The second week of the holiday and therefore the second of the holiday inspiration blogs. We are now in the Loire near Saumur, a lovely part of the world and well worth exploring. We have visited the Zoo at Doue la Fontaine for the second time, having been there two years ago. Now I have to admit I have always been in two minds about zoos. On the one hand seeing wild animals caged for the benefit of us the viewing public to gawp at makes me feel a little uneasy. And no matter how big the cage is, it is still a cage. However, I appreciate all the good work they do and that given the way the world is going some of the more endangered species could well owe their survival to zoos. Also I can see the effort that zoos, like the one here in Doue, have gone to improve the environment those animals live in.
Also, as you go round zoos, of course many of the public doing the viewing are children, who take the sight of the wonderful creatures at face value and without any of the possible qualms I might have. And with the emphasis on respecting and educating about the animals, as well as understanding the plight many of them are in, I can’t help thinking that’s a good thing. And as for driving all that home nothing beats seeing them live and close up rather than on the small screen. Then perhaps some of them as adults will take a real interest in not condemning many of them to the edge of extinction as my generation has and continues to do.
Zoos have their work cut out, but if we see people treating these animals with respect and reverence then perhaps we’ll be pursuaded to do something about the woeful situation and the continued desecration of the planet. Maybe future generations, through the efforts of nature programs and zoos, will try harder to end the demand for ivory and body parts. Also end the hunting of endangered species as highlighted in the recent killing of ‘Cyril’ the lion. The result of all this being that our children’s children and their children will have some hope of knowing that these animals still exist outside zoos, in the wild
In the wider context I hope a little knowledge and understanding in this area may also lead to questioning what we are doing to the planet as a whole and what (as I have blogged before) state we are going to leave it in for those to come after us.
We can but hope.
As always I welcome views and comments
Ian Martyn
Well said – all of it!
Thank you!