This makes me so sad.....

YogaMama

http://www.friendsofmaggie.net/

I have not heard about Maggie...have any of you?

Brigid

I saw a special on PBS about the Hohenwald, Tennessee Elephant sanctuary and it was so encouraging and comforting. Those people are truly remarkable in their vision, commitment, love, compassion, knowledge and understanding of how the female elephant needs to live. They've built an incredible sanctuary and it's so strange and wonderful that the hills of Tennessee actually mimic the natural habitat of both Asian and African elephants so closely. How odd is that?

The interference and cruelty of humans to animals large and small is an issue that makes me lose my level head and I have a tendency to become overly emotional about it which is why I rarely talk about it with other people. I learned early on with Greenpeace that if you can't remain calm and rational when talking about issues you lose your credibility as an advocate. But witnessing the suffering of an animal pushes me right over the edge and even though I've tried so hard to stay on the middle path I haven't succeeded yet.

Cirque De Soliel, which was founded in my hometown of Montreal, began as a mission to create a grand circus without the use of a single animal. And they succeeded, to put it mildly. My father brought me to a three ring circus with all the animals when I was a little girl and I cried for hours and hours and hours. I sobbed myself into exhaustion and my father promised me that we'd never, ever go to anything like that again. Years later I had the great fortune of being able to see Cirque De Soliel in Montreal and I cried with joy through the whole thing. It's still one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.

I know that some zoos are creating better habitats for their animals but the general conditions of most zoos is sickening, with sadistic or incompetent handlers and keepers and "environments" that just make me want to scream. I've seen too much footage to be able to take any of their spokespeople seriously. But I have to believe things are getting better, like the elephant sanctuary in Tennessee.

YogaMama

Birigd, I agree with you completely. I hate going to the zoo. Especially our zoo here in the midwest. How do you think those animals from Africa enjoy it here in the winter time?? And the poor wolves and animals that are enclosed in these terribly small enclosures with no room to run around. It's awful.

I have a hard time keeping my cool when it comes to the treatment of animals as well.

Brigid

Oh, the wolves! That's what really drove me crazy. Wolves are the largest ranging mammals on earth and to be put in a cage must be like a hell realm to them. We had a horrible little zoo in the town where I went to university and there was a pen for two pure white arctic wolves and they'd just run around and around and around the enclosure and I'd sit there and cry. It makes me sick to my stomach to remember. Their behavior and the look in their eyes was desperation and madness. To witness a regal creature being tortured that way changed me forever. I should add PETA to my list of heroes on MySpace.

bushinoki

Fortunately, it is as mentioned, the situation overall is improving. Personally, I do favor leaving animals in their natural habitat, and just finding an affordable way to to bring the humans to them.

federica

I would say, by and large, Zoos in the West are really getting to grips with the right way to house, treat and raise animals....Sometimes it's a conservation issue.... and they "thrive" better than in the wild, because due to all sorts of problems (usually caused by Man in the first place!) it's the only choice left....

Mock them if you like, but the likes of Steve Irwin (Aussie Croc Man) and David Attenborough (British Naturalist, ardent conservationist and all-round Good-Egg) have done so much to raise the public awareness to the desperate need for looking after our Zoological feathered and furry friends (and all the ones in between....!)