Rise of the Planet of the Apes

I'm not really sure what I think of Zoo's and Wildlife Parks. I realise that nowadays, in the 21st Century, they do a huge amount of good. Their customers entrance fees not only go to looking after the animals under their own care but also go towards funding ecological and conservation projects around the world.

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The visitors that come through the Zoo's doors are a captive audience, excuse the pun, and are to some extent educated by the information that surrounds the animals enclosures relating to their peril that some of the endangered species face in the wild and the precarious nature of their existence. What long lasting effect this has on these people I believe I questionable. They may understand but does this mean anything tangible in response to the poachers in Africa, or the destruction of habitats in rain-forests around the world?

Of course the work modern zoo's do is important. The captive breeding program's are carefully organised to ensure that genetic inbreeding does not occur and in some instances the success of these initiatives result in the reintroduction of species to the wild. As an example the European Beaver is currently being reintroduced to an area in Scotland.

The flip side of this argument is the captivity of wild animals in sometimes questionable conditions. I saw a pair of magnificent Sea Eagles in a cage today. Granted it was quite a large cage. One of the birds took flight and was able to fly in a circle around its cage, but only just. In the wild this bird would soar and stoop. Impossible in this cage.

Then there are the chimpanzees. These apes that share 98% of human DNA are intelligent creatures. They communicate, have feelings, live in complex social groups and can use simple tools. Do they understand that they are captive. One of the chimpanzees I saw today made a flying leap at the window of the enclosure at a small boy. It looked aggressive, at the very least born out of frustration.

I'm not sure where my line is but the keeping of a (troop) of chimpanzees in a zoo, no matter how nice their enclosure, makes me feel really uncomfortable. I wonder if for them it seems like a prison? I wonder if those in captivity ever think about what else is out there? I wonder if they plan together to escape and to take over the planet?

Wouldn't it be better if they were living free?

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