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In fall 2019 students in the Animals and Society class did a series of optional projects to help us understand some issues in more depth. One of these projects was to watch either the documentary Blackfish or Lolita to learn more about orcas (sometimes called “killer whales”) in captivity. After watching this movie students thought about other species of animals who are used in different types of industries for human entertainment. Each participating student set out to learn more about how a species and industry of their choosing. Unfortunately, no one identified an industry in which other species are well cared for in the pursuit of human entertainment. Here are a few of the entries describing how various species used across a range of industries.
We encourage you to read the whole thing, but if you can also move through to different essays using these links:
Dolphins in Marine Parks Elephants in Circuses Cheetahs in Zoos Animals in Carnivals Dolphins in Marine Parks
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Currently in the United States, there are about 529 dolphins in captivity. They are in aquariums, zoos, and marine parks. Dolphins are used to do tricks and tasks that would impress a human. To training dolphins to do these tasks a trainer uses reinforcers, which is typically food given to a dolphin after correctly completing a task. Trainers also use signals that lets the dolphin know s/he is obeying orders. For example, to complete a standard high jump, a dolphin goes through steps. After the dolphin touches a target, it gets reinforced by a trainer. The target then gets raised higher and higher until they can complete a high jump. Seaworld.org states, “… The dolphin is reinforced along each step toward the final goal of a high jump.”
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The treatment of dolphins in the performance industry is harsh and cruel. They perform in shows multiple times a day, often physically exhausting stunts. Then after their performance, dolphins get put into cramped tanks until they perform next. In these tanks, they swim in circles, unable to act on natural instincts. Therefore, some dolphins may become aggressive towards trainers. Under all this stress, the dolphin’s immune system is thrown off. This makes him/her susceptible to diseases, illnesses, and infections. Dolphins also can get dental trauma and face cuts due to the trainers standing on their faces for tricks. In the past 10 years, 62 dolphins have passed away at a SeaWorld location. Twelve of these 62 were stillborn.
The marine park and aquarium industry make a profit off suffering animals. It is unethical and immoral to parade around someone who has been separated from their family, deprived of food, and locked up in a small space. They are forced to perform so they can eat. No part of that is natural to an animal. They go crazy swimming in circles inside of a concrete tank, unable to act on basic instincts. Dolphins, orcas, seal, and sea lions are sentient beings who are suffering under the marine park and aquarium industry.
Big companies such as SeaWorld lock up marine animals who would be happier and healthier free to roam the ocean. I think it is wrong to keep animals in a small, confined space for a long period of time. Dolphins, orcas, seals, sea lions, etc. all deserve to live a life free of captivity and human intervention. Their life spans would increase greatly if they weren’t locked up and confined.
References
Carmody, S. (2019). Last Chance for Animals - Marine Parks. [online] Lcanimal.org. Available at:https://lcanimal.org/index.php/campaigns/animals-in-entertainment/marine-parks [Accessed 14 Oct. 2019].
McCarthy, N. (2019). Infographic: An Estimated 2,913 Dolphins Are In Captivity Worldwide. [online] Statista Infographics. Available at: https://www.statista.com/chart/3529/dolphins-in-captivity/ [Accessed 14 Oct. 2019].
SeaWorld of Hurt. (2019). How Many Dolphins Have Died at SeaWorld in the Last 10 Years? - SeaWorld of Hurt. [online] Available at: https://www.seaworldofhurt.com/many-dolphins-died-seaworld-last-10-years/ [Accessed 14 Oct. 2019].
Seaworld.org. (2019). All About Animal Training - Application of Philosophy | SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. [online] Available at: https://seaworld.org/animals/all-about/training/application-of-philosophy/ [Accessed 14 Oct. 2019].
Sonar. (2019). SeaWorld Dolphin Captivity Should Be Stopped: Study - Sonar. [online] Available at: https://wearesonar.org/2019/06/10/seaworld-dolphins-captivity-should-be-stopped-study/ [Accessed 14 Oct. 2019].
The marine park and aquarium industry make a profit off suffering animals. It is unethical and immoral to parade around someone who has been separated from their family, deprived of food, and locked up in a small space. They are forced to perform so they can eat. No part of that is natural to an animal. They go crazy swimming in circles inside of a concrete tank, unable to act on basic instincts. Dolphins, orcas, seal, and sea lions are sentient beings who are suffering under the marine park and aquarium industry.
Big companies such as SeaWorld lock up marine animals who would be happier and healthier free to roam the ocean. I think it is wrong to keep animals in a small, confined space for a long period of time. Dolphins, orcas, seals, sea lions, etc. all deserve to live a life free of captivity and human intervention. Their life spans would increase greatly if they weren’t locked up and confined.
References
Carmody, S. (2019). Last Chance for Animals - Marine Parks. [online] Lcanimal.org. Available at:https://lcanimal.org/index.php/campaigns/animals-in-entertainment/marine-parks [Accessed 14 Oct. 2019].
