I worked at the Oregon Zoo for less than a month before walking out. I’ll never go back or support another zoo ever again. Thank you for making this video! 🙏
I don't think you deserved it for being an alcoholic. People don't end up that way by choice, it's often due to trauma, pain, isolation, etc. Therapy and other kinds of support seem more appropriate than jail, where they're likely to experience more trauma and make things worse. We need to stop treating people who struggle with addiction like criminals.
agreed,@@rainbowconnected. our mental health crisis is a huge problem. ...but this system requires problems, so it can profit from mis-managing those problems. (that it creates) the occupation of Turtle Island has always been one big nefarious business venture.
This is a way new tech gives us a better answer, instead of having zoos open to the public, build good enclosures that actually meet the needs of the animals being 'conserved' instead of the people watching, then add livestream cameras and add non-interactive tipping options (so the animals don't get habituated to treats from the camera etc...) There's less motivation to enclose animals unnecessarily since there's less ability to exploit when people already can see the animals elsware easily, income to support conservation and rehabilitation, and we still get to see them 'live' .
I have a cockatoo, rescued from who knows how many prior 'owners'. I love this little being, but would gladly relinquish her if there were a program to safely re-wild her to Indonesia. She is given the best food and care I can give her, but she never sees another bird of her own species. She only sees the birds that happen by the window she sits in. Not matter how much attention and enrichment I give her, I know she is lonely to her core. Anyone who thinks they would like to keep a psittacine (one of the many types of parrots), please rescue one. But know they will come with emotional baggage. Never buy from a breeder. These beings are wayyy to intelligent to be 'pets'. If I had three wishes, one would be that no new parrot babies would ever be born in captivity again. Thanks for the video.
Every single cockatiel or budgie we have owned has been a rescue that was abandoned at the vet. I love psittacines but I could only ever own a rescued one.
When I was a kid, I wanted to work at the zoo. The last time I went, I was surprised how little educational information about the animals there was. I certainly didn't see people reading what was there. It seemed more like entertainment than education. It didn't feel very respectful to me and I haven't been back since. You can learn much more about animals from watching them in their natural habitat. Even just watching birds in your yard would teach you more about nature and be much more ethical. I'm relieved to hear they don't do dissections like that in school anymore. That was so traumatic for me. Mostly because it felt so unnecessary and like totally pointless death. It certainly was not done with respect for the animals.
Here in Virginia and Tennessee, we have a handful (maybe 5 from Limestone TN to Natural Bridge VA) that are not the high level efficiency. We have "creation kingdom" and a few that are just above road side level (not quite tiger king but likely more to Carol Baskin) but I can't it in my heart to go to these. I have been to the Knoxville Zoo and have seen the distress some of these animals seem to be under, and they're a solid zoo. Then there's a safari, and I question it, too.
It seems like zoos are an antiquated concept. Something created in a time where people didn't have as much access to information, picture, videos. I would also say travel, but that seems to be limited to only the truly wealthy when it comes to seeing these animals in their natural habitat.
Thank you. I've been thinking this for years. It is disgusting what we do to animals. There shouldn't be zoos for people to stare at animals. There should only be places that take care of the animals that need it
One of the only reasons I think animals in captivity can make sense, beyond those listed in the video, is breeding of highly endangered species. But, as everyone has said, that doesn’t mean they should be on view. Especially now, when we have such great videography of animals in the wild.
Is there an ethical way for the public to engage with or learn about wildlife? Maybe specific classes or internships? How do we begin to change the conversation model without loosing public interest/money for conservation? I’m in central OH where the zoo has always been a big part of our lives.
Not a zoo, but we have a "science center" in my small town. I've taken my child there a few times. They have a random array of unwanted pets and fish tanks (multiple axolotls, a number of bearded dragons, snakes, rabbits along with parrots/cockatiels/finches and some rescued owls. They are in pretty poor conditions, with loud, boisterous children cavorting around cramped enclosures. Some of the social birds are being kept alone. It's not great.
@@ParkrosePermaculture I only recently learned that one of the Sandy Hook kids started that as a joke. Also funny is that my previous reply to OP was removed yet I still got a notification of your reply. I think I know what bad word I used so hopefully this clears.
uggggh, this is such a hard question because I really really really love Steve Irwin. Like...can't get over his death bc he was such a pure soul and a shining light...
@@ParkrosePermaculture as far as I understand Australia zoo is just acres of open land? And they do have the enclosures segmented but they themselves are manually keeping track of the animals to ensure nothing bad happens instead of, y'know, fencing them in. But I could be wrong... You're right tho. Really hard to have negative takes on his family when Steve was such a treasure.
