Darling Downs Zoo Cubs not going to circus...

Lion cubs Spike and Spot spared from circus cruelty! | Animals Australia

Thoughts??

 

Quote from article "Spike and Spot are two of four lion cubs that were born in Darling Downs Zoo in October 2011. If the zoo had sent them to a circus, they would have spent the rest of their lives (potentially 20+ years) on the road in a small, barren enclosure with no opportunity to express their natural behaviour."

1/ 10- 14 is the lifespan of a lion in captivity l thought.
2/ Who is saying that a lion in a circus has a better life than a lion in a zoo. What do they base this opinion on? I have seen what appears to be an appearance of utter boredom on many many lions in captivity.
3/ is it perhaps cruel to keep a lion in the same 1000sqm2 or less for its whole life?

 

Just another article, less bias
Cubs aren't off to join the circus: zoo owner

 

Why not? I think they serve the purpose of alerting us to situations that we probably would not have been aware of.

Maybe what you mean is that we should take their comments and views with a bucket of salt.

Are there travelling circuses in Australia that still use animals, much more, big cats as part of their shows? I thought most developed countries banned this practice years ago? I thought that circuses were headed towards a Cirque du Soleil model - I saw them a couple years ago and they did not have a single animal, not a even a domesticate dog or horse in sight.

 

Steve, I'll happily buy the lions off you. What's your price?

 

Once again, Chlidonias has hit the nail on the head!!

Read the animal lib article carefully - the words they use are "may" and "could" and "rumoured".

We don't respond to claims by self-appointed, left-wing loony groups. Experience has shown that they will take your words and selectively edit them to produce the result that they want. This little beat up is a classic case of how they operate. They made the claims on an incestuous FB page, whipped up their supporters into a frenzy of self-righteousness and after a while, when the cubs hadn't gone anywhere, claimed credit for "saving" them from the circus.

Our cubs are still here and any decisions made about their future will, as always, be made with their best interests at heart - not as a result of any input from a group who also has the banning of zoos as part of their agenda.

 

So, just to be sure I understand you, I can't have an encounter with the cubs, and I will not be able to buy the cubs off you?

 

Yes, there are still lions and primates in circus's in Australia. (Stardust/Lennon's).
And Steve, you haven't denied any rumours about the cubs originally going to this circus have you?

 

Hey Macaw11 or who ever you are?

How about you use your real name and perhaps even provide your address.

Before you make any more posts on here that are targeted at individual that you very obviously have an agenda towards.

It would seem to be fair as we have these details on Steve.

PS,

I would be willing to bet that a purchase you made or a item you ate, came from an animal who suffered far more than any lion ever would in a circus today.

 

I know Steve well enough to know that he wouldn't comprimise the wellbeing of the lion cubs . I know animal rights groups well enough to know that that they have an agenda that is anti any activity between humans and animals.

 

True - my experience and my opinion of animal liberationists is they are very one minded - the mentality of ''our opinions are correct - its our way or the highway". I have witnessed (as im sure we all have at times) animal libs twisting/selecting/moulding information to better suite their cause. but i do not blame them - because of 1 word - PASSION. These people are passionate about what they believe, they are passionate about animals and want to do everything in their power to help them. This is all well and good, but they often refuse to see the 'other side', and often go about things the wrong way.

The people who work with these animals take these alligations hard (even if we appear to take it with a grain of salt) because they are just as passionate. We are the ones on 24hour call caring for these animals - we are the ones up all night waiting for new mums to deliver our next generations - we are the people working round the clock hand raising these animals - we are the people who dont just work with animals as a job, its a lifestyle - we are the people with more photos of these animals than we have of our own family... and your going to try and tell me we dont have the best interest of these animals at heart?!?!?

 

No need for me to provide you with my personal details...bit like pot calling the kettle black hey Zooman (or is that your birthname?)

I have no agenda on here against Steve, I've heard he's good bloke with a good zoo.

However, if you ask the right people about certain details in this story, you do find out the truth.

Oh, and I know where my food and purchases come from, I don't wear blinkers and I'm well educated on all aspects of animals used for food production.

I also am not an animal activist either. I love a good zoo and work in one too.
However, circus's are outdated and do nothing for conservation and education of exotic species. Most zoo people I know and work with 100% agree.

 

You've just hit the nail on the head too!

Two nails for the price of none!

However, you can have an encounter with adult big cats or even Marmosets - without stretching your post-Valentine's Day budget too far!

 

I shall hold you to that.
Cheers!

 

Groups such as "animals Australia" have a very wide agenda and are far from trustworthy. Zoos are as much on their list to be banned as circuses, its just that they are not completely stupid and know which battles they can win and which will will damage their support. They work on picking of the things they think they can win one at a time and plan on working their way to zoo bans.

By attacking circuses with the claim that they

you give support for for the banning of all zoo programs which are not for conservation of endangered species. Zoos are also for entertainment like circuses. As long as the animals are well cared for and looked after anyone who supports zoos should support circuses with animals.

 

You're kidding right?

I don't care if some zoos are not part of conservation programmes or ZAA members.
As long as the animals are well cared for, receive enrichment and enclosures are of EAPA spacial requirements, then I have no problem with it. As I said before, I work in a large zoo which provides education and lets people enjoy animals without buying plane tickets to Africa, etc, to see them.

The fact that you can compare zoos with circus's is a joke.
Having animals like lions and primates (I use these animals as examples as they're the only exotics left in Aus circus's) travel long distances in the back of trucks and performing stupid tricks is outdated and pathetic.
Considering that lions are not too far off from being considered endangered in the wild, I find it quite insulting that you would think it's fine for them to jump through hoops and live in the back of semi trailers for most of the day. (And before you assume that I'm hopping on the animals lib bandwagon, I've done my research and spent time talking with circus people. I know how it goes).

I'm sure the animal libbers know that zoos are here to stay.
Circus's, however are obselete. Australia just needs to catch up with Greece, the UK, etc, and ban them.

 

The two circuses in Australia (Lennons and Stardust) which still have performing lions appear in the main to do sell-out business, which means a lot of people still want such acts.

A lot of people criticise these things without having ever seen one - they "just know" that it's all too terrible!

Despite not having been to a circus for many years, last year I checked out both these circuses and found that the lion acts were vastly different to the wild whip-cracking acts of old. Both were more like the tiger presentation at Dreamworld. There were definitely no whips or hoops of fire or anything of that type - more like a "love-in" between lionesses and trainer. While it is not the ideal life for big cats( is a zoo?), lions are rather lazy animals and all their needs seemed to be met.