The Plight Of Animals In Zoos

“PEOPLE have consumer power and can choose not to support facilities that keep wild animals in captivity for profit, entertainment and display purposes.” – NSPCA

- Vanessa Papas

WHERE in the world would you find penguins on antidepressants, donkeys painted with stripes to make them look like zebras, a sloth bear starved to death after being locked up to hibernate without food or water, and a polar bear struggling to cope with 40°C heat? In zoos across the globe, of course.

The plight of animals in zoos is once again at the forefront after animal cruelty charges were laid against East London Zoo staff earlier this month following an unannounced pro-active inspection by the NSPCA’s Wildlife Protection Unit. According to the NSPCA, a Chacma baboon named William was found in such a poor condition he had to be put down. He had large open wounds and lesions on his buttocks. Flesh had been eroded away. The wounds appeared to be infected and were infested with maggots and he was grossly underweight.

The case follows just weeks after animals were found living in horrendous condition at the Endofaun Zoo in Bapsfontein. Various animals were found kept in small, filthy cages in a building at the zoo. All cages had excrement and food waste accumulation and in many cages dirty food bowls had not even been removed. New food bowls were merely placed on top of old, rotting food. The rodents and snakes were housed in the most shocking conditions and it was obvious that these cages had not been cleaned in months. Faecal matter was piled high with dirty, soiled sawdust in the rodent cages and the animals showed obvious signs of illnesses like mange, untreated injuries, tumours and breathing difficulties.