McCarthy, N. (2019). Infographic: An Estimated 2,913 Dolphins Are In Captivity Worldwide. [online] Statista Infographics. Available at: https://www.statista.com/chart/3529/dolphins-in-captivity/ [Accessed 14 Oct. 2019].
SeaWorld of Hurt. (2019). How Many Dolphins Have Died at SeaWorld in the Last 10 Years? - SeaWorld of Hurt. [online] Available at: https://www.seaworldofhurt.com/many-dolphins-died-seaworld-last-10-years/ [Accessed 14 Oct. 2019].
Seaworld.org. (2019). All About Animal Training - Application of Philosophy | SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. [online] Available at: https://seaworld.org/animals/all-about/training/application-of-philosophy/ [Accessed 14 Oct. 2019].
Sonar. (2019). SeaWorld Dolphin Captivity Should Be Stopped: Study - Sonar. [online] Available at: https://wearesonar.org/2019/06/10/seaworld-dolphins-captivity-should-be-stopped-study/ [Accessed 14 Oct. 2019].
Elephants in Circuses
by Coral Skiles
Elephants are used in the circus for many different ways. Elephants are used to do a variety of different tricks; they stand on tiny stools, give rides to kids, stand and lean on other elephants to created different poses, and they also do many different tricks by holding up their trainers. Training these circus elephants is very difficult. The first step is to break the bond between the calf and his/her mother. In the wild female calves stay with their mother for their whole lives, but for circus purposes, these animals are ripped from their families. Next, these babies are brought to huge concrete rooms where they are tied up. They are normally tied up for 23 hours a day for 6 months. After 6 months is normally when the babies stop fighting to escape and start to do what the trainers ask of them. Then the training starts, first they start with short walks and then start to evolve into simple tricks.
As the elephants start to learn tricks, they are tied down by ropes and are stabbed with bull hooks. A bull hook is similar to a poker used in fireplaces. The sharp metal edges can easily pierce through the elephant’s soft skin. These animals are poked and prodded until they do the correct trick. These training sessions can go on for hours a day, without any breaks for the animals.
Currently there are between 65-69 elephants traveling in circuses. Recently, elephants have been banned from circuses all together, hence why the number of elephants is so low compared to other years. The treatment of animals is horrible in the circus. Like mentioned before they are abused their whole lifetime, from the second they are born to the day they pass away. They are ripped away from their mother, tied up for their entire lifetime, while their only source of true freedom is death. The elephants training is the most abusive part of their lives. They were not born to perform tricks while being stabbed by long sharp metal poles, they were born to graze, socialize and swim in the wild.
There are many different injuries that these elephants can experience while in the circuses. They can be cut and bruised from brutal training sessions, but they can also get hurt while performing their stunts. Some of the stunts asked of these extremely large animals are ridiculous. These elephants were not made to stand and lean on one other. These extreme stunts can result in broken bones and animals being crushed. In the circus entertainment industry, there have been 65 premature elephant deaths from 1994-2016. These deaths are a result of the huge strain and amount of stress put on these animals every single day. As the number of deaths continue to increase, the more pressure is put on circuses to let their elephants go. Elephants are now prohibited in any circus preformed.
Reflecting over everything I just researched is hard, it is a lot to take in. I knew these animals were getting treated horribly, but I never knew to what extent. Growing up it was always my favorite activity when my parents would take my sister and I to the circus and we got to ride the elephants. These elephants do not deserve this horrible treatment. I do not agree with how these animals are treated. I was surprised that it took this long for elephants to be banned in all circuses. They have always been a major part of every circus, they were the star of the show, they were the one act everyone wanted to see the most. Without the elephants, I believe that circuses would have never been as popular.
What surprised me the most was the fact that those elephants were so smart, and they learned all the tricks, they performed in all of their shows and you rarely heard of a time of an elephant acting out during a performance. Because the animals were working so hard all of the time, I believe they should have been rewarded more than they were. One of the worst things is that these animals were living in fear for their whole life. They always had to do the right thing, or they would have been punished. I could not be happier that all elephants have now been banned from performing in circuses. The more people here about this inhumane treatment of all animals the more people are motivated to make a difference.
Sources:
Born Free USA. “Circus Elephant Death List.” Born Free USA, 18 Mar. 2005, www.bornfreeusa.org/2005/03/18/circus_elephant_death_list/?more=1.
National Anti-Vivisection Society. “Elephants in Captivity in the United States.” Elephants in Captivity in the United States, 2019, www.navs.org/what-we-do/keep-you-informed/legal-arena/wildlife/elephants-captivity-united-states/#.XZ1LwudKjfY.
PETA. “How Circuses Train Baby Elephants: Learn the Truth.” Ringling's Baby Elephants Tied Up and Electro-Shocked by Trainers, 2019, headlines.peta.org/how-circuses-train-baby-elephants/?utm_source=PETA.
As the elephants start to learn tricks, they are tied down by ropes and are stabbed with bull hooks. A bull hook is similar to a poker used in fireplaces. The sharp metal edges can easily pierce through the elephant’s soft skin. These animals are poked and prodded until they do the correct trick. These training sessions can go on for hours a day, without any breaks for the animals.
