U.S. Government Sends Tigers to a War Zone!
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has issued a permit for Conservators' Center, Inc.—a roadside zoo in Mebane, North Carolina—to send two tigers to the Baghdad Zoo in Iraq.
When the war in Iraq began, the media reported that hundreds of animals at the Baghdad Zoo were killed, stolen, eaten, stuffed, sold, or let loose by looters, or they escaped when mortar blasts damaged their cages. As newspapers and television continue to remind us, the military conflict in Iraq is far from over and incidents of extreme violence are still commonplace. In addition, there is no evidence that Iraq has standards for captive-animal care that are comparable to those in the U.S. and there is no regulatory agency to provide oversight of the zoo and ensure humane and adequate animal husbandry. Documents included with the permit application indicate that animals at the Baghdad Zoo are handled with ropes.
The proposal to send the tigers to the Baghdad Zoo is being portrayed as a gesture of goodwill toward the citizens of Iraq, but it is cruel and irresponsible to put tigers in harm's way in a country where most of the people don't even have access to basic necessities.
Tigers in Iraq Zoo. Not Smart.
-
RedGlitter
- Posts: 15777
- Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2005 3:51 am
Tigers in Iraq Zoo. Not Smart.
This is so sad. When I was little my dad called me tiger. I grew up loving tigers and other big cats. My family was able to visit a tiger/lion rescue about 8 years ago. We got to play with some fiesty cubs. Then we were lead into a large outdoor cage which housed 3 tigers and 2 lions...all full grown. We got to spend some time with an 850lb Siberian tiger named Nakita. He had to smell us and approve of us and then we could sit on/straddle him and give him hugs and kisses. When hubby went up for his smell approval, the tiger wrapped his mouth around hubby's leg...didn't bite down thankfully. We have all kinds of pictures from that. For me it was a dream come true. 
The year after we were there they closed it down for visitors in the cage, a lioness mauled a man that made a sudden move toward his son. These animals weren't trained, just tolerated people as long as the handlers were around. :-4
The year after we were there they closed it down for visitors in the cage, a lioness mauled a man that made a sudden move toward his son. These animals weren't trained, just tolerated people as long as the handlers were around. :-4