Are zoos cruel or do animals love their cages?

Pighead

Just back from San Diego. Lovely city but just a tad too many canyons in the place for Pighead's liking. Main highlight of the trip was the visit to San Diego zoo which holds a mind boggling 300,000 animals. That's more animals than are in the whole of Cork and Kerry put together.

Best bit of the zoo was meeting a Humanzee called Benny Boom Boom. A beautiful half chimp, half human whose party piece was pretending to pull a revolver from his chimp belt whilst silently mouthing "Bang Bang".

When he'd do the whole bang bang thing Pighead and his uncle would pretend to be shot and fall to the ground and play dead. The Americans lapped this up and to be fair to Benny he seemed to be enjoying himself too.

Anyway after the day in the zoo, Pighead came to the conclusion that perhaps he had been wrong all these years in his belief that zoo owners were nasty old men who ruined animals lives for the benefit of human enjoyment.

Would you be of the same opinion or do you think the likes of Benny Bang Bang are put under severe pressure by the zoo owners and ordered to pretend they're enjoying themselves?

Saila

well have you ever seen a frowning elephant? so thats a no then

epgc3fyqirnbsx

Frightful places. Animals should be free like you and me.

Zoos are fine, all animals want is their own territory which they have in their enclosures.
The only reason they would run away is if they were running away from something rather than to freedom

I can't explain it in any coherent way tbh but read chapter 2 of Life of Pi which confirmed everything for me

Of course zoos should have large and humane enclosures

I have a farm, is that a zoo? Would any of you pay to see it?

Paparazzo

Corbin Squeaking Swatch wrote: »

I have a farm, is that a zoo? Would any of you pay to see it?

If you have a sheep that does what Benny Boom Boom does I definitely would.

Oranage2

All you have to do is look at a polar bear in any zoo and you'll see that animals arent meant for zoos.

starbelgrade

I went to Dublin Zoo with a mate one day when I was in college. It was raining & most of the animals were indoors. The gorillas indoor home was visitable by the public & had a huge glass pane between him & us.

There was no-one else there. It was raining. He looked miserable.

So we decided to cheer him up by mooning at him. The fucker went ballistic. I mean he went apeshit. Nearly broke through the glass.

Cool story bro.

Aodan83

I was in Dublin zoo a few months back and I remember thinking that one of the gorillas looked very depressed. But I think he may have been sad because someone cracked the glass on the front of his enclosure. Can't imagine he was too impressed by that. I know I wouldn't be if it was my window.
That said, the elephants and the penguins looked quite happy with themselves, so I'm not too sure what to think of the whole thing.

seafood dunleavy

Probably tastier in zoos.

Pighead

Corbin Squeaking Swatch wrote: »

I have a farm, is that a zoo? Would any of you pay to see it?

Depends what's on the farm. Pighead has no time for horses, cows, sheep, hens, chickens, pigs, roosters or bulls. Don't really like geese either. But would probably pay in anyway if you needed the money.

epgc3fyqirnbsx

Frightful places. Animals should be free like you and me.

Pighead wrote: »

Depends what's on the farm. Pighead has no time for horses, cows, sheep, hens, chickens, pigs, roosters or bulls. Don't really like geese either. But would probably pay in anyway if you needed the money.

Hmmmmm, you mightn't like this farm so. But we have rats, lots of rats, some might say it's a "problem"
Might get cats tomorrow even if they are smug bastards

I never sawa hippo in a zoo, I wanna see a hippo, I saw a little pygmy hippo but that was shite

Sergeant

Monkeys can be trained to do simple tasks like putting books back on shelves. So they have basic cognitive abilities. Probably unfair to keep them in captivity as a result.

Kevin Duffy

Aodan83 wrote: »

I was in Dublin zoo a few months back and I remember thinking that one of the gorillas looked very depressed. But I think he may have been sad because someone cracked the glass on the front of his enclosure. Can't imagine he was too impressed by that. I know I wouldn't be if it was my window. .

IIRC, that glass is broken on the inside. My guess was the one of the apes had got hold of something throwable and expressed his views ballistically. If my guess is right, it tells a story.

Pighead

Corbin Squeaking Swatch wrote: »

Hmmmmm, you mightn't like this farm so. But we have rats, lots of rats, some might say it's a "problem"
Might get cats tomorrow even if they are smug bastards

I never sawa hippo in a zoo, I wanna see a hippo, I saw a little pygmy hippo but that was shite

Rats get a lot of bad press but they're alright in Pighead's book. They're basically shaved squirrels. All they need is a couple of hours with a top image consultant. Get them all to grow out their hair for a few months.

Maybe get in the same person who sorted out Mary Byrne. What they've done to that womans hair is amazing.

Pauleta

I Think monkeys should be made wear sunglasses so they can't hypnotize you with their eyes.

I absolutely hate the thought of large cats in enclosures. They should be out hunting prey rather than in an enclosure. Even worse are tamed lions and tigers. They are vicious, cunning, majestic creatures not pets :mad:

starbelgrade

I Think monkeys should be made wear sunglasses so they can't hypnotize you with their eyes.