Currently there are between 65-69 elephants traveling in circuses. Recently, elephants have been banned from circuses all together, hence why the number of elephants is so low compared to other years. The treatment of animals is horrible in the circus. Like mentioned before they are abused their whole lifetime, from the second they are born to the day they pass away. They are ripped away from their mother, tied up for their entire lifetime, while their only source of true freedom is death. The elephants training is the most abusive part of their lives. They were not born to perform tricks while being stabbed by long sharp metal poles, they were born to graze, socialize and swim in the wild.
There are many different injuries that these elephants can experience while in the circuses. They can be cut and bruised from brutal training sessions, but they can also get hurt while performing their stunts. Some of the stunts asked of these extremely large animals are ridiculous. These elephants were not made to stand and lean on one other. These extreme stunts can result in broken bones and animals being crushed. In the circus entertainment industry, there have been 65 premature elephant deaths from 1994-2016. These deaths are a result of the huge strain and amount of stress put on these animals every single day. As the number of deaths continue to increase, the more pressure is put on circuses to let their elephants go. Elephants are now prohibited in any circus preformed.
Reflecting over everything I just researched is hard, it is a lot to take in. I knew these animals were getting treated horribly, but I never knew to what extent. Growing up it was always my favorite activity when my parents would take my sister and I to the circus and we got to ride the elephants. These elephants do not deserve this horrible treatment. I do not agree with how these animals are treated. I was surprised that it took this long for elephants to be banned in all circuses. They have always been a major part of every circus, they were the star of the show, they were the one act everyone wanted to see the most. Without the elephants, I believe that circuses would have never been as popular.
What surprised me the most was the fact that those elephants were so smart, and they learned all the tricks, they performed in all of their shows and you rarely heard of a time of an elephant acting out during a performance. Because the animals were working so hard all of the time, I believe they should have been rewarded more than they were. One of the worst things is that these animals were living in fear for their whole life. They always had to do the right thing, or they would have been punished. I could not be happier that all elephants have now been banned from performing in circuses. The more people here about this inhumane treatment of all animals the more people are motivated to make a difference.
Sources:
Born Free USA. “Circus Elephant Death List.” Born Free USA, 18 Mar. 2005, www.bornfreeusa.org/2005/03/18/circus_elephant_death_list/?more=1.
National Anti-Vivisection Society. “Elephants in Captivity in the United States.” Elephants in Captivity in the United States, 2019, www.navs.org/what-we-do/keep-you-informed/legal-arena/wildlife/elephants-captivity-united-states/#.XZ1LwudKjfY.
PETA. “How Circuses Train Baby Elephants: Learn the Truth.” Ringling's Baby Elephants Tied Up and Electro-Shocked by Trainers, 2019, headlines.peta.org/how-circuses-train-baby-elephants/?utm_source=PETA.
Cheetahs in Zoos
Lauryn Auckerman
Cheetahs are an endangered non-human animal species that is seen as “special” when found on display in zoos throughout the United States. Zoo’s often “take in” cheetahs to help protect and care for their diminishing population. Zoo’s often have the intention of trying to breed cheetahs to help increase numbers for the population, as well as care, for cheetahs that may have been injured in the wild, often with the “hopes” of these cheetahs returning to their natural habitat.
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Many zoos across the U.S. talk about their partnerships with conservation organizations that help fight the endangerment of cheetahs, while also stating that their intention is to raise awareness for endangered cheetahs. However, the captive breeding of cheetah’s isn’t as helpful as the public is led to believe. The rate of successful reproduction for captive cheetahs is only a shocking 38.6% and within ten of the last twelve years the death rate of captive cheetahs has now exceeded the birth rate. While these organizations, mainly zoos, focus on stabilizing their captive cheetah populations for the eventual expansion of wild populations, there is a certain lack of care and thought that goes into this goal. There has been no consideration for the fact that cheetahs born and raised in captivity have no chance of surviving in a cheetah’s actual habitat, because they were born to survive in captivity, not an environment on which you must depend upon yourself to survive. Captive born cheetahs rarely hone the skills to survive in their native habitat, which, does not help the endangered cheetah population. About thirty-three percent of the six-hundred and eighty zoo registered cheetahs reside in North American zoos; approximately forty-eight American zoos host cheetahs.
In a few select zoos, including but not limited to Ohio’s Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, hold cheetah runs to demonstrate to the public how extraordinary it is to watch a cheetah run and chase after its prey. These runs are the most exercise that some captive cheetahs may get, as their zoo habitats aren’t nearly large enough for a cheetah to pick up speed without running into the opposite side of their enclosure. Cheetahs are display for human animals to come and observe them while they bask in the sun for hours or pace around- most likely with anxiety caused from this environment-. From personal experience, I learned that “all” of the cheetahs at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium are trained to participate in the cheetah runs. The number of cheetahs that reside at the Columbus Zoo is information that I could not find, but from personal experience and the expectation that the zoo would use common sense, there would only have around five or six cheetahs at a time; however, this is just an assumption based off of the fact that there are only ever two cheetahs out in their habitat, while two other cheetahs participate in the runs.