Read a lot of Gerald Durrell in my early teens, around 69-72ish. Different view of wild animal "collecting." Around San Francisco I've seen various different developments in zoological institutes. SF zoo has improved, Oakland zoo is radically different and better, the Marine Mammal Center has been an ongoing touchstone, the Monterey Aquarium is, in spite of their best efforts, unhinged and creepy. They have "petting pools" that are really torture pools for the aquatic life within.
@@ParkrosePermacultureyes, you do, including calling animal rights activism "vegan activism", which is rhetoric designed to devalue conversations around animal rights. You also argued it was kinder to cull animals in a backyard than seek veterinary care. Talk about cognitive dissonance, but then your brand profits from one kind of animal exploitation and not the other so I guess it's easier to side with the popular take and not the unpopular one, even though both are equally unethical.
I used to be completely opposed to zoos for all the reasons mentioned here, but then I read "Life of Pi" which offers a different point of view. Unless an animal is at the top of the food chain, animals in the wild are constantly prey to other animals! The quest for survival never ends. It's not exactly an idyllic life out there in the wild. Just sayin'...
You might have worked at a poorly run zoo - there is no a international standard . There a several examples of re- introduction of extinct species . However given your American accent working at the no 2 zoo hardly a glowing recommendation. Your activism would be better directed to stopping private US citizen keeping exotic animals particularly big cats .
I worked in the #2 AZA zoo in the US. It was not poorly run. It was one of the most sophisticated and well-funded zoos in the country. The AZA is an international association accrediting and rating more than 230 zoos internationally. What does my American accent have to do with it? Also, LMFAO if you think European Zoos are better run and more ethical. Also, captivity is captivity. Seriously, this comment is really weird, and I don't take advice from rando faceless accounts on the internet about how to direct my activism.
Sanctuaries, not zoos!
I worked at the Oregon Zoo for less than a month before walking out. I’ll never go back or support another zoo ever again. Thank you for making this video! 🙏
100%. I cannot go to zoos without feeling very sad.
i been in jail. it sucks.
you can say i deserved it, for being an alcoholic...but the (un-domesticated) 'animals' are innocent.
I don't think you deserved it for being an alcoholic. People don't end up that way by choice, it's often due to trauma, pain, isolation, etc. Therapy and other kinds of support seem more appropriate than jail, where they're likely to experience more trauma and make things worse. We need to stop treating people who struggle with addiction like criminals.
agreed,@@rainbowconnected. our mental health crisis is a huge problem.
...but this system requires problems, so it can profit from mis-managing those problems. (that it creates)
the occupation of Turtle Island has always been one big nefarious business venture.
Even domesticated animals are innocent.
not all of them,@@chelisue
depends on the trainer, the training, and the choices made.
I'm against zoos ... and jails.
This is a way new tech gives us a better answer, instead of having zoos open to the public, build good enclosures that actually meet the needs of the animals being 'conserved' instead of the people watching, then add livestream cameras and add non-interactive tipping options (so the animals don't get habituated to treats from the camera etc...) There's less motivation to enclose animals unnecessarily since there's less ability to exploit when people already can see the animals elsware easily, income to support conservation and rehabilitation, and we still get to see them 'live' .
I have a cockatoo, rescued from who knows how many prior 'owners'. I love this little being, but would gladly relinquish her if there were a program to safely re-wild her to Indonesia. She is given the best food and care I can give her, but she never sees another bird of her own species. She only sees the birds that happen by the window she sits in. Not matter how much attention and enrichment I give her, I know she is lonely to her core.
Anyone who thinks they would like to keep a psittacine (one of the many types of parrots), please rescue one. But know they will come with emotional baggage. Never buy from a breeder. These beings are wayyy to intelligent to be 'pets'. If I had three wishes, one would be that no new parrot babies would ever be born in captivity again.
Thanks for the video.
Every single cockatiel or budgie we have owned has been a rescue that was abandoned at the vet. I love psittacines but I could only ever own a rescued one.
Now can we take it a step further………imagine the animals we farm………….how THEYRE treated.
When I was a kid, I wanted to work at the zoo. The last time I went, I was surprised how little educational information about the animals there was. I certainly didn't see people reading what was there. It seemed more like entertainment than education. It didn't feel very respectful to me and I haven't been back since. You can learn much more about animals from watching them in their natural habitat. Even just watching birds in your yard would teach you more about nature and be much more ethical.
I'm relieved to hear they don't do dissections like that in school anymore. That was so traumatic for me. Mostly because it felt so unnecessary and like totally pointless death. It certainly was not done with respect for the animals.
We went to the OKC ZOO the primates are often given sedation and anti anxiety meds. Very sad
Here in Virginia and Tennessee, we have a handful (maybe 5 from Limestone TN to Natural Bridge VA) that are not the high level efficiency. We have "creation kingdom" and a few that are just above road side level (not quite tiger king but likely more to Carol Baskin) but I can't it in my heart to go to these. I have been to the Knoxville Zoo and have seen the distress some of these animals seem to be under, and they're a solid zoo. Then there's a safari, and I question it, too.
