Most zoos them take in animals that are sick, hurt, or in danger and can’t be returned to the wild. They keep these animals on display and learn from them, so they can protect them and even prevent their species from going extinct.
Some zoos, however, keep animals that they shouldn’t.
They are forced to live in poor conditions and even chain them to their cages. That’s the case with the Samutprakarn Crocodile Farm and Zoo in Thailand. A baby orangutan is chained in an enclosure.
The poor baby orangutan is forced to pose for photos with tourists all day. He should be exploring the jungle with his mother. In the wild, orangutans cover a lot of miles and spend their days playing in the trees and socializing with their own kind.
A recent video shared by a tourist at the zoo showed the baby orangutan wearing shorts and attempting to interact with people at the zoo.
His chain barely gave him any room to move. The tourists would call to him and he would attempt to get to them, only to be held back by his chain. It’s pitiful to watch.
At one point, he finds a piece of trash in his cage and tries to eat it. His handler or a zookeeper starts hitting him to get him to stop, and many of the tourists laugh. It’s sad to watch, and it’s clear that the orangutan is scared.
Prashant Khetan, chief executive officer for Born Free USA, said:
“Orangutans are typically solitary, so getting one to interact with humans will take some ‘training’ — which is why this orangutan is chained and at one point abused by his handler. They can live to 40–50 years. There will come a time when the orangutan will need to be disposed of because this ‘act’ is no longer profitable for the owner.”
This baby was likely stolen from its mother or purchased from poachers.
Sometimes, the mothers are even killed so the babies can be taken. The babies are easier to train and more appealing to crowds. When they get older or if they cannot be trained, they are often killed, too.
Primate advocate Greer Bullock, of Sheffield, England, watched the video and was upset at what she saw. She created a petition that asks the zoo to stop mistreating the orangutans. Her petition already has over 100,000 signatures. She talked about the video, saying:
“My heart instantly broke. I did some research into the zoo and was horrified at the extent of the terrible conditions the animals are kept in. I knew I had to do something to try to help.”
She hopes that the petition will convince the zoo to treat the baby better and, if possible, return it to its mother.
There are many other animals on display at the zoo, and like the orangutans, they are living in horrible conditions and are being forced to perform several times a day against their will.
“This poor baby should be with its mother in a forest,” Bullock said. “I really hope that we are able to get the zoo shut down and the animals relocated to sanctuaries, where they can get the love and care they need.”
While it’s not likely that things will change for these animals for a while, it’s important to raise awareness of the problem.
If the zoo gets enough complaints and negative publicity, the staff may start taking better care of the animals and learn better business practices. Many people hope that the zoo will be closed.Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
