Youth Issue Papio hamadryas (An African species in Argentina) Zoo Mendoza (Argentina). Since it is a primate, the "anthropomorphism" I will do is quite valid: Look at his face, studying his expression, read my note and see the consistency between one or the other. Panasonic Lumix, Zoom Leica Vario Elmarit 35-420 mm. And so it was first the circus, a place where traditionally depicted animals doing what they normally would not, appealing for it to abuse, violence or the conditioned reflex ... A human pride that boasts of its nickname " sapiens " led (paradoxically) ever understand so great lack of respect for life and reluctantly today, animals are disappearing from the circus ... 's turn now to the zoo ... institution that has no reason not to be, or exist. According to ICOM (cf. Richard and Z. Contreras 2010), zoos, museums would be comparable institutions while by definition comply with these five pillars, namely: Education, Conservation, Research, Open Access and Recreation. Let us briefly to these pillars in the context of the zoo:
1) Education: We are in a globalized world where there are educational television show brilliantly (even in 3D) to biodiversity as it should be, their environment and without pressure, without bars, without overcrowding, in appropriate environmental conditions, and a very extensive etc ... Therefore, showing animals in cramped conditions, in a dubious state of health (biological and psychological or ethological especially for purists) behind bars, with a clearly abnormal behavior resulting from their confinement, not polite ... or at least, as I say in my books educate about what SHOULD NOT DO. On the other hand, make no mistake, many zoos (most of us) are not without their side circus paradoxically promoted by the public itself that throws stones or feed the animals so that they move or do circus tricks in the style . The public, illiterate animal rights and human rights unfortunately humans too, does not respect sleep schedules, breastfeeding and much more. animals. The list could go on but this is not the case for the note. It is also a paradox ex situ conservation talk watching a caged animal ... So ... Education? What? While there are zoos, people still think they are good for something, that something exists and will remain so (forgive the tautology) ... not convinced by the television programs about it, or INTERNET?, Well known biodiversity begins where, visit a protected area!. Even today there is growing urban protected areas that serve to channel the educational needs of society and to learn about local biodiversity in situ (not only animals) (See Richard 2009a, 2009b) Know to love, love to keep, keep to thrive (Richard 2003) ... From Mother Earth ...
Other obscene photos. With this serious environmental education practice some zoos ... " tree Thanks for all that you give us " reads the sign and as a thank you get a dozen nails into the tree! ... What a nice message for kids! ... Mallasa Zoo (La Paz, Bolivia) 2003. Polaroid DC 30.
Begging for these animals as well as pitiful and demeaning, not is very educational and this behavior is not natural ... Mendoza Zoo January 6, 2010. Panasonic Lumix, Leica Vario Elmarit Zoom 35 to 420 mm.
"Zoo or Circus?. If you do not stop, do not give you peanuts!. An audience that does not respect the animal and still not know the difference between what should be a zoo and a circus ... no words ... Zoo de Mendoza (Argentina). 26 April 2004. Fuji Finepix 205.
The animals in the zoo are to what the public, no education, wants them ... Mallasa Zoo (La Paz, Bolivia) 12 September 2004. Fuji Finepix 205.
Education, which? Now it seems that the peacock is a South American bird? Please!. Mallasa Zoo, Bolivia, October 2003. Polaroid DC 30.
not mistreat me says the cartel. Who? "The panda? A solitary animal like the jaguar (Panthera onca ) used to measured individual territories thousands of hectares, this crammed into a small space ... That's abuse! ... So, what we talk about education? September 12, 2004. Fuji Finepix 205.
overcrowding ... Speaking of African lions in a small space for others ... Zoo de Mendoza (Argentina). April 26, 2004. Fuji Finepix 205.
permanent stress due to noise. In the picture one of my students by measuring the noise emitted by cuadratrack that purpose field adjacent to the Zoo Mallasa (La Paz, Bolivia). September 12 2004. Fuji Fine Pix 205.