From an outside point-of-view, cheetahs seem to live and be treated very well within zoos, but that doesn’t account for the little stimulation they have besides the occasional runs they participate in. Cheetahs that “live” in zoos don’t have access to as much space as they should to run, hunt, and meander about. Their habitats aren’t natural, and this takes a toll on cheetahs (any animal), often causing stress. Cheetahs are mostly mistreated in the way of their diet. Cheetahs in their natural habitat will eat “…the high-energy fat that surrounds the abdominal organs of their prey first, and then move on to the rest of the carcass including the blood, internal organs, skin and bones.” Cheetahs in zoo’s are usually fed low fat meals, such as “…lean beef, horse or donkey muscle meat…”. Because of their incorrect diet, cheetahs produce high levels ofphenolic compounds, which suppresses the production of the neurotransmitter, dopamine. This is believed to be the main cause of many “…chronic stomach and kidney diseases that develop in many captive cheetahs.”
Cheetahs may not be physically injured when contained in zoos -I couldn’t find any reports of cheetahs being physically injured or dying within zoos- but cheetahs are one of the many non-human animal species that are mentally affected by their captivity. Cheetahs in captivity can fall victim to the irregular behavior of pacing, “…referred to as a repetitive locomotion stereotype.” Their pacing could be the result of many things, such as detachment from their environment or an attempt to ease the stress of living in captivity; however, the act of pacing “…is meant to ease the stress of these [non-human] animals [but] often leads to their further anxiety.” Sadly, every time I would attend the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, at least one of the cheetahs I observed in their habitat was up and pacing around. This, I believe, is a definite sign that their captivity in this unnatural habitat is causing anxiety and isn’t good for their overall health. Without proficient data, it is difficult to say how many captive cheetahs die in zoos each year. However, I discovered that after “[p]ost mortem findings in [captive cheetahs] … in both North America and South Africa found that over ninety percent had some level of gastritis when they died.” Around two-thirds of captive cheetahs are also affected by kidney diseases. Cheetahs living in their native habitat rarely suffer from these diseases, which may be a sign of “unintentional” mistreatment of cheetahs in captivity, thus also being a possible cause for premature cheetah deaths and reproductive problems that hinder the cheetah population.
After doing research for this applied project, I suppose that my view of zoos may have changed. I love visiting zoos to observe non-human animals that I don’t have the opportunity to see every other day, but after the research I’ve done and reading this week’s articles, I’m starting to understand that keeping non-human animals in zoos is actually morally wrong. Not being able to go to a zoo to see a cheetah or a fruit bat would deeply sadden me but knowing that it would be better for these animals if they lived in their natural habitats makes it easier to overcome this sadness. Breeding non-human animals in captivity to try and make up for their decreasing population in the wild isn’t helping, as captive bred non-human animals have no way of knowing how to survive in their natural habitat.
After researching for this project, I became even more aware that cheetahs, along with other captive animals, don’t have the benefit of eating their natural diet. Sure, they have better veterinary care than their free counterparts, but there is a greater need for this care when they are in captivity and are developing diseases that could easily be prevented with their release into the wild. Knowing that these beautiful, unique cheetahs, and other non-human animals, aren’t eating what they should be is heartbreaking. They only way for this to get better is to release all of the captive cheetahs capable of survival in the wild, so that they exercise as much as they should and have the opportunity to eat according to their natural diet. Otherwise, the organizations could attempt to feed the cheetahs their actual diet; however, this would be too expensive in comparison to what they already feed their cheetahs.
Honestly, I’m starting to believe that if zoos and other organizations tried to spend as much money trying to repair the natural habitats of their non-human animals and attempted to raise more awareness for the animals that still live in the wild, people would begin to put more effort into helping these animals survive. Non-human animals with injuries that prevent them from being able to survive in the wild, are the only animals that should be in any type of confinement. If animals can take care of themselves, then it would be beneficial to their entire species if they were to be released and continue living in their natural habitat. If people had to travel to a non-human animals’ natural habitat to see them, then I’m sure that people would do a lot more in the way of trying to keep their habitat intact and keeping the animal from going extinct. If you had to travel to Africa to see a cheetah in its natural habitat, you would do everything possible to guarantee their survival in order to see them thrive while you observe their natural behaviors in their own territory.
Bibliography:
Brookshire, Bethany. “Explainer: What Is Dopamine?” Science News for Students, 17 Jan. 2017, www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/explainer-what-dopamine.
Caro, T. M. “Behavioral Solutions to Breeding Cheetahs in Captivity: Insights from the Wild.” Wiley Online Library, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 23 May 2005, onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/zoo.1430120105.
“Cheetah Kids.” CheetahKids.com, cheetahkids.com/aboutcheetahs/zooswithcheetahslinks.html.
“Gastritis.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 9 Mar. 2018, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gastritis/symptoms-causes/syc-20355807.
