The Zoo Dilemma

Friday we are bringing the girls to the zoo. I am torn. There seems to be something fundamentally wrong about taking animals out of their environment and putting them in enclosures for curious humans to oohhh and ahhhh.

On the other hand, often people respond better to a cause or a situation if they can relate to it. If we can see endangered animals up close perhaps we can develop a greater empathy for the creatures of this planet.

There is also the benefits of in-captivity breeding programs. Many species that are in serious peril often persist because they are being nurtured in protected environments. Recently the CBC documentary series The Nature of Things featured a program about threatened wildlife and conservation measures being taken in China. One of the animals highlighted was a creature called the Milu. These deer-like mammals were once extinct in the wild but through the reintroduction of the species, from a herd that has been in captivity in England, the Milu are now roaming again in Jiangsu. (Of course we must acknowledge that if it weren't for the devastating affects that humans have brought on the planet there would be no need for conservation measures, but that's another post ...)

So Friday, we will enter the zoo with a burden of guilt. But we will also enter with hope. Hope that we and our children will take away more from this encounter with some of nature's magnificent creations than a tacky souvenir from the gift shop. And hope that one day there will no longer be a need for such institutions.