Guest guest Posted March 14, 2005 Report Share Posted March 14, 2005 South China Morning Post Monday, March 14, 2005 Zoos vow to stop using live prey at feeding time Report saying practice had bad effect on visitors put reserves under pressure JANE CAI Nature reserves and zoos have decided to end the practice of feeding live prey to wild animals, which is often used to attract visitors. The agreement was reached at an industry meeting of representatives of 22 reserves and zoos nationwide, held on Saturday in Kunming, capital of Yunnan province. The self-regulation is aimed at improving standards of animal protection and sparing onlookers from distress, they say. Visitor numbers to reserves and zoos typically peak around feeding times, when live oxen, horses or poultry are often fed to animals, including lions and bears. Handlers will now feed wild animals only with carcasses or pieces of meat, with any reserves or zoos that break the pledge being stripped of their operating licences. Teachers and students from four Beijing universities conducted research into feeding sessions with live prey at 21 of the mainland's estimated 30 reserves and zoos. They concluded that using live prey had a negative psychological impact on visitors. " There are two kinds of feeding sessions. Visitors can buy small animals to feed to the beasts themselves, " said a report on the findings. " And then some zoos will have a performance that involves letting a horse, ox, rabbit or chicken loose with a lion, tiger, leopard or bear, " it said. The researchers cited an incident in Harbin , the capital of Heilongjiang province, involving a young zoo visitor. " While a dying ox was twitching on the ground for 40 minutes after being bitten by more than 10 tigers, a crying child asked his mother, `Why hasn't anyone tried to save it? Why is everyone ignoring it?' " the report said. The meeting of reserve and zoo representatives was held in response to increasing public concern about animal welfare and international pressure to improve animal protection, according to Zhang Li, mainland representative of the International Fund for Animal Welfare. " Such behaviour causes huge stress and obviously the death of the animals ... and watching them being savaged has a negative impact on most people, especially the younger members of the audience, " he told the South China Morning Post yesterday. " The use of these animals for commercial purposes goes against the role of the parks and zoos, which is to educate the public. " We welcome the passing of the industry agreement and hope animal welfare protection will also become enshrined in mainland law. " Beijing is revising the 1988 Wild Animal Protection Law to add clauses about animal welfare, but it is not known when the amendment will be completed. However, some of the reserve and zoo directors who ratified the agreement said the pledge would make it harder for them to survive. " If we have no money, it'll be impossible for us to continue, " an unnamed park director was quoted by Yunnan media as saying. " How can we talk about animal welfare when the livelihood of those in captivity is being threatened? " All of the reserves and zoos that ratified the agreement have links to the state. --- -- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2005 Report Share Posted March 14, 2005 I think this practice of the zoo in China of feeding live animals (which was described in another letter to aapn in more detail) is barbaric. I have written to some animal welfare organizations regarding this frightening issue. PV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 21, 2005 Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 A note of caution on this story - as positive as it sounds, there are parts which are not as black and white as they seem. We spoke with a China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA) official who clarified : " the agreement among the 22 wild animal parks is an industry self-discipline protocol; not a law, so the coverage which states - " any reserves or zoos that break the pledge will be stripped of their operating license " is not true " . They also reiterated that, as there is no law and official regulation to protect animal welfare in China, an industry self-discipline is the only current way to regulate these wild animal parks. However, on a positive note, we were advised that a Zoo Management Regulation might be enacted later this year, which may include the content about animal welfare and possibly include birds and small animals under protection in wild animal parks as well. Jill Robinson MBE Founder & CEO Animals Asia Foundation ANIMALS ASIA HAS A BRAND NEW WEBSITE! Find out more about the " China Bear Rescue " and " Friends.....or Food " http://www.animalsasia.org Kim Bartlett wrote: >South China Morning Post Monday, March 14, 2005 > >Zoos vow to stop using live prey at feeding time >Report saying practice had bad effect on visitors put reserves under >pressure >JANE CAI > >Nature reserves and zoos have decided to end the practice of feeding >live prey to wild animals, which is often used to attract visitors. > >The agreement was reached at an industry meeting of representatives >of 22 reserves and zoos nationwide, held on Saturday in Kunming, >capital of Yunnan province. > >The self-regulation is aimed at improving standards of animal >protection and sparing onlookers from distress, they say. > >Visitor numbers to reserves and zoos typically peak around feeding >times, when live oxen, horses or poultry are often fed to animals, >including lions and bears. > >Handlers will now feed wild animals only with carcasses or pieces >of meat, with any reserves or zoos that break the pledge being >stripped of their operating licences. > >Teachers and students from four Beijing universities conducted >research into feeding sessions with live prey at 21 of the >mainland's estimated 30 reserves and zoos. > >They concluded that using live prey had a negative psychological >impact on visitors. > > " There are two kinds of feeding sessions. Visitors can buy small >animals to feed to the beasts themselves, " said a report on the >findings. > > " And then some zoos will have a performance that involves letting a >horse, ox, rabbit or chicken loose with a lion, tiger, leopard or >bear, " it said. > >The researchers cited an incident in Harbin , the capital of >Heilongjiang province, involving a young zoo visitor. > > " While a dying ox was twitching on the ground for 40 minutes after >being bitten by more than 10 tigers, a crying child asked his mother, >`Why hasn't anyone tried to save it? Why is everyone ignoring it?' " >the report said. > >The meeting of reserve and zoo representatives was held in response >to increasing public concern about animal welfare and international >pressure to improve animal protection, according to Zhang Li, >mainland