I voted for zoos 10 times and it made no difference to the number of pro-zoo votes, am i doing something wrong or is the whole thing just made up?
I see the totals are changing. Apparently you have to leave the site and return in order to vote again. I mean, if anyone wanted to actually do something so unethical, that is
Thanks, I'll try that then; just to make up for all those unethical antizoo people who are probably doing the same.
I suspect it may have to do with cookies. I reject them generally. And my votes are showing up. All in the name of science... of course
Ugh, not this again. How dare we feed and care for animals with the best nutritional and veterinary care.
Such a stupid report, no wonder the no vote is 'winning', a story about (and I paraphrase) a miserable elephant in frozen Alberta and a corrupt zoo in Ukraine that is killing its animals. The poll is pointless. Had they lead with cute fluffy baby animals in the sunshine I'm sure it would be different. Rubbish, lazy reporting that does nothing other than fill up the required wordcount of the journalist.
At least the reason for voting yes is stated as "they are important for conservation and education". I've always believed that a common, if not the most common, reason for disliking zoos is pure ignorance. I know way too many people who think that zoos are just places for looking at funny exotic animals, and that zoos still keep their animals in literal cramped cages like in your average Donald Duck comic. And many people fail to realize that a well-cared for animal in a modern zoo is probably just as happy as it would be in the wild - just like humans also like being waited on and not being forced to do all the hard work themselves.
The problem with this 'survey' and the three questions is that it lumps all zoos together. There are many zoos that I have visited that are cruel and do nothing whatsoever for conservation or real education. There are even more that I have not visited where I know the same applies. It may well be, on a worldwide count, that the majority of zoos fit that mould. I am pro zoo, pro good zoo. All zoos are not the same.
Vary true Peter Dikinson. Your clearly a bold guy who has strong opinions. The poll is stupid and as Shirokuma says it leads people to say "no" to zoos!
I quite agree Peter. These kinds of surveys are worthless. I suspect the anti-zoo lobby have voted multiple times because they are driven by their convictions. Most people who visit zoos and don't have a problem tend not to get involved in this debates. You are correct also that not all zoos are the same international or nationally; particularity when there maybe no legal structures in place to ensure basic animal care standards. It's a bit like comparing health care for humans in the developed world with health care in the developing world - there will be stark differences.
Two problems I think we have is that (a) these people believe all they read or see in the media and (b) zoos can be very bad at explaining what they actually do as regards conservation, eduction and research; in my mind the prime reasons zoo should exist. There was a very good programme on the UK's Horizon science strand presented by biologist Sir Paul Nurse called "Science Under Attack". He comes to similar conclusions as regards the general populations understanding of science as my two points above. [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Nurse]Paul Nurse - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame] The programme is on You Tube in 6 parts. Worth watching.
I for one can't be bothered to argue with someone who I know beforehand won't change his mind and for whom any given subject (be it euthanasia, abortion or zoos) is either black or white. I also can't be bothered to participate in an internet survery that even a kid can mess with and vote in as often as he likes (it only takes a bit of toying with IP numbers, cookies and such; but such stuff is beyond me to understand, I only know this since my former flatmate told me this). I also know that this silly little Internet survey won't mean the end of zoos so I'm not too worried about it. As to those who take the results seriously, well, their problem if they are this short of ability to think.
