would you want to be a zookeeper?

[Secret Chief]

I never said that!

I never said trophy hunting is OK

Trophy hunting is sick

Trophy hunters are absolute scum

I'd go trophy hunting. The prey would be trophy hunters. And why not? Man is a natural hunter, it would be exciting, make me feel tough and the photos would be great. Plus of course they are indeed scum and need wiping off the face.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Rhino Conservation in Zoos | Save the Rhino International

We work with zoos in a number of ways to further international efforts to conserve rhinos. Find out more about how and why we work closesly with zoos.

www.savetherhino.org

Captive breeding of Sumatran rhinos: Where the program stands today

Indonesia is today home to the last holdout populations of Sumatran rhinos, a species that once ranged across much of southern Asia. Official figures, which paint a more optimistic picture than many independent experts, put the species’ population at fewer than 80 individuals. The vast majority...

news.mongabay.com

It is common knowledge that without captive breeding programs the survival of a great many species would be threatened whether you like it or not

I've watched loads of documentaries about zoos and captive breeding programs

It would be ideal if captive populations weren't necessary but they are

Elephants and rhinoceroses are especially vulnerable as criminals want their tusks/horns, there is a lot of money to be made by selling these and harvesting them involves killing the animals

Do you want certain species to go extinct? That's what you'd get without zoos

Not keeping captive populations is not an option if you want them to survive as a species

It is well meaning to oppose them but if it were up to me there would still be zoos

Those of us who care about animals cannot afford to be sentimental

Let's duplicate planet Earth so we have Earth A and Earth B

In Earth A let us keep zoos and in Earth B let's abolish them

Now, fast forward 200 years

I'm pretty certain that more species would be extinct in the Earth where zoos were abolished

We're not in an ideal world so we have to do things that are not ideal

Thanks for the links.

The fact that we have to keep animals in captivity to protect them from poaching doesn't say much for humanity and frankly it sickens me. I don't think keeping animals in captivity is the solution.

Consider if people were killing people of your ethnicity and the solution was to corral you and your kind up and keep you in cages. Do you think that's a good solution? Or do you think there should be stiffer penalties for the killers?

I'd much prefer stiffer penalties to protect endangered species than keeping them in captivity. If I had a choice between my species being extinct or living my days in confinement, I would choose the former. How about you?

ETA: If you don't want to pursue this tangent in this thread, I completely understand. I don't want to derail your thread.

 

[Secret Chief]

No. It hurts my heart to see these animals in captivity.

I refuse to visit a zoo.

No good ones? My local zoo focuses totally on conservation, both within its boundary and in worldwide projects. Yes they shouldn't have to exist but unfortunately they need to, given the existence of the human plague. I recall reading the terrible statistic that some species have greater numbers in zoos than in their natural habitat.

 

[SalixIncendium]

No good ones? My local zoo focuses totally on conservation, both within is boundary and in worldwide projects. Yes they shouldn't have to exist but unfortunately they need to, given the existence of the human plague. I recall reading the terrible statistic that some species have greater numbers in zoos than in their natural habitat.

I'm sure there are some that are better than others, but to me, that's like choosing the better prisons to visit.

At most, I think zoos should be a temporary solution until penalties are stiffened for these idiots that get their jollies by killing animals.

 

[ChristineM]

I spent my childhood on a farm, i guesd much of my pocket money work was similar to that of workers in zoos. I e. Feed the animals, muck out their enclosure, ensure their bedding is clean and adequate.


I'm not keen on zoos, sure some are well into conservation but i wish it were not needed.

 

[Nimos]

Would you like to be a zookeeper?

I would, I love animals

It is one of my dream jobs

I would rather look after animals than plants, they are much more interesting because they move around and do things

Animals also have souls, unlike plants

However a big part of the job would involve shovelling ****

Also, there are some animals I really dislike, namely chimpanzees and gorillas although I like orangutans

And I wouldn't want to work with any animal that might kill me such as a lion, a tiger, or a bear, especially if it might want to eat me

My favourite zoo animals are pinipeds: seals, sea lions, walrusses

Some say zoos are unethical but I think they are good for conservation, research, and education

Would you want to be a zookeeper?

What animals would you most and least want to work with?

I don't think it is the worst job in the world, I am however not a particularly big fan of keeping animals locked up like that. I think maybe Zoo is a bit outdated and that they should serve more of a scientific purpose rather than entertainment or they should be more like safari parks where the animals can roam about more natural and you can drive in there with a car.

