To: The Kunming Zoo,
Kunming,
Yunnan Province,
Peoples' Republic of China.
Attn: The Director.
Thursday, July 31, 1997
Dear Sir,
I hope you will take a moment to read this heartfelt letter.
I am a semi retired medical doctor who has had a life-long interest in zoos. I travel a lot and always make a point of visiting the local zoo. I find that the way animals are treated in zoos is a pretty accurate reflection of the state of civilisation in that country. Most of my travel is in third world countries and I am well used to seeing horrific conditions. But I have to tell you that I was shocked to my core by what I witnessed in Kunming Zoo.
I have visited your Zoo four times now - the first time was in 1994 and the second time was in 1995 when my son was living in Kunming. It was in January this year that I saw the worst act of cruelty of my experience.
It was on 12 January, 1997 - a beautiful early Spring day with cherry blossoms. Quite a few cages were under reconstruction. I was delighted to find that the "Circus Building" was closed, apparently permanently. Most things were much as before – dreadful litter, people throwing plastic bags and all sorts of rubbish into the monkey pit. A new and unhappy feature that I observed for the first time in a Chinese Zoo was the use of all the ponds (including one in the Children's Play Area) for fishing. I was appalled by the conditions lived in by the lonely hippopotamus - a very small area with a tiny filthy pond - and it is made to beg for food.
But the incident which seared my memory was at the elephant house. There was a young man in charge of the adolescent elephants who have new very unimaginative housing. He was manoeuvring an elephant from the outside area to the night quarters – this was obviously the last as the others were already chained to the concrete in small rooms. He repeatedly and quite unnecessarily kept hacking at the elephant's rump and ears with the sharp point of his bull-hook – don't tell me the elephant couldn't feel it, the poor animal was shuddering and jumping to get away but was obviously too frightened to complain. When he had finally got her into her room, he struck her repeatedly as hard as he could on the top of her head with the flat part of the bullhook (a steel bar) – there was a horribly cracking noise and the elephant bellowed out in pain – he then jumped on her shoulders and rode her round in circles in the tiny room. Then many more vicious jabs with the spike until she was in exactly the right position to fasten the chain round her leg. The crowd laughed when I shouted at him. In their natural environment elephants normally walk many miles a day, play, swim and eat with their herd. They love wallowing in the mud and submerging themselves in water. Their emotional lives are astounding. How can any civilised human treat such a magnificent creature in this manner?
My latest visit to the Zoo was on July 20th 1997. I had intended to try to see the Director but the Administrative block was closed as it was a Sunday. But I was able to see why the elephants were being "trained". They were being used to be sat on or stood beside for photography purposes - mainly for children. The same young mahout was in charge - I saw him kicking an elephant, although not very hard - presumably the elephant has "learned". It would seem that the elephants have been identified as money earners and are being abused in the name of financial profit. What a degrading life for a wonderful animal!
There should be an investigation into the treatment of the elephants with appropriate punishment for those found to have abused the animals in their care. A proper system of training should be instituted for the Park Staff.
My visits to the Kunming Zoo have confirmed my belief that zoos exist primarily as entertainment and profit centres. No public space - large or small - which cages wild animals can be a suitable home for living beings adapted by nature to the wild. Neither can zoo personnel, even if well-trained and attentive - which in your zoo they are not - provide real care for the disturbing psychological and emotional maladies so evident in these pent up creatures. No amount of "environmental enrichment" provided by the zoo - no matter how "rich" or "appropriate" - can be sufficient.
The simple truth is that concrete floors, painted trees and artificial ponds can never take the place of natural habitat which is the ONLY environment fit for wildlife. Nor will bars and cages ever teach children about human kindness to animals or - by extension - to other humans. It seems to me that all the visitors really ever learn is that the animals are present for their own amusement.
When will the Kunming Zoo and the global zoo industry recognise that the future of wildlife depends not on putting animals on exhibit but upon preserving their true habitat and concentrating on conservation in the wild? When will zoos stop spreading the message that they try their best to cater to the physical and psychological needs of the animals and that they work hard to save endangered species, to educate, and to provide family fun? When will they face up to the fact that those words are used primarily for public relations purposes? A genuine concern for animal protection and the environment does not and cannot entail keeping, breeding, and displaying captive wild animals; neither can a few isolated "conservation programs" save endangered species.
When will the Kunming Zoo follow the lead of other progressive cities and close its gates?
Thank you for taking the time to consider these serious issues. Your response will be very much appreciated.
"Have a compassionate heart towards all creatures" - Ko Hung (284-363 AD)
"Respect the old and cherish the young . Even insects, grass and trees you
must not hurt" - Ko Hung (284-363 AD)
Yours sincerely,
Dr John Wedderburn.