Pariona, Amber. “Cheetah Population Worldwide: Important Facts And Figures.” WorldAtlas, 24 July 2017, www.worldatlas.com/articles/cheetah-population-worldwide-important-facts-and-figures.html.
Philbin, Nora. “Towards an Understanding of Stereotypic Behaviour in Laboratory Macaques.” Animal Welfare Institute, awionline.org/content/towards-understanding-stereotypic-behaviour-laboratory-macaques.
Sahelian, Ray. “Phenolic Compounds and Acids, Benefit of Phenols.” Phenolic Acids, Phenols, 20 Aug. 2018, raysahelian.com/phenolic.html.
Sencer. “Should Animals Be Kept in Zoos?” KQED Education, 11 May 2016, ww2.kqed.org/education/2016/05/11/should-animals-be-kept-in-zoos/.
Tordiffe, Adrian. “Cheetahs in Captivity Need a Better Diet.” StackPath, 29 Aug. 2015, 12:50 p.m., feline-nutrition.org/features/cheetahs-in-captivity-need-a-better-diet.
Tordiffe, Adrian. “Cheetahs Often Don't Thrive in Captivity. We Set out to Find out Why.” The Conversation, 18 May 2019, theconversation.com/cheetahs-often-dont-thrive-in-captivity-we-set-out-to-find-out-why-81282.
Freeimages.com/Sharlene Jackson
Freeimages.com/Janis Gonser
Freeimages.com/William Picard
In a few select zoos, including but not limited to Ohio’s Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, hold cheetah runs to demonstrate to the public how extraordinary it is to watch a cheetah run and chase after its prey. These runs are the most exercise that some captive cheetahs may get, as their zoo habitats aren’t nearly large enough for a cheetah to pick up speed without running into the opposite side of their enclosure. Cheetahs are display for human animals to come and observe them while they bask in the sun for hours or pace around- most likely with anxiety caused from this environment-. From personal experience, I learned that “all” of the cheetahs at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium are trained to participate in the cheetah runs. The number of cheetahs that reside at the Columbus Zoo is information that I could not find, but from personal experience and the expectation that the zoo would use common sense, there would only have around five or six cheetahs at a time; however, this is just an assumption based off of the fact that there are only ever two cheetahs out in their habitat, while two other cheetahs participate in the runs.
From an outside point-of-view, cheetahs seem to live and be treated very well within zoos, but that doesn’t account for the little stimulation they have besides the occasional runs they participate in. Cheetahs that “live” in zoos don’t have access to as much space as they should to run, hunt, and meander about. Their habitats aren’t natural, and this takes a toll on cheetahs (any animal), often causing stress. Cheetahs are mostly mistreated in the way of their diet. Cheetahs in their natural habitat will eat “…the high-energy fat that surrounds the abdominal organs of their prey first, and then move on to the rest of the carcass including the blood, internal organs, skin and bones.” Cheetahs in zoo’s are usually fed low fat meals, such as “…lean beef, horse or donkey muscle meat…”. Because of their incorrect diet, cheetahs produce high levels ofphenolic compounds, which suppresses the production of the neurotransmitter, dopamine. This is believed to be the main cause of many “…chronic stomach and kidney diseases that develop in many captive cheetahs.”
Cheetahs may not be physically injured when contained in zoos -I couldn’t find any reports of cheetahs being physically injured or dying within zoos- but cheetahs are one of the many non-human animal species that are mentally affected by their captivity. Cheetahs in captivity can fall victim to the irregular behavior of pacing, “…referred to as a repetitive locomotion stereotype.” Their pacing could be the result of many things, such as detachment from their environment or an attempt to ease the stress of living in captivity; however, the act of pacing “…is meant to ease the stress of these [non-human] animals [but] often leads to their further anxiety.” Sadly, every time I would attend the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, at least one of the cheetahs I observed in their habitat was up and pacing around. This, I believe, is a definite sign that their captivity in this unnatural habitat is causing anxiety and isn’t good for their overall health. Without proficient data, it is difficult to say how many captive cheetahs die in zoos each year. However, I discovered that after “[p]ost mortem findings in [captive cheetahs] … in both North America and South Africa found that over ninety percent had some level of gastritis when they died.” Around two-thirds of captive cheetahs are also affected by kidney diseases. Cheetahs living in their native habitat rarely suffer from these diseases, which may be a sign of “unintentional” mistreatment of cheetahs in captivity, thus also being a possible cause for premature cheetah deaths and reproductive problems that hinder the cheetah population.
After doing research for this applied project, I suppose that my view of zoos may have changed. I love visiting zoos to observe non-human animals that I don’t have the opportunity to see every other day, but after the research I’ve done and reading this week’s articles, I’m starting to understand that keeping non-human animals in zoos is actually morally wrong. Not being able to go to a zoo to see a cheetah or a fruit bat would deeply sadden me but knowing that it would be better for these animals if they lived in their natural habitats makes it easier to overcome this sadness. Breeding non-human animals in captivity to try and make up for their decreasing population in the wild isn’t helping, as captive bred non-human animals have no way of knowing how to survive in their natural habitat.
