In the wake of the tragic situation at the Cincinnati zoo where a toddler managed to get into a gorilla's enclosure, and that gorilla was subsequently killed, there are a lot of fingers of blame flying around. It's moments like these that really call into question our ability to ever achieve the right balance for all. I don't think we can.
In recent years, facilities and organizations that attempt to bring the animal kingdom to us have come under fire for not always appearing to have the interests of the animals in their charge at heart. From Sea World to circuses, the judgement of animal advocates has weighed heavily on such facilities and groups. Some of the conditions these animals are kept in are heartbreaking.
There is probably one thing that everyone could reasonably agree on--housing any wild animal in captivity is not the best case scenario. It's unnatural.
And that's more than part of the rub.
The human species is voracious--for everything. We are destructive consumers who believe we are entitled to whatever we want. We encroach on natural habitat with our homes and settlements. Animals are hunted for food, body parts, fur, skin, and even just for the excitement and entertainment. As a species, we seem to believe we "own" everything.
Zoos, aquariums, and circuses have been a source of human entertainment for a couple of centuries. People in positions of power liked to have wild animal collections. So, going places to look at animals is not a new phenomenon. What is a newer component of this idea is its potential mutual benefit to both humans and animals.
Zoological facilities offer education about species, and most have breeding and research programs that seek to find solutions to endangerment and extinction. The majority of us would never be able to see the species housed by these facilities any other way. Certainly it is arguable that with the damage we have done to habitats and species, perhaps we don't have the right.
Without resources to educate us about endangered species and habitats, humans would have limited means of inspiration in efforts to turn back the tide, or understand the consequences of our actions. And those consequences are grave.
According to the UN Environment Programme, about 200 species go extinct everyday. Let that number really sink in. Two Hundred.
About ten years ago, I had the opportunity to take a behind the scenes zoo tour in Kansas City. I thought it would be a great chance to see what it's like to care for all of those dangerously cuddly animals, and certainly there was a little bit of that on view. What surprised me about the tour was a statement made by the veterinarian who manages the health of the animals. He said that donating money to zoos does not, and will not help endangered species. The real help to endangered species would come from assisting the human populations who live near these species in finding alternative economic resources: jobs, food, sustainable farming, etc. So, addressing poverty in a sustainable and environmentally conscious way.
It may sound counterintuitive, but it actually makes sense. It would be pretty hard to convince someone not to kill a rhinoceros for its horn, when growing and selling crops would bring a fraction of the income. So, that means the human demand for animal parts must be eliminated at the same time as addressing poverty. Instead of "feeding" the appetite, we have to destroy it.
But humans can be difficult to sway, and sadly, there are way more of us than there are of them. And so, the desperation of collecting, captive housing, research and breeding is the band-aid approach we uncomfortably find ourself with.
Responsibility and consequences must go hand in hand. More than a few times, I have visited zoos and witnessed humans behaving more like "animals." Watching an adult human male taunt and tease a 400 lb male gorilla is maddening. The gorilla, who was housed with a female and her baby was driven to charging the glass. People are always trying to get closer. We're always trying to get the animals' attention--as if they somehow owe us a show on top of everything else we have taken from them: their homes, their freedom, their dignity.
I know that accidents happen. I have a two year-old, and I feel like we escape certain injury or death at least once a day due to her fearlessness and frequent lack of desire to listen. I can't say that the mom whose toddler got into Harambe's enclosure was negligent, and of course, if my toddler had performed this feat of madness, I would hope zoo officials would do everything to ensure her safe return. But while I value her life beyond price, I cannot put a price on Harambe's life either.
I do believe that zoo officials tried to strike all the balances. I am not familiar with the type of enclosure Harambe's was in or how anyone--let alone a toddler--was able to get in. My guess is its construction was designed to maximize Harambe's sense of freedom, and our ability to "get a little closer." It appears that no one imagined the tenacity and cunning of a toddler.
Everything about this situation is sad, but the saddest part is that when we fail to be present and self-aware, we put in jeopardy one of the few resources that allows humans to understand the full beauty of what we are losing, and our responsibility to that beauty.
I know zoos, circuses, aquariums and other such facilities miss the mark. They can never be as appropriate for wild species as their own habitats. A lot of work must be done on their end to improve quality of life, health, etc. But the rest of us bear an equal responsibility. We must learn from tragedies like the one in Cincinatti, and we must be vigilant in preventing such things from happening again. When we see humans behaving badly in these facilities, we need to report that behavior, as it endangers the welfare of the animals and visitors alike. People who are negligent, abusive and disrespectful in these facilities and their charges do not deserve to be there. Period. They should be kindly escorted to the entrance and invited not to return.
We don't deserve the ability to view what we have endangered behind glass, chain-link, and bars. Ever since the release of the documentary Black Fish, I have found myself torn about taking my daughter to zoos and similar facilities--I don't want to play a role in harming any animal simply so I can gawk at it.
We are the very reason so many of these beautiful animals are at the brink of extinction. We owe it to them to respect their existence and their lives, wherever we encounter them.
Rest in peace, Harambe. Your life was not worth less than any of ours.
Bam Bam the bear at Turpentine Creek Animal Refuge.
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