2) Storage: Aahhh! I forgot, ZOOS ARE THE CHESTS OF THE CENTURY! They are looking to restore populations to become extinct in the wild, are gene banks ... it is! Please! Let's see, all those who still believe in this fallacy, I invite you to review basic genetics. What? Mendel's laws, as sencillito and then if you want, Conservation Biology, which currently relies on its bases in the genetic wonderful today I can literally sink to all advocates of zoos. Let's see, if all humans descend from Adam and Eve, I could not be writing this because I simply would not exist ... It is not possible to reconstruct entire populations of animals from a partner or a group of couples (Mostly talking about mammals), inbreeding quickly derive degeneration and extinction. Why? Because there would be enough genetic material to allow evolution and adaptation of individuals. Without going any further, we now know that cats, for example, it takes an average of 700 copies as a minimum for a population in the wild, is perpetuated in time ... We should also note that zoos evolutionarily act also but this does not help matters. Indeed, artificial selection of zoos acts SELECTING the fittest individuals for life in captivity . Not to mention also the fact that generation after generation are lost and aprehendizaje learning that animals have of their own environment, their food, prey and predators, etc. then something is very difficult (not impossible) to recover ... then wait rebuild natural populations from inbreeding of individuals resulting from artificial selection adapted to captivity, without learning and much more. is a utopia ... or if you will, more realistically, a LIE. And do not tell me what says Ms. GENETICS ... ex situ conservation is then, from this point of view, a fallacy ...
3) Research: All research is positive, I am a strong supporter of research. Why? See my page http://catedraenriquerichard.blogspot.com/ and then continue. Still, the focus of research in zoos is oriented, when present, predominantly the veterinary and captive management (Although there are some paradoxical exceptions). Reread the above two points and if agreed, we see that it would be better to derive funds and human resources currently used in research MLAs investigation in the natural environment, where the researcher also enjoy watching the animals in their natural ... animals, today need to be investigated for their perpetuation in time their midst! . There are endangered species that lack the funding for research and conservation as zoos mostly squandered money researching how to make their parrots (With apologies to the parrots) to increase their survival rate in captivity ... Please! It is an ironic paradox, a parajoda or a joke (In the latter case I I personally, lol). Read this as an invitation to channel resources where they are needed, in the wild ...
If in some zoos have some research they would know that any reptile turtles need sunlight as input vital to the survival and would design enclosures according to the requirements of the animal. The photo exhibition of Chelonoidis chilensis, an area that never receives sunlight (or otherwise not) ... Zoo Rawson (Argentina) ... Praktica BC1, Maginon zoom from 35 to 70 mm (scanning slide).
4) Open Access: This, contrary to the view that they do not know (Too many for my taste), does not refer to that entry is free, means that access should be free, ie ALL of society and this includes people with different needs, something that at least the zoos of Argentina and Bolivia, the vast majority do not. A blind person can not use the visit, not a person who can not walk, because most do not have ramps for wheelchairs and much more. In short this is not fulfilled ...
5) Recreation: Hurray! Have something after all! Most has playgrounds for children, some even have their own cinemas, theaters, etc.. all have fun, minus the animals ... Now, think a bit, perhaps needed a zoo for children and their parents have fun?. His answer, again disabling the existence of a zoo ... Also, for many people, the zoo, especially those with no education are more than a salute to the flag, no longer a circus and as such even angry if they see an animal and do not notice scream for leaving or throwing stones to do stunts without the least respect in the state of the animal, animal welfare, they say ... In other cases, people themselves go to the zoo with their "pets," thereby encouraging the purchase of wild animals, ie wildlife trafficking ... Sorry ... The truth is that the institution from this pillar likewise does not justify its existence ...
Mallasa Zoo (La Paz, Bolivia), leading visitors to "visit" their own pet, a species of wildlife ... No words ... Polaroid DC 30. April 13, 2003.
Some friends, who are not, therefore, still defend the indefensible institution extreme, but I understand (not justify), all his life worked on it ...
In this brief journey I captured just a few of the hundreds of photos from various zoos in different countries; not believe I used only two or three for this discussion because it is not, as you know my students when I teach this issue. What is certain is that I have extreme photos, because when one wants to educate and illustrate nothing more graphic than the ends ... Are there exceptions? Sure, that prove the rule ...
In short, I repeat, needs a genuine education. What? That which aims first and last, be full human beings. As I say in my books (see Richard and Z. Contreras) environmental education are two words, if you fulfill the first the second would have no reason to exist ... I invite you ... Be happy ... and make Mother Earth happy ... SHUT THE ZOO ...
bibliography
RICHARD E. 2009. Urban reserves: Models for environmental education, entertainment and local tourism. Rev. NLDE, Fund. emegece 1 (11): 20-21. ISSN 2070-9242 digital print ISSN 2070-8661. DOWNLOAD
RICHARD E. 2009. The role and importance of public universities in the creation of protected natural areas. Rev. NLDE, Fund. emegece 1 (11): 28. ISSN 2070-9242 digital print ISSN 2070-8661. DOWNLOAD
RICHARD E. and D. CONTRERAS ZAPATA. 2010. Environmental Education for the third millennium. A tribute to Mother Earth. Course notes for training trainers. Multimedia EcoDreams Ed. 366 p. La Paz, Bolivia. DOWNLOAD
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