After researching for this project, I became even more aware that cheetahs, along with other captive animals, don’t have the benefit of eating their natural diet. Sure, they have better veterinary care than their free counterparts, but there is a greater need for this care when they are in captivity and are developing diseases that could easily be prevented with their release into the wild. Knowing that these beautiful, unique cheetahs, and other non-human animals, aren’t eating what they should be is heartbreaking. They only way for this to get better is to release all of the captive cheetahs capable of survival in the wild, so that they exercise as much as they should and have the opportunity to eat according to their natural diet. Otherwise, the organizations could attempt to feed the cheetahs their actual diet; however, this would be too expensive in comparison to what they already feed their cheetahs.
Honestly, I’m starting to believe that if zoos and other organizations tried to spend as much money trying to repair the natural habitats of their non-human animals and attempted to raise more awareness for the animals that still live in the wild, people would begin to put more effort into helping these animals survive. Non-human animals with injuries that prevent them from being able to survive in the wild, are the only animals that should be in any type of confinement. If animals can take care of themselves, then it would be beneficial to their entire species if they were to be released and continue living in their natural habitat. If people had to travel to a non-human animals’ natural habitat to see them, then I’m sure that people would do a lot more in the way of trying to keep their habitat intact and keeping the animal from going extinct. If you had to travel to Africa to see a cheetah in its natural habitat, you would do everything possible to guarantee their survival in order to see them thrive while you observe their natural behaviors in their own territory.
Bibliography:
Brookshire, Bethany. “Explainer: What Is Dopamine?” Science News for Students, 17 Jan. 2017, www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/explainer-what-dopamine.
Caro, T. M. “Behavioral Solutions to Breeding Cheetahs in Captivity: Insights from the Wild.” Wiley Online Library, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 23 May 2005, onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/zoo.1430120105.
“Cheetah Kids.” CheetahKids.com, cheetahkids.com/aboutcheetahs/zooswithcheetahslinks.html.
“Gastritis.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 9 Mar. 2018, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gastritis/symptoms-causes/syc-20355807.
Pariona, Amber. “Cheetah Population Worldwide: Important Facts And Figures.” WorldAtlas, 24 July 2017, www.worldatlas.com/articles/cheetah-population-worldwide-important-facts-and-figures.html.
Philbin, Nora. “Towards an Understanding of Stereotypic Behaviour in Laboratory Macaques.” Animal Welfare Institute, awionline.org/content/towards-understanding-stereotypic-behaviour-laboratory-macaques.
Sahelian, Ray. “Phenolic Compounds and Acids, Benefit of Phenols.” Phenolic Acids, Phenols, 20 Aug. 2018, raysahelian.com/phenolic.html.
Sencer. “Should Animals Be Kept in Zoos?” KQED Education, 11 May 2016, ww2.kqed.org/education/2016/05/11/should-animals-be-kept-in-zoos/.
Tordiffe, Adrian. “Cheetahs in Captivity Need a Better Diet.” StackPath, 29 Aug. 2015, 12:50 p.m., feline-nutrition.org/features/cheetahs-in-captivity-need-a-better-diet.
Tordiffe, Adrian. “Cheetahs Often Don't Thrive in Captivity. We Set out to Find out Why.” The Conversation, 18 May 2019, theconversation.com/cheetahs-often-dont-thrive-in-captivity-we-set-out-to-find-out-why-81282.
Freeimages.com/Sharlene Jackson
Freeimages.com/Janis Gonser
Freeimages.com/William Picard
Animals in Carnivals
by Morgan Wendt
I am going to focus on a broad category of animals who are exploited for human entertainment at carnivals. This covers several animals, including animals used for riding, animals used for racing, animals used in games, and animals given away as prizes. To begin, this environment is one that is stressful in many aspects. Because these events are often hosted during the summer, these animals may be subject to hot temperatures and humid conditions, or stormy weather. Animals are confined to small containers or enclosures for days at a time, assaulted with noise, bombarded with light, and are interacted with or handled to excess.
Animals used for riding, like elephants, camels, horses, and ponies, are often subjected to harsh and painful training (“Think It Looks Fun to Ride an Elephant? Here's Why You Shouldn't”), seldom given access to food, water, or a chance to rest, and are constantly ridden, which may give them sores from saddles or even spinal issues (“Why Elephant Riding Should Be Removed from Your List”, 2018). These animals may also travel often, which is not natural to them and causes further stress (“Traveling Animal Acts: Shameful Shows”). All this stress, especially when exposed long-term, may put these animals at further risk to catch illnesses or develop conditions they otherwise would not. These animals also may not receive adequate veterinary care, because they are constantly traveling or because finances may not allow it.
