Is the zoo depressing?

Cianos

Hey,
I haven't been to the zoo since I was a child, and I remember some of the enclosures being pretty depressing, a polar bear sitting on dirty concrete, looking fairly defeated, etc.

I was thinking of bringing my daughter, but don't want to if it's the same as it was before.

Has it improved a lot over the past few years? Can anyone sensitive to that side of it share their experience?

Thanks!

RebelButtMunch

While I do have my reservations about some animals being held in a zoo, I will say that it's not as depressing as it used to be.

loyatemu

It has been improved massively since I was a kid - its over twice the size it was, most animals are in large enclosures.

the downside to this is that sometimes its difficult to see the animals, but you can time your visit to coincide with feeding times.

cormie

Whatever about being depressing, I wouldn't see a place where animals are taken out of their natural habitat purely for our entertainment as a good place to take children. All they are gaining from it is a chance to see different animals, which of course is great fun for them (for a few hours) as they don't know any better, but this is hardly the environment you want to be encouraging in front of your child. If you're against the capture and use of animals so people can have a day out then that should answer your question.

Blackfish is a great documentary on the capture and use of Orca whales for entertainment purposes. Now they are obviously expected to do a lot more than the animals in Dublin Zoo, but it shows the capturing process and the effects it has on them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLOeH-Oq_1Y

eass82

Was there just over a year ago for the first time in about 20 years and it was far more colourful and comfortable looking for the animals than I remembered. They do put a lot of effort into landscaping, particularly for the african savannah.

Probably not the ideal time of the year to go as it might be too cold for the more exotic beasts to be out and about but I guess worth bearing in mind that the requirements for the enclosures for animals like polar bears/hippos etc. mean that they are pretty bleak looking enclosures in any zoo.
Most important is that the animals are content and they usually seem to be

Macy0161

cormie wrote: »

Whatever about being depressing, I wouldn't see a place where animals are taken out of their natural habitat purely for our entertainment as a good place to take children. All they are gaining from it is a chance to see different animals, which of course is great, but this is hardly the environment you want to be encouraging in front of your child. If you're against the capture and use of animals so people can have a day out then that should answer your question.

If it's not all (and I'd be surprised if it isn't all), certainly the vast majority have been breed in captivity and know nothing different, rather than being taken out of the wild. Whatever about their history (and zoo history is far from pretty), zoo's now play an important conservation role and conditions are much much better now.

cormie

Macy0161 wrote: »

If it's not all (and I'd be surprised if it isn't all), certainly the vast majority have been breed in captivity and know nothing different, rather than being taken out of the wild. Whatever about their history (and zoo history is far from pretty), zoo's now play an important conservation role and conditions are much much better now.

I'd agree that a lot of the damage is already done, but what does it teach children? It's not about conservation, it's just a knock on effect of a business who want their product to last. Like a tobacco company getting into the E-Cigarette trade.

MissFlitworth

I think they've done an excellent job with Dublin Zoo. The new gorilla enclosure in particular I love. You can see some of the enclosures (elephants, penguins, wolves & the African Savannah on their website to get an idea of how things look now. It's a far cry now from when I went as a small kid,l I have a very clear and horrible memory of a crocodile in a bathtub style enclosure

Jerrica

Cianos wrote: »

Hey,
I haven't been to the zoo since I was a child, and I remember some of the enclosures being pretty depressing, a polar bear sitting on dirty concrete, looking fairly defeated, etc.

I was thinking of bringing my daughter, but don't want to if it's the same as it was before.

Has it improved a lot over the past few years? Can anyone sensitive to that side of it share their experience?

Thanks!

The zoo is a lovely day out for kids of all ages. Dublin Zoo staff treat all animals with the utmost respect, care and compassion and are involved in a number of European and Worldwide breeding and conservation programs. More details from their website here.

It's a fantastic teaching resource for kids who would otherwise never get to see many of these animals up close and personally, and strives towards education, not just entertainment.

Macy0161

cormie wrote: »

I'd agree that a lot of the damage is already done, but what does it teach children? It's not about conservation, it's just a knock on effect of a business who want their product to last. Like a tobacco company getting into the E-Cigarette trade.

You can teach the children about the mistakes of the past, and about their role now. My children enjoy the zoo, but they know why they won't be brought to a circus that has animals. Comparison to tabacco companies is ridiculous.

mlumley

Have a look at The Zoo on sky, shot in Dublin Zoo. You can the make your own mind up.
I was there last year with my 9yo son, he loved it except, the Penguin enclosure, and he said the Elephants looked bored. As someone who looked after elephants in a circus many years ago, he was right, a lot of head bobbing and swinging. A sure sign of boredom. But the rest of it was great.

JupiterKid

I'm not the biggest fan of zoos in general but I was at Dublin zoo last year and it has changed hugely - and for the better - since I was a kid.

Firstly, it's over twice the size of its original area and this means much more space, especially for the larger animals. The African Plains area in particular is impressive. The emphasis now is on education, conservation and recreating complete habitats for particular species and therefore there are less types of animals than previously (polar bears are gone for example) but the ones remaining have much better conditions.

I would recommend a visit to the zoo just to see how much it has changed for the better. The days of cramming as many different species as possible into tiny cages are - thankfully - long gone.

cormie

Macy0161 wrote: »

You can teach the children about the mistakes of the past, and about their role now. My children enjoy the zoo, but they know why they won't be brought to a circus that has animals. Comparison to tabacco companies is ridiculous.

I don't see how it's ridiculous, a business causes a problem and then promotes themselves in a different way to look like they are helping the problem that would never have been there (or as bad) in the first place if it weren't for them and the basic premise of using animals as entertainment.

