The Zoo Dilemma
©2019 C. Henry Martens
Courtesy of PixabayDo tigers have an opinion about zoos?
Maybe… maybe not.
One thing I know. If I think about it as a human, I get different answers than if I think about it as a tiger.
There are certainly trade-offs.
In the wild, big cats have vast territories. I suppose they may enjoy exploring their domains and are interested in the differences they find in each circuit of their territory.
But maybe not.
Perhaps they pad through their chosen area complaining to themselves that prey is scarce, and they would rather walk less and eat more.
Maybe they stress over strange scents and new scratch marks from unknown claws.
I know there are animals in the world that are motivated more by the availability of food than by freedom to move about. I suspect that most domesticated predators were inclined to give up their freedom in return for easy meals.
And maybe a scratched back.
I see no reason to think that tigers are much different.
Do tigers wander great distances if they have a source of food available in one location?
Maybe they do. But I’d bet the area diminishes with the degree of appeal to the food source.Maybe tigers in zoos miss hunting. That I don’t doubt.
Personally, I think zoos should provide hunting opportunities to predator species.
But just as humans worry about confined cats being unhappy, they would cringe at a tiger being allowed to exercise its gorier instincts. That seems a little hypocritical to me.
One thing… tigers live far longer in zoos and with far less physical trauma. They are injured less.
Trade offs…
The TygerWilliam Blake, 1794
Tyger Tyger, burning bright,In the forests of the night;What immortal hand or eye,Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies.Burnt the fire of thine eyes?On what wings dare he aspire?What the hand, dare seize the fire?
And what shoulder, & what art,Could twist the sinews of thy heart?And when thy heart began to beat,What dread hand? & what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain,In what furnace was thy brain?What the anvil? what dread grasp,Dare its deadly terrors clasp!
When the stars threw down their spearsAnd water'd heaven with their tears:Did he smile his work to see?Did he who made the Lamb make thee?
Tyger Tyger burning bright,In the forests of the night:What immortal hand or eye,
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
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To comment, scroll down and type in your comment. Under Comment As, you can select Anonymous or Name/URL (you don't need to enter a URL). Then hit Publish.
Courtesy of PixabayDo tigers have an opinion about zoos?Maybe… maybe not.
One thing I know. If I think about it as a human, I get different answers than if I think about it as a tiger.
There are certainly trade-offs.
In the wild, big cats have vast territories. I suppose they may enjoy exploring their domains and are interested in the differences they find in each circuit of their territory.
But maybe not.
Perhaps they pad through their chosen area complaining to themselves that prey is scarce, and they would rather walk less and eat more.
Maybe they stress over strange scents and new scratch marks from unknown claws.
I know there are animals in the world that are motivated more by the availability of food than by freedom to move about. I suspect that most domesticated predators were inclined to give up their freedom in return for easy meals.
And maybe a scratched back.
I see no reason to think that tigers are much different.
Do tigers wander great distances if they have a source of food available in one location?
Maybe they do. But I’d bet the area diminishes with the degree of appeal to the food source.Maybe tigers in zoos miss hunting. That I don’t doubt.
Personally, I think zoos should provide hunting opportunities to predator species.
But just as humans worry about confined cats being unhappy, they would cringe at a tiger being allowed to exercise its gorier instincts. That seems a little hypocritical to me.
One thing… tigers live far longer in zoos and with far less physical trauma. They are injured less.
Trade offs…
The TygerWilliam Blake, 1794
Tyger Tyger, burning bright,In the forests of the night;What immortal hand or eye,Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies.Burnt the fire of thine eyes?On what wings dare he aspire?What the hand, dare seize the fire?
And what shoulder, & what art,Could twist the sinews of thy heart?And when thy heart began to beat,What dread hand? & what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain,In what furnace was thy brain?What the anvil? what dread grasp,Dare its deadly terrors clasp!
When the stars threw down their spearsAnd water'd heaven with their tears:Did he smile his work to see?Did he who made the Lamb make thee?
Tyger Tyger burning bright,In the forests of the night:What immortal hand or eye,
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
Click here to receive the Apocalypse Observer Newsletter in your inbox
www.readmota.com
To comment, scroll down and type in your comment. Under Comment As, you can select Anonymous or Name/URL (you don't need to enter a URL). Then hit Publish.
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