representative of the International Fund for Animal Welfare. > > " Such behaviour causes huge stress and obviously the death of the >animals ... and watching them being savaged has a negative impact on >most people, especially the younger members of the audience, " he >told the South China Morning Post yesterday. > > " The use of these animals for commercial purposes goes against the >role of the parks and zoos, which is to educate the public. > > " We welcome the passing of the industry agreement and hope animal >welfare protection will also become enshrined in mainland law. " > >Beijing is revising the 1988 Wild Animal Protection Law to add >clauses about animal welfare, but it is not known when the amendment >will be completed. > >However, some of the reserve and zoo directors who ratified the >agreement said the pledge would make it harder for them to survive. > > " If we have no money, it'll be impossible for us to continue, " an >unnamed park director was quoted by Yunnan media as saying. " How >can we talk about animal welfare when the livelihood of those in >captivity is being threatened? " > >All of the reserves and zoos that ratified the agreement have links >to the state. > > --- > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 21, 2005 Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 Just to add one further point... the agreement refers only to large livestock, specifically horses and cattle. It does not mention other species so we should infer that pigs and goats, as well as poultry, rabbits and mice will continue to be used. Paul Littlefair Senior Programme Manager, East Asia RSPCA International External Affairs Department Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (UK) Wilberforce Way Southwater Horsham West Sussex RH13 9RS UK Tel: +44 870 7540 359 Fax: +44 870 7530 359 RSPCA websites: (English) www.rspca.org.uk (Chinese) www.animal-welfare.org.tw >>> jrobinson 21/03/05 01:05:38 >>> A note of caution on this story - as positive as it sounds, there are parts which are not as black and white as they seem. We spoke with a China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA) official who clarified : " the agreement among the 22 wild animal parks is an industry self-discipline protocol; not a law, so the coverage which states - " any reserves or zoos that break the pledge will be stripped of their operating license " is not true " . They also reiterated that, as there is no law and official regulation to protect animal welfare in China, an industry self-discipline is the only current way to regulate these wild animal parks. However, on a positive note, we were advised that a Zoo Management Regulation might be enacted later this year, which may include the content about animal welfare and possibly include birds and small animals under protection in wild animal parks as well. Jill Robinson MBE Founder & CEO Animals Asia Foundation ANIMALS ASIA HAS A BRAND NEW WEBSITE! Find out more about the " China Bear Rescue " and " Friends.....or Food " http://www.animalsasia.org Kim Bartlett wrote: >South China Morning Post Monday, March 14, 2005 > >Zoos vow to stop using live prey at feeding time >Report saying practice had bad effect on visitors put reserves under >pressure >JANE CAI > >Nature reserves and zoos have decided to end the practice of feeding >live prey to wild animals, which is often used to attract visitors. > >The agreement was reached at an industry meeting of representatives >of 22 reserves and zoos nationwide, held on Saturday in Kunming, >capital of Yunnan province. > >The self-regulation is aimed at improving standards of animal >protection and sparing onlookers from distress, they say. > >Visitor numbers to reserves and zoos typically peak around feeding >times, when live oxen, horses or poultry are often fed to animals, >including lions and bears. > >Handlers will now feed wild animals only with carcasses or pieces >of meat, with any reserves or zoos that break the pledge being >stripped of their operating licences. > >Teachers and students from four Beijing universities conducted >research into feeding sessions with live prey at 21 of the >mainland's estimated 30 reserves and zoos. > >They concluded that using live prey had a negative psychological >impact on visitors. > > " There are two kinds of feeding sessions. Visitors can buy small >animals to feed to the beasts themselves, " said a report on the >findings. > > " And then some zoos will have a performance that involves letting a >horse, ox, rabbit or chicken loose with a lion, tiger, leopard or >bear, " it said. > >The researchers cited an incident in Harbin , the capital of >Heilongjiang province, involving a young zoo visitor. > > " While a dying ox was twitching on the ground for 40 minutes after >being bitten by more than 10 tigers, a crying child asked his mother, >`Why hasn't anyone tried to save it? Why is everyone ignoring it?' " >the report said. > >The meeting of reserve and zoo representatives was held in response >to increasing public concern about animal welfare and international >pressure to improve animal protection, according to Zhang Li, >mainland representative of the International Fund for Animal Welfare. > > " Such behaviour causes huge stress and obviously the death of the >animals ... and watching them being savaged has a negative impact on >most people, especially the younger members of the audience, " he >told the South China Morning Post yesterday. > > " The use of these animals for commercial purposes goes against the >role of the parks and zoos, which is to educate the public. > > " We welcome the passing of the industry agreement and hope animal >welfare protection will also become enshrined in mainland law. " > >Beijing is revising the 1988 Wild Animal Protection Law to add >clauses about animal welfare, but it is not known when the amendment >will be completed. > >However, some of the reserve and zoo directors who ratified the >agreement said the pledge would make it harder for them to survive. > > " If we have no money, it'll be impossible for us to continue, " an >unnamed park director was quoted by Yunnan media as saying. " How >can we talk about animal welfare when the livelihood of those in >captivity is being threatened? " > >All of the reserves and zoos that ratified the agreement have links >to the state. > > --- > > > For more information on Asian animal issues, please use the search feature on the AAPN website: http://www.aapn.org/ or search the list archives at: aapn Please feel free to send any relevant news or comments to the list at aapn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 23, 2005 Report Share Posted March 23, 2005 Is there something that organizations and individuals can do about this cruelty against animals? Patricia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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