Frozen Tofu, Seitan, and Zoos, oh my!

[megamuphen]

Hello, all! I've been saving up questions so I can do it all in one post

Comments

[digitalelf]

If I can make seitan at home, ANYONE can. ;)

[seaglasslove]

Well I work at a science museum which supports zoos and aquariums. We have our own animal rehabilitation center, and the animals are sent out to schools across the state. They are very well taken care of. The AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) has a very thorough investigation to make sure of that.

Personally, I do not have a problem with any of them as long as the animals are being taken care of properly behind the scenes and in front of the public. However, I think it is very very wrong to take animals out of the wild specifically for "educating the public" and I don't know how often this happens. I'm sure more than I am aware of. But I am very much in support of animals being kept in captivity who would otherwise go extinct (such as Giant Pandas).

[badmoviescript]

A rule of thumb for chimps is that for ever one that makes it into a western zoo, nine more die because the trade is so violent. Chimps are also very vulnerable to human illnesses, specifically upper respiratory infections. That's just one species that I know of that is certainly affected more than just losing their liberty. And does it really matter if a species goes extinct if they'll never be able to live up to their potential again because they're stuck in zoos?
And, anyway, I think documentaries such as Planet Earth (SO FREAKING COOL) do way more for educating the public than unnatural habitats like zoos do.

[vaalea]

Yeah, I love animal planet although it does show the savage and unforgiving side of nature too, but there is NO WAY you can see animal behavior in a zoo the way you can see it on animal planet.

[vaalea]

oops.. you said planet earth... but I'm sure the same applies.

[megamuphen]

I will try this recipe! (well, maybe minus the mushroom powder. *shudder* I have an irrational dislike for fungus).

Thanks for the thoughts on zoos too.

[badmoviescript]

Needlessly incarcerating animals is only the beginning of the issues surrounding zoos. My personal favorite justification for abhorring them is that they teach us a false sense of our place in the world. I actually wrote a paper for my environmental ethics class on this very topic. Perhaps reading Dale Jamieson's against zoos will give you a place to start (http://www.animal-rights-library.com/texts-m/jamieson01.htm) or Tom Regan's "Are Zoos Morally Permissible?" If you'd like to read my paper, I'd happily send it to you, though it is written for someone who is familiar with Jamieson.

[death_by_soy]

I just read that Jamieson piece, thanks for the link, it does a great job of summing things up which is really helpful considering it's next to impossible to get people to read whole books these days.

[megamuphen]

Thanks, I'll be sure to read those.

[death_by_soy]

Zoos are horrible places, yes even the ones with the pretty concrete rocks. There really isn't any good justification for them.

Fewer than five species have been saved from extinction by zoos,

Psychological studies have disproved the educational value of the "animal ambassador" bullshit- findings suggest that after visiting a zoo, people show a significantly greater dominionistic attitude towards animals, and no improved comprehension of the importance of saving habitat and biodiversity.

And as far as research goes- there's the insurmountable problem that captive animals don't behave like their cousins in the wild.

[megamuphen]

Huh! I'll have to look up studies, that's really interesting.