It seems like zoos are an antiquated concept. Something created in a time where people didn't have as much access to information, picture, videos. I would also say travel, but that seems to be limited to only the truly wealthy when it comes to seeing these animals in their natural habitat.
Thank you. I've been thinking this for years. It is disgusting what we do to animals. There shouldn't be zoos for people to stare at animals. There should only be places that take care of the animals that need it
One of the only reasons I think animals in captivity can make sense, beyond those listed in the video, is breeding of highly endangered species. But, as everyone has said, that doesn’t mean they should be on view. Especially now, when we have such great videography of animals in the wild.
Is there an ethical way for the public to engage with or learn about wildlife? Maybe specific classes or internships? How do we begin to change the conversation model without loosing public interest/money for conservation?
I’m in central OH where the zoo has always been a big part of our lives.
Not a zoo, but we have a "science center" in my small town. I've taken my child there a few times. They have a random array of unwanted pets and fish tanks (multiple axolotls, a number of bearded dragons, snakes, rabbits along with parrots/cockatiels/finches and some rescued owls. They are in pretty poor conditions, with loud, boisterous children cavorting around cramped enclosures. Some of the social birds are being kept alone. It's not great.
Videos need to be "long" or there's no nuance
The fact that anyone thinks anything more than 60 seconds is “long” is truly damning.
Off topic question because I could listen to you for forever. But what is your opinion of the "Birds are not real" "movement"?
FWIW it started as a joke by one of the kids that survived the Sandy Hook shooting. It is a pretty good example of how credulous people are.
Omg my kids and I love to joke about them.
@@ParkrosePermaculture I only recently learned that one of the Sandy Hook kids started that as a joke. Also funny is that my previous reply to OP was removed yet I still got a notification of your reply. I think I know what bad word I used so hopefully this clears.
What do you think of Australia Zoo and the Irwin Family?
uggggh, this is such a hard question because I really really really love Steve Irwin. Like...can't get over his death bc he was such a pure soul and a shining light...
@@ParkrosePermaculture as far as I understand Australia zoo is just acres of open land? And they do have the enclosures segmented but they themselves are manually keeping track of the animals to ensure nothing bad happens instead of, y'know, fencing them in. But I could be wrong... You're right tho. Really hard to have negative takes on his family when Steve was such a treasure.
Raptor handler Angela!
Read a lot of Gerald Durrell in my early teens, around 69-72ish. Different view of wild animal "collecting." Around San Francisco I've seen various different developments in zoological institutes. SF zoo has improved, Oakland zoo is radically different and better, the Marine Mammal Center has been an ongoing touchstone, the Monterey Aquarium is, in spite of their best efforts, unhinged and creepy. They have "petting pools" that are really torture pools for the aquatic life within.
Agree
No animals in the circus
So why do you denigrate animal rights activists arguing against the exploitation and enslavement of domesticated species?
That's not even remotely what I do. I argue against Ecofascists. But nice try with this embarrassingly bad faith comment
@@ParkrosePermacultureyes, you do, including calling animal rights activism "vegan activism", which is rhetoric designed to devalue conversations around animal rights.
You also argued it was kinder to cull animals in a backyard than seek veterinary care.
Talk about cognitive dissonance, but then your brand profits from one kind of animal exploitation and not the other so I guess it's easier to side with the popular take and not the unpopular one, even though both are equally unethical.
Ever read The Life of Pi by Yann Martel? Great read, a lot about zoos and life. Or how about Slaughter House-Five, Billy Pilgrim on Tralfamador.
I used to be completely opposed to zoos for all the reasons mentioned here, but then I read "Life of Pi" which offers a different point of view. Unless an animal is at the top of the food chain, animals in the wild are constantly prey to other animals! The quest for survival never ends. It's not exactly an idyllic life out there in the wild. Just sayin'...
Funny how animals don’t exhibit signs of extreme distress in the wild, though.
It’s where they evolved to live.
You might have worked at a poorly run zoo - there is no a international standard . There a several examples of re- introduction of extinct species . However given your American accent working at the no 2 zoo hardly a glowing recommendation. Your activism would be better directed to stopping private US citizen keeping exotic animals particularly big cats .
I worked in the #2 AZA zoo in the US. It was not poorly run. It was one of the most sophisticated and well-funded zoos in the country. The AZA is an international association accrediting and rating more than 230 zoos internationally.
What does my American accent have to do with it? Also, LMFAO if you think European Zoos are better run and more ethical. Also, captivity is captivity.
Seriously, this comment is really weird, and I don't take advice from rando faceless accounts on the internet about how to direct my activism.