Also what happens when the conservation efforts go further and the city zoos can't accommodate for the new generations, I guess families will be split again or else they'll control their breeding, neither of which is pleasant for the animal I'm sure.

Ross_Mahon

They have greatly neglected the older exhibits in the zoo. A lot of them are empty and overgrown. Also the Chimpanzees look very depressed with no space to move around. The African Savanna seems to be the only interest.

dubbie82

I think Dublin Zoo is good thing to see. I was there recently for the first time in well over 15 years and I am no fan of zoos either. But I really enjoyed the visit. The nice thing about Dublin Zoo is that it isn't packed with as many different animals as possible, it feels it is on the smaller scale, not size wise but purely on the selection of animals. As far as I know they extended the grounds over the past couple of years. The staff are nice too and they have a couple of educational programs available.

I can only second JupiterKids and Jerrica's opinion here.

Check the Facebook site, they have some special offers once in a while.

anncoates

Haven't been for about 2 or 3 years but I thought it had improved a lot from when I was a younger.

They were working on that African Savannah/Plains (?) section when I was there and it looked like it was going to be good: a big large open, co-mingled space modelled on natural habitat.

hmmm

The zoo is a million times better these days. I put off visiting the zoo for years because I always thought the gorilla enclosure was so depressing, but it is fabulous now. As someone said above, some of the animals have so much space these days one of the bigger problems can be even seeing them, but I'm happy with that. It could still do with improving some of the exhibits, but they've done a great job.

farfallaa

cormie wrote: »

Blackfish is a great documentary on the capture and use of Orca whales for entertainment purposes. Now they are obviously expected to do a lot more than the animals in Dublin Zoo, but it shows the capturing process and the effects it has on them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLOeH-Oq_1Y

Brilliant movie - I've seen this. So much is revealed there. Those animals in zoos are so poor and it actually makes me sad watching them being trapped in their cages..

accensi0n

Dublin zoo is great, I've brought my young niece 3 times recently, mainly because I wanted to go.

simonsays1

Yes

--LOS--

All zoos are depressing imo, I would rather see empty cages not slightly more comfortable cages

DellyBelly

--LOS-- wrote: »

All zoos are depressing imo, I would rather see empty cages not slightly more comfortable cages

I disagree. The zoo is a fanatastic resource. My kids love it and it has improved over the years. The welfare of the animals seems to be the highest priority. The feeding of the seals and penguins is a highlight.

I'm waiting to bring my kids to the circus if one comes our way so they can see some of the amazing tricks animals can do. We don't have much money so wouldn't have the means of seeing these animals in the wild...

cormie

DellyBelly wrote: »

We don't have much money so wouldn't have the means of seeing these animals in the wild...

That doesn't justify capturing them and using them for entertainment just so you can have a look at them for a few hours entertainment. Animals aren't there just to satisfy humans, but unfortunately that's mostly how it is in the World and going by the responses and thanked posts here, doesn't look to change any time soon. It's very clear from watching any nature program the animals have a completely different spirit roaming free than they do in captivity.

JuliusCaesar

I took my daughter in winter and we got to see animals close up as they were in their huts for warmth - we marvelled at the lion's paws and how alike they were to our own cats, only a hundred times bigger!

hfallada

cormie wrote: »

It's very clear from watching any nature program the animals have a completely different spirit roaming free than they do in captivity.

But the animals in the zoo were most likely never born in the wild. Their parents and grandparents were probably born in zoos too. Most animals in the zoo barely exist in the wild. A animal such as an elephant is better in Dublin zoo than in Africa were it probably will be poached for its horns.

It's easy to think zoos are mean and inhumane but it's probably the best chance of insuring more animals don't become more extinct. Plus zoos help with breeding animals like pandas who barely breed naturally in the wild

cormie

Animals become extinct, that's just nature, yes unfortunately humans are greatly speeding up that process for some but there's some great programs happening at the moment to combat poaching. Have a look at this: http://www.ted.com/talks/john_kasaona_from_poachers_to_caretakers.html

The fact they are born in captivity and aren't aware of the freedom and instincts they should naturally have, doesn't make it right.

bazza1

We have an annual zoo pass. We visit very regularly, every month nearly. Handy as we live in Dublin anyway! Even in winter,going for a walk on Sunday in the phoenix Park, we would pop into the zoo for a walk around! Always something to see.

simonsays1

"It's easy to think zoos are mean and inhumane but it's probably the best chance of insuring more animals don't become more extinct. Plus zoos help with breeding animals like pandas who barely breed naturally in the wild[/QUOTE]



I'd rather be a panda who goes extinct then a panda in a zoo.

What is the point of being alive if I'm behind bars for the benefit of humans?

Humans act superior and make choices for animals assuming we're 'doing what is best for them'

Humanity-meh!

simonsays1

DellyBelly wrote: »

I disagree. The zoo is a fanatastic resource. My kids love it and it has improved over the years. The welfare of the animals seems to be the highest priority. The feeding of the seals and penguins is a highlight.

It is a fantastic resource for YOU!

We don't have much money so wouldn't have the means of seeing these animals in the wild...

WOW!!!

Well, that just sums it up really!

(Had to double check you actually wrote that!)

How does that justify capturing animals? SERIOUSLY!

Because you cannot go on Safari! Who can?

SantryRed

Buzzkills.

anncoates

simonsays1 wrote: »

WOW!!!

Well, that just sums it up really!

(Had to double check you actually wrote that!)

How does that justify capturing animals? SERIOUSLY!

Because you cannot go on Safari! Who can?

Relax perhaps?