appreciate it, too.
DeleteIn response to Emma Soden:
ReplyDeleteI totally agree to the first part of you comment! Yes, it's not necessarily right for them to kill the innocent animal but it's 100% understandable too. What other options do they have? If I were in their positions the same thing would've been done.
I think that it's terrible what they did to the giraffe. A zoo is suppose to be a place where people go to see alive animals, not ones being killed and eaten. If I went to a zoo and saw a lion kill and then eat a girraffe I would not want to come back. Zoos are suppose to be a safe place for animals and yes I would sign the petition to save the giraffe. I used to think that a zoo was a safe place for any animal endangered or not, but now I'm kind of having second thoughts on that. I also belive that need of euthanizing is because of humans because we want to see al these animals but we don't have enough room for them so they get rid of the ones that everyone has already seen such as the giraffe and they try to get a more exotic one to get more people to come to the zoo. To them it's all about money. Overall I think that this should stop immediately because it's wrong to first kill the animal and second to de it in public.
ReplyDeleteThis article, while at first seeming very cruel, made sense in a surprisingly natural way. Although this may seem harsh, when you think about it, most of the events matched up. The chances of all of these: sheltered, protected and nurtured animals surviving in the wild are very slim. The young ones especially, like Marius, probably would have already been dead. With the benefits the zoo provides, the negatives also come. Not only this, but the meat that fed the carnivores would either come from an animal it most likely would have eaten in the wild (giraffe, zebra, antelope) or by a s slaughtered farm animal serving the same, yet less realistic purpose. I most likely would have signed the petition, but I also knew nothing about euthanization, just like most of the people who signed the petition, I’m guessing. I also agreed with the public viewing of the autopsy. I believe it is a firm reminder that this cruelty is necessary, because of the things humans have done in the pst. It leaves a lasting reminder of the effect our choices make on the world. I very much enjoyed this article as it educated me about an issue that is not often talked about, and both sides of the argument were given.
ReplyDelete(In response to Clare)
DeleteI completely agree with this post. I love the section that mentions that the public autopsy was a reminder of our decision, as a group, to create and support zoos, whether you believe it to be right or wrong.
Marius The Giraffe Is Not The Only Animal Zoos Have Culled Recently
ReplyDeleteI am personally not a big fan of the killing of animals in zoos all around the world. I find it quite ironic how zoos are a place to protect and shelter animals, but they are killing their animals due to lack of space and the need for food for their carnivorous creatures. I would sign a petition to save Marius’s life because he is depending on these people to take care of him. It was never any of these animals decision to be taken to these zoos. I think that zoos are trying to protect these animals, but they are forced to make decisions like this to keep the zoo up and running. In the article it said that when some rhinos were separated from each other and not allowed to mate, then when they were put back together they couldn’t produce offspring anymore. This is demonstrating how the animals in zoos are probably very unhappy, not just because they are sitting in an enclosure all day. Enclosures in zoos generally capture the look of the animals habitat, but it’s obviously not the same as having the freedom of living in the wild. Overall this article did show some valid points about getting rid of animals, but I still can’t find myself ever thinking how killing these innocent animals is right. It is definitely not the best way to handle things. Killing these animals may help control the biodiversity and population management, but I really wish there was another way so all these lives could be spared.
I have to admit, I am fully on the zoo’s side with everything about this article. When people allow their ideas of “cuteness” or “animal rights” to get in the way of, more or less, taking care of a mess humans created, that can cause problems. That’s not to say I don’t think animal rights is important- obviously I don’t think animals should be treated harshly or inhumanely. But being euthanised is humane. The definition is literally “killing an animal humanely”. Think about what would happen to the giraffe if he hadn’t been euthanised. The zoo would still have to keep getting those species that need protection, so, as the zoos gets more and more crowded, poor Marius wouldn’t be getting the space he needs to survive. His life would be getting gradually worse and worse as the zoo struggles to give Marius all the attention he deserves. Which is more inhumane? And as for the idea that animals in zoos don’t seem happy, I’m pretty sure that animals don’t express “happiness” the same way humans do. Would you think animals in circuses seem happy because they do tricks for you, even though most circus animals suffer physical abuse in order to be able to do that trick for you? We need to put more faith in zoos, and until we stop trying to keep them from euthanised them and start raising the funds for the zoos to improve so they don’t have to, nothing is going to change.