To me, I just can't help get a picture like this in my mind when thinking of a Zoo, when seeing these foreign animals was exciting:

Now that we have the internet, movies, TV etc. I don't think there is a huge need for going to look at them in cages at the expense of the animals. I know a lot of these wouldn't survive in the wild, which is why I would prefer those open-park things at least.

But that aside if I should look after some animals, it would probably be wolves or some of those that are extremely cute like these

I would stay away from all insects and reptiles, just don't like them, and also think they are pretty boring

 

[Debater Slayer]

Thanks for the links.

The fact that we have to keep animals in captivity to protect them from poaching doesn't say much for humanity and frankly it sickens me. I don't think keeping animals in captivity is the solution.

Consider if people were killing people of your ethnicity and the solution was to corral you and your kind up and keep you in cages. Do you think that's a good solution? Or do you think there should be stiffer penalties for the killers?

I'd much prefer stiffer penalties to protect endangered species than keeping them in captivity. If I had a choice between my species being extinct or living my days in confinement, I would choose the former. How about you?

ETA: If you don't want to pursue this tangent in this thread, I completely understand. I don't want to derail your thread.

A lot of the endangerment to species is due to consumerism and corporate exploitation, as you probably know, so stiffer penalties may be quite complicated to implement against corporate lobbying and the influence of multibillionaires who benefit the most from ecological destruction.

I completely agree that zoos are insufficient as a solution and that stiffer penalties are needed, though.

(I also agree with your edit about not pursuing this tangent further if @Eddi prefers otherwise.)

 

[Quintessence]

Plants > Animals

 

[Secret Chief]

I'm sure there are some that are better than others, but to me, that's like choosing the better prisons to visit.

At most, I think zoos should be a temporary solution until penalties are stiffened for these idiots that get their jollies by killing animals.

Trouble is, the major problems globally are climate change (eg polar bears) and loss of habitat (eg orangutans).

 

[Mock Turtle]

I'm not sure I would enjoy working in any sort of zoo, or even the safari park types where animals are much more free as to their existence. There is still the consideration that all are in captivity despite how we might treat them, and I doubt this would leave my mind. For many, they might not exist were it not for the facilities we can provide, but as far as I can tell most of these don't allow for the more natural behaviours that would occur were they out in the wild - such as hunting other species for example. Those who work with animal species certainly do seem to have a love towards those they look after, so presumably they have come to accept some compromises made when I'm sure most would prefer to see all animals to exist in their natural environment. Conservation programmes seem to be another compromise, and where many of such animals are then sent back into the wild and might go extinct if we didn't intervene. I haven't visited a zoo since I was small but I doubt the sadness of seeing so many creatures in captivity would leave me.

 

[Revoltingest]

Would you like to be a zookeeper?

I would, I love animals

It is one of my dream jobs

I would rather look after animals than plants, they are much more interesting because they move around and do things

Animals also have souls, unlike plants

However a big part of the job would involve shovelling ****

Also, there are some animals I really dislike, namely chimpanzees and gorillas although I like orangutans

And I wouldn't want to work with any animal that might kill me such as a lion, a tiger, or a bear, especially if it might want to eat me

My favourite zoo animals are pinipeds: seals, sea lions, walrusses

Some say zoos are unethical but I think they are good for conservation, research, and education

Would you want to be a zookeeper?

What animals would you most and least want to work with?

No.
It sounds like work.
And I'd have to move to someplace with a zoo.

 

[JustGeorge]

I am a zookeeper.

 

[Eddi]

doesn't say much for humanity and frankly it sickens me.

You're right, it doesn't

But we're in the world we're in

Humanity sickens me, have you seen a photo of a mutilated rhinoceros that's been killed and had its horn removed?

It's horrific

I'd much prefer stiffer penalties to protect endangered species than keeping them in captivity.

I'd have the poachers shot if it were up to me

If I had a choice between my species being extinct or living my days in confinement, I would choose the former. How about you?

It depends what you mean by confinement

I spend a lot of time living in the confines of my home without going out

If it's nice and warm and stocked with food and if there's an internet connection and a TV then I'm happy

If humanoid rhinoceroses kept me in such conditions I wouldn't complain although I'd like them to let me out every so often

 

[☆Dreamwind☆]

No I don't think so. As great as it would be to try n care for animals, I don't have the know how to do so