Animals used for racing, like pigs, turtles, and most often, dogs, are subjected to the same stresses as animals used for riding. These animals are expected to perform in hot weather, given restricted access to food and water, and kept in small cages. Pigs, forced to run around small tracks or swim through swallow pools for gambling and entertainment, were not designed to perform these tasks and come under immense stress when asked to do so (Leone-Ganado, 2016). Turtles, who are often wild-caught for racing or “rented” from pet stores, are placed inside circles painted on the ground and released to see who will cross the finish line first (Klinkenberg, 2015; “Barnyard Scrambles & Turtle Racing”, 2013). Dogs, however, have it worst of all. Some dogs only participate occasionally for novelty events, like corgi races. The life and existence of other dogs, like greyhounds, is dedicated entirely and solely to racing. They are caged the majority of the time, in cramped quarters, and treated poorly and cruelly (“Greyhound Racing FAQ”). In addition, these dogs occasionally die on the track due to injury or chronic exhaustion (“Greyhound Racing”).
Animals used in games, like mouse roulette or the barnyard scramble, suffer not only from stress, but from psychological torture. In mouse roulette, a mouse or other rodent is released on to a roulette wheel which is then spun while humans bet on which pocket the animal will fall into. The dizzy animal makes it way into a hole, which is then declared the winner (“Games, Rides, and Contests”). Barnyard animals must suffer through the barnyard scramble, where a group of children is released into a pen containing barnyard animals, varying from ponies, sheep, goats, and pigs, to chickens, ducks, rabbits, and other small animals (“Barnyard Scramble or Trample?”, 2013). The children chase the animals until they capture one, which they get to take home as a pet. These children and their parents are not equipped to properly care for these animals, which are often either surrendered to rescues or dumped and left to fend for themselves.
Animals offered as prizes for carnival games also suffer a terrible fate. Kept in tiny containers in hot temperatures without any food or relief, these animals are sent home with eager children who know very little about the animal they’re taking home. The animals often must spend the rest of the day being toted around the fair, in a hot plastic bag or container, being shaken all the while. Vendors often do not provide families with information regarding the proper care for these animals, and because of that, they may go their entire lives without proper care (“Why You Should Never Try to Win a Fish Carnival Prize”, 2016). Goldfish and reptiles live in too small of containers with inadequate diets and are quickly neglected when the child’s enthusiasm wears off.
I knew vaguely about all of these things before researching them, but I didn’t know nearly all of the details that I know now. Some of these things, like greyhound racing, weren’t at all surprising, but other things, like the barnyard scramble, were new to me and were things that I didn’t expect to find. I’m a little ashamed to say that I participated in these activities (like elephant riding) when I was young, but now that I know better, I’ll make sure that these social norms do not continue within my family and we inspire change. None of these tortures are required and have easy solutions, which I hope will be enacted in the future.
References
“Barnyard Scramble or Trample?” Showing Animals Kindness and Respect (SHARK), 5 June 2013, http://www.sharkonline.org/index.php/shark-blog/937-barnyard-scramble-or-trample.
“Barnyard Scrambles & Turtle Racing.” ANIMAL PEOPLE NEWS, 1 July 2013, https://newspaper.animalpeopleforum.org/2013/07/01/barnyard-scrambles-turtle-racing/.
“Games, Rides, and Contests.” PETA, https://www.peta.org/issues/animals-in-entertainment/animal-games-rides-contests/.
“Greyhound Racing.” PETA, https://www.peta.org/issues/animals-in-entertainment/cruel-sports/greyhound-racing/.
“Greyhound Racing FAQ.” The Humane Society of the United States, https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/greyhound-racing-faq#care.
Klinkenberg, Abby Lynn. “Turtle Racing in Marina Del Rey.” HuffPost, 20 May 2015, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/turtle-racing-in-marina-d_b_6914200.
Leone-Ganado, Philip. “Vets Asked: Can Pigs Run a Race?” Times of Malta, 7 June 2016, https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/vets-asked-can-pigs-run-a-race.614597.
“Think It Looks Fun to Ride an Elephant? Here's Why You Shouldn't.” PETA Kids, https://www.petakids.com/save-animals/elephant-rides-wrong/.
“Traveling Animal Acts: Shameful Shows.” PETA, https://www.peta.org/issues/animals-in-entertainment/animals-used-entertainment-factsheets/traveling-animal-acts-shameful-shows/.
“Why Elephant Riding Should Be Removed from Your List.” World Nomads - Explore Your
Boundaries, World Nomads, 22 Oct. 2018, https://www.worldnomads.com/responsible-travel/make-a-difference/planet/why-elephant-riding-should-be-removed-from-your-list.
“Why You Should Never Try to Win a Fish Carnival Prize.” peta2, 30 Sept. 2016, https://www.peta2.com/news/goldfish-betta-fish-carnival-prizes-cruelty/.
Photo by Yeo Khee on Unsplash
Animals used for riding, like elephants, camels, horses, and ponies, are often subjected to harsh and painful training (“Think It Looks Fun to Ride an Elephant? Here's Why You Shouldn't”), seldom given access to food, water, or a chance to rest, and are constantly ridden, which may give them sores from saddles or even spinal issues (“Why Elephant Riding Should Be Removed from Your List”, 2018). These animals may also travel often, which is not natural to them and causes further stress (“Traveling Animal Acts: Shameful Shows”). All this stress, especially when exposed long-term, may put these animals at further risk to catch illnesses or develop conditions they otherwise would not. These animals also may not receive adequate veterinary care, because they are constantly traveling or because finances may not allow it.
