CHINESE ZOOS RESEMBLE GLADIATORS' ARENA

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Animals eaten alive in unregulated Chinese zoos

Updated Tue. Dec. 27 2005 11:32 PM ET

 

CTV.ca News Staff

 

For private zoo patrons in Wuhan, China, it costs five dollars to get

the " safari experience: " A seat at a fight to the death between an

injured cow and a group of tigers.

 

It's not much of a battle.

 

The zoo bills the event as similar to what one would see in the wild,

and is allowed to stage them because China has few laws governing how

zoos are run or who runs them. The shows are wildly popular, and often

the sole reason patrons visit the facilities. The number of such zoos

has grown steadily.

 

Many of those who spoke with CTV News at the " safari experience " spoke

of their alarm at seeing the spectacle. However, thousands every year

attend the shows, making them a profitable venture.

 

While the money may be good, the treatment of the animals is barbaric,

say animal rights groups.

 

Rob Laidlaw of the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA)

says he's appalled by what he's seen of the exotic animal shows, and

doesn't think they teach much about the animals in their natural

habitat.

 

" It's horrendously cruel, " Laidlaw told CTV News. " You've got an

animal that's being preyed upon -- it can be an ostrich or cow or a

pig, or even in some cases horses -- that are put into barren

enclosures with predatory animals like lions and tigers, so it's

completely artificial. "

 

In between fights, the predators are often fed bones to keep them

hungry, their keepers in Wuhan said. They are kept in cages barely

large enough to pace around in and often have visible injuries. This

leaves the cats in fierce spirits when released into the battle arena,

producing a lively show for their audience.

 

" We don't let them out because it's too troublesome, " one private

zookeeper told CTV. " They can jump very high and get over the fence. "

 

To appease those opposed to the killing shows, the government recently

created a group designed to monitor zoos -- the China Wildlife

Conservation Association. The group, however, has no enforcement

powers.

 

" China doesn't have any laws for animal welfare, " said Chao Ling, a

representative of the association. " So we can only ask owners to

co-operate. Many have. The state-run zoos are much better. "

 

While the state zoos do tend to allow the animals more space and

better food, they are still far below international standards, Chao

Ling said.

 

After CTV pointed out the Wuhan zoo's safari performance, the

association said it would ask the local government to shut the show

down. But, at last check, it was still a mainstay of that zoo's

program.

 

Canada's lax standards

 

While the Chinese laws may seem lax, the Canadian ones are

surprisingly similar. According to the WSPA's website, most provinces

do not require zoo owners to have any practical experience in zoo

management or animal care.

 

Roadside zoos operate with little or no regulation, often not meeting

their occupants' physical and psychological needs, says the group.

 

" Failure to enact regulations that would close down grossly

substandard roadside zoos has resulted in a great deal of animal

suffering and puts both animals and the public at risk, " states the

group's website, which says improperly cared for animals can become

ill and spread germs to the public.

 

While some municipalities have laws banning certain dangerous species,

such as large cats and poisonous snakes, Canadian zoos are generally

exempt from these regulations.

 

In a recent study, the WSPA looked at 16 Ontario zoos this past spring

to assess five animal exhibits, choosing from at least five of the

following six categories: bears, primates, big cat species, wolves,

ungulates (hoofed mammals) and other small mammals.

 

WSPA then assigned zoos passing or failing grades based on whether a

majority of five exhibits passed or failed the exhibit audits. Of the

16 zoos audited, all had at least one exhibit fail and 11 received

failing grades on all five. Of the 80 exhibits audited, 66 (or 83%)

failed.

 

With a report from CTV's Steve Chao