Some zoos really do try, I give them that. Some zoos, not as much. Comparing the San Diego Wildlife Park to the LA Zoo was a very good example of this. There were endless animals at the LA zoo showing signs of Zoochosis including but not limited to; fossa, leopard, giant anteater, flamingos, elephants, various monkeys, chimps (there was fights going on all day), and gorillas. At the San Diego wildlife park, I don't recall seeing any animals showing obvious signs of stress. Both are AZA accredited, so why the big difference? Funding for one, and limited space as well, but I believe it is just too much boredom. Primates are hard ones because of their complex minds. Chimps are very aggressive creatures and you heard them screaming (in rebellion) when it was time to put them away. The gorillas were listed because of the boredom visible. No aggression or nervous tendencies, just zoning out. Some monkeys were fine, but some were bored like the gorillas. It's not like they can let the animals go for a walk, but they can try enriching their lives with natural behavior such as making them forage for their food in their enclosure. Giving them different devices that stimulate small children such as balls or tire swings. Now they most likely have their reasons against it, but still. The fossa had no stimulation whatsoever. He just had a habitat with a little tunnel. I am not sure what the fossa eats (in captivity), but maybe they could give it live mice to hunt. To some (including myself) it sounds cruel, but the animal needs to be stimulated. If I had a fossa, it would be put in an arboreal habitat with meat hiding in the trees or underneath a rock (somewhere it had to work to get it). This one didn't have any climbing things whatsoever. Also am I the only one who thinks howler monkeys with a giant anteater is stressful for the anteater? I feel the various screeching would not be good for the little (big) guy. I hate to seem to be venting on just the LA zoo, other zoos do this too. And the La zoo has good stuff too it had many good things to it. Their echidna was in a Koala habitat and he looked more than happy to be waddling around. Same goes for Zebras. They seemed to love chilling in their little habitat. And don't get me started on the Meerkats begging for food (I didn't cave). I just do not like zoos because of that illness. Space IS limited and it DOES make it extremely difficult to pack different species of roaming elephant herds into a divided couple acres of land. Your thoughts on improving the condition? Do you think that more caretake to animal involvement should happen (playing with animal, feeding animal in a stimulating way, making daily different challenges for animal)