Animals used for racing, like pigs, turtles, and most often, dogs, are subjected to the same stresses as animals used for riding. These animals are expected to perform in hot weather, given restricted access to food and water, and kept in small cages. Pigs, forced to run around small tracks or swim through swallow pools for gambling and entertainment, were not designed to perform these tasks and come under immense stress when asked to do so (Leone-Ganado, 2016). Turtles, who are often wild-caught for racing or “rented” from pet stores, are placed inside circles painted on the ground and released to see who will cross the finish line first (Klinkenberg, 2015; “Barnyard Scrambles & Turtle Racing”, 2013). Dogs, however, have it worst of all. Some dogs only participate occasionally for novelty events, like corgi races. The life and existence of other dogs, like greyhounds, is dedicated entirely and solely to racing. They are caged the majority of the time, in cramped quarters, and treated poorly and cruelly (“Greyhound Racing FAQ”). In addition, these dogs occasionally die on the track due to injury or chronic exhaustion (“Greyhound Racing”).
Animals used in games, like mouse roulette or the barnyard scramble, suffer not only from stress, but from psychological torture. In mouse roulette, a mouse or other rodent is released on to a roulette wheel which is then spun while humans bet on which pocket the animal will fall into. The dizzy animal makes it way into a hole, which is then declared the winner (“Games, Rides, and Contests”). Barnyard animals must suffer through the barnyard scramble, where a group of children is released into a pen containing barnyard animals, varying from ponies, sheep, goats, and pigs, to chickens, ducks, rabbits, and other small animals (“Barnyard Scramble or Trample?”, 2013). The children chase the animals until they capture one, which they get to take home as a pet. These children and their parents are not equipped to properly care for these animals, which are often either surrendered to rescues or dumped and left to fend for themselves.
Animals offered as prizes for carnival games also suffer a terrible fate. Kept in tiny containers in hot temperatures without any food or relief, these animals are sent home with eager children who know very little about the animal they’re taking home. The animals often must spend the rest of the day being toted around the fair, in a hot plastic bag or container, being shaken all the while. Vendors often do not provide families with information regarding the proper care for these animals, and because of that, they may go their entire lives without proper care (“Why You Should Never Try to Win a Fish Carnival Prize”, 2016). Goldfish and reptiles live in too small of containers with inadequate diets and are quickly neglected when the child’s enthusiasm wears off.
I knew vaguely about all of these things before researching them, but I didn’t know nearly all of the details that I know now. Some of these things, like greyhound racing, weren’t at all surprising, but other things, like the barnyard scramble, were new to me and were things that I didn’t expect to find. I’m a little ashamed to say that I participated in these activities (like elephant riding) when I was young, but now that I know better, I’ll make sure that these social norms do not continue within my family and we inspire change. None of these tortures are required and have easy solutions, which I hope will be enacted in the future.
References
“Barnyard Scramble or Trample?” Showing Animals Kindness and Respect (SHARK), 5 June 2013, http://www.sharkonline.org/index.php/shark-blog/937-barnyard-scramble-or-trample.
“Barnyard Scrambles & Turtle Racing.” ANIMAL PEOPLE NEWS, 1 July 2013, https://newspaper.animalpeopleforum.org/2013/07/01/barnyard-scrambles-turtle-racing/.
“Games, Rides, and Contests.” PETA, https://www.peta.org/issues/animals-in-entertainment/animal-games-rides-contests/.
“Greyhound Racing.” PETA, https://www.peta.org/issues/animals-in-entertainment/cruel-sports/greyhound-racing/.
“Greyhound Racing FAQ.” The Humane Society of the United States, https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/greyhound-racing-faq#care.
Klinkenberg, Abby Lynn. “Turtle Racing in Marina Del Rey.” HuffPost, 20 May 2015, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/turtle-racing-in-marina-d_b_6914200.
Leone-Ganado, Philip. “Vets Asked: Can Pigs Run a Race?” Times of Malta, 7 June 2016, https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/vets-asked-can-pigs-run-a-race.614597.
“Think It Looks Fun to Ride an Elephant? Here's Why You Shouldn't.” PETA Kids, https://www.petakids.com/save-animals/elephant-rides-wrong/.
“Traveling Animal Acts: Shameful Shows.” PETA, https://www.peta.org/issues/animals-in-entertainment/animals-used-entertainment-factsheets/traveling-animal-acts-shameful-shows/.
“Why Elephant Riding Should Be Removed from Your List.” World Nomads - Explore Your
Boundaries, World Nomads, 22 Oct. 2018, https://www.worldnomads.com/responsible-travel/make-a-difference/planet/why-elephant-riding-should-be-removed-from-your-list.
“Why You Should Never Try to Win a Fish Carnival Prize.” peta2, 30 Sept. 2016, https://www.peta2.com/news/goldfish-betta-fish-carnival-prizes-cruelty/.
Photo by Yeo Khee on Unsplash
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