Between that & the squirrel post, I'm breaking me bollix here.

Good man Pighead!

Pighead

Sergeant wrote: »

Monkeys can be trained to do simple tasks like putting books back on shelves. So they have basic cognitive abilities. Probably unfair to keep them in captivity as a result.

Who'd want to go to a zoo full of dopey animals? Not Pighead, that's for sure. Part of the reason Pighead's intelligence is so high is because of the inordinate amount of time he has spent in the company of highly brilliant animals.

Aodan83

starbelgrade wrote: »

So we decided to cheer him up by mooning at him. The fucker went ballistic. I mean he went apeshit. Nearly broke through the glass.

Cool story bro.

Kevin Duffy wrote: »

IIRC, that glass is broken on the inside. My guess was the one of the apes had got hold of something throwable and expressed his views ballistically. If my guess is right, it tells a story.

Think I figured out what happened...

Poor Craythur

Rats are amazing animals, really. They're soooo inquisitive and much more interesting pets than feckin' guinea pigs and whatnot.

bigmouth writes again

i know what they don't like, when you rattle their cages

PK2008

Pighead wrote: »

Pighead has no time for horses, cows, sheep, hens, chickens, pigs, roosters or bulls. Don't really like geese either.

Whats wrong with pigs?

Redlion

Pighead wrote: »

Just back from San Diego. Lovely city but just a tad too many canyons in the place for Pighead's liking. Main highlight of the trip was the visit to San Diego zoo which holds a mind boggling 300,000 animals. That's more animals than are in the whole of Cork and Kerry put together.

Best bit of the zoo was meeting a Humanzee called Benny Boom Boom. A beautiful half chimp, half human whose party piece was pretending to pull a revolver from his chimp belt whilst silently mouthing "Bang Bang".

When he'd do the whole bang bang thing Pighead and his uncle would pretend to be shot and fall to the ground and play dead. The Americans lapped this up and to be fair to Benny he seemed to be enjoying himself too.

Anyway after the day in the zoo, Pighead came to the conclusion that perhaps he had been wrong all these years in his belief that zoo owners were nasty old men who ruined animals lives for the benefit of human enjoyment.

Would you be of the same opinion or do you think the likes of Benny Bang Bang are put under severe pressure by the zoo owners and ordered to pretend they're enjoying themselves?

Discovered by the Germans in 1904, they named it San Diego, which of course in German means a whale's vagina...Coincidence, I think not.

Yakult

Its hard to say, most Zoo's will provide the best (captive) life for the animals but of course, with every one good zoo their will be 3 illegal zoos where animals die from hunger and disease in countries all over the world.

Many animals wont have a choice either, its either die after their habitats are chopped away and turned into wooden tables and chairs or go to a zoo.

Humans doing what we do best, destroying natural habitats.

biscuiteater

Pauleta wrote: »

I absolutely hate the thought of large cats in enclosures. They should be out hunting prey rather than in an enclosure. Even worse are tamed lions and tigers. They are vicious, cunning, majestic creatures not pets :mad:

you should try one of those wildlife parks where the animals run free and if you get out of your car you will be the pray of the nice cats and help their hunting skills

lost many a wind wiper on the old dads car as a child with the nice monkeys and got a dinge from a nice rhino who ran into the car park, but still like those parks better than a zoo

Pighead

PK2008 wrote: »

What wrong with pigs?

A pig is a pig is a pig. If you don't follow Pighead let him break it down further. The pig has always and will always be in the humans eye a walking sausage/slice of bacon.

You could pay €7 billion dollars for the bestest image consultant in the world to try and redeem the pigs image but you'd be wasting your time and your money.
Stick a fake long nose on a labrador and dye his hair grey and he looks like a wolf. HOOOWWWLLLL!

Put stripes on a cat and hey presto he's a fearsome tiger cup. RAAAARR!

Put a PVC grey all in one material combo on a cow and from a distance if you squint a bit you may see be fooled into thinking he's a hippo. (Not sure how to write out a hippo noise? Maybe, SCHHNNOOIIIIKKK!

Stick a pair of hawk wings on a pig and he's still just a fcuking pig. A walking breakfast with a stupid pair of stupid fake hawk wings. OINK FCUKING OINK.

Pauleta

I Think monkeys should be made wear sunglasses so they can't hypnotize you with their eyes.

biscuiteater wrote: »

you should try one of those wildlife parks where the animals run free and if you get out of your car you will be the pray of the nice cats and help their hunting skills

lost many a wind wiper on the old dads car as a child with the nice monkeys and got a dinge from a nice rhino who ran into the car park, but still like those parks better than a zoo

Wildlife parks are ok. They have plenty of room to roam but in most of them they dont have to hunt, they just get handed food. Thats grand for the male Lion, who is as lazy as feck but they are such majestic creatures when they are hunting. I nearly cream myself when i see programmes about hunting. Its like porn