ReplyDeleteI think it is terrible that they could not keep Marius because he was not healthy enough and there was not enough space. I felt as though it was unnecessary to put down the giraffe because it was popular. They couldn't have freed him because he would of had the same fate as he did at the zoo since he was in captivity for so long. The horrid thing they could have not done was leaving the zoo open to have children witness their beloved animal killed. I probably would have signed a petition to save the giraffe. An alternative to these problems would be sending the animals off to another zoo. In the end though the zoos are trying to do their best to protect these animals. I think putting the animal down was the result of us humans. I'm sure there was a vote and they had to result in using euthanasia since the zoos have a one way path. In zoos the animals do not seem happy. I think this because the animals don't seem energetic. I mean I wouldn't either if I was locked up in a cage with all these fake plants to portray as if being my real home. How do the animals feel being taken away from their family and friends, probably lonely even with their own kind. I felt as though the Lincoln Park Zoo shows a great habitat for animals because I remember seeing all these kinds of monkeys in a huge tree lined habitat. For zoos. To create more biodiversity they can make the areas bigger and add similar animals like the monkeys together and have them in there with more realistic environments.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that euthanasia is right, especially when the reason is overpopulation in zoos. I would have signed the petition because I don’t think any animal should be killed just for the purpose of making more room. I understand that the zoo needs to be sure the animal will be properly cared for if it were to be sent to another zoo, but the zoo has taken care of the giraffe for this long, can’t they keep it until they find a qualified zoo instead of just euthanizing it. I don’t see how we could be protecting them if every time the limit of them exceeds the maximum the zoo is able to hold, they kill them. How is that helping? Bringing their population up to cut it back down. I also think that it is wrong to take the giraffe apart in public, and feeding it to the lions, in front of everyone as well as little children.
ReplyDeleteIn responce to Madeline: I agree with you on the fact that the zoo handled the situation wrong. They shouldn’t have autopsied the giraffe in public, it was disgusting. There were even children there watching the dead animal in the video it showed that. Their lack of respect of the animal might have been one of the reasons that the public was shocked.
ReplyDeleteThe article even said, there have been other animals in zoos put down. I personally would not do it, but I also do not think it is a big deal. The zoos need to control the biodiversity so that's what they are doing. I may have signed the petition if it would make a difference. An alternative is to donate the animals to other zoos. I think the animals are not happy because they aren't in their natural habitat so their instinct knows here is more to life, but they will never know that. The animals do the same thing, everyday, for their whole life. The zoos if they really want the animals to be happy and to increase biodiversity, all the animals should have mush larger habitats. Majority of the animals are made to roam and they can't do that while in a zoo exhibit.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Faith Murphy. I agree, everyone is making this a bigger deal than it needs to be. They're not killing out endangered animals, just controlling the population because zoos have less limiting factors.
ReplyDeleteI wasn’t very shocked or distraught by this article. I realize that, in order to preserve biodiversity and protect endangered animals, certain decisions need to be made. It’s important to note that this giraffe could very likely have been killed by a lion in the wild. Therefore, I would not have signed a petition to save the giraffe’s life. An alternative to euthanizing animals in over-crowded zoos it to NOT HAVE ZOOS! Some might argue that we need to protect endangered animals. However I counter this point with two of my own. 1. If humans stopped wrecking perfectly balanced ecosystems, we wouldn’t have nearly as many endangered animals as there are today, if there were any at all. 2. Caging an animal for the entertainment of a mass crowd is not protecting it.
ReplyDeleteI think that the killing of animals in zoos is terrible, especially since it is happening right in front of people. I think that zoos should at least try to allow the animal back into the wild. It may take some time but in the end I think it would be beneficial for the wild population to continue to add members. I understand that zoos can get overpopulated but that is no reason to do things like this, or to separate rhinos so they won't reproduce. It gets to a point when you have to understand what is best for the animal and what is happening to these is certainly not it. I think that the zoos definitely need a new system.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is a terrible thing to do. Even though it said that releasing the animals like zebras and giraffes would have been a death sentence i still think that they should release them but before they release them, the zoos would give the animals training so that they could be prepared for the wild. I would have signed a petition to save the giraffe because one day they might be extinct. I feel that animals would be much happier in a place like a natural reserve so that they are in a space where they actually have room to live their lives and not be confined in a cage. I feel that zoos do an ok job because when they do euthanize the animals they do feed them to what their predators would be in the open and then they actually have the sense of what to eat.
ReplyDeleteI chose Ivan Pavlov. He was a physiologist known primarily for his work in classical conditioning. Pavlov was most famous for his work with dogs and their conditional reflex. He won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1904.
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