The (Video) Call of the Wild
After last week, a bunch of loyal readers requested a happier topic. Fair enough. I think we could all use a little escapism right now, and this probably isn’t the time for me to double down on rape stories in sports…
That said, I’m leaning into a tried and true area of interest: cute animals.
With everyone stuck at home, zoos and animal sanctuaries have been turning to technology to keep people engaged. Considering the ethical concerns of zoos and the likelihood of limited visitor capacity for years to come, what does the future hold for our favourite animal houses?
Moral Koalafications
I know I told you this would be a positive piece, but I can’t talk about zoos without highlighting some major issues that come with keeping creatures in captivity. From Black Fish to Tiger King to Harambe (R.I.P) we’ve seen first hand that animal abuse is rampant within the industry.
The unfortunate reality is that zoos breed animals as a business model. Like Walmart, the success of a zoo is measured by patrons experiencing behaviours they can't see anywhere else. A zoo is profitable because it has the right animals to show to the public, and, as such, they are incentivized to keep populating their enclosures. But how do you keep a stream of animals readily available?
You do it like they do on the Discovery Channel...
Breeding, for those of you who missed the reference.
The concerns of exotic animal breeding are vast and horrifying. Namely, how do you guarantee genetic diversity when you only have so many eligible mates? An enclosure is essentially "The Bachelor in Paradise" island for eternity, so zoos have to take preventative measures to control who mates with who and who is able to actually conceive. There is also the issue of space. You might need more creatures to make more money, but real estate is hard to come by. As we well know by now, if the capacity is 10, it's first-come first-served, and the rest of us idiots have to stand outside the LCBO with masks on...
So how do zoos both maintain the reproductive capabilities of their animals while also preventing being overrun by baby booms? Only in the most disturbing ways possible: exotic animal birth control. That's right, U.S. zoos commonly use IUDs, vasectomies, and pills to control reproduction while allowing for the possibility of breeding in the future.
Awful.
In Europe the situation is arguably more bleak, with the surplus of animals being euthanized to control populations. If that sounds worse to you, welcome to the first wave of understanding why access to birth control is important. That said, these animals have no ability to comprehend what is happening to their bodies, and, for any of my ladies who have been on the pill, that is abuse enough.
Beyond the fertility faux-pas, zoos are also criticized heavily for the environments they provide. No matter how much space you have, it will never be enough for a whale or elephant to live as they do in the wild. As such, animals get terrible mental health symptoms while living behind bars.
Think about how this pandemic has been for your own mental health. While your basic needs might all be met, not having the freedom to roam or hug other members of your species takes a toll. If you need any other proof into what being held in captivity can do to your psyche, please take a stroll through Britney's instagram feed...
Of course, zoos do some positive work as well - predominantly in conservation, research, and education initiatives. As an animal lover, I have been to a fair number of zoos in my day. There is nothing quite like a day trip to gawk at giraffes and pay 30$ for a salad. Like many, I get around the morally ambiguous concept of a zoo by citing the same few arguments we've come to know and love:
Zoos help educate the public about endangered animals by creating empathy.
Zoos play a major role in conservation efforts.
Zoos act as research centres to aid our understanding of wild animals.
Zoos are fun, and I read all about them as a child.
Please don't take them away from me.
These arguments are really just bandaids for larger issues. In fact, people often point out that zoos are negatively affecting how we look at endangered species by presenting them as happy and populous behind bars. The concept of "fostering empathy" via close proximity should also be laughable to anybody who has taken the subway.
The fact of the matter is that we know zoos are problematic, but it's still fun to see animals. In much the same way that I know bagels aren't good me or that Forever 21 was morally corrupt - I know zoos need work, but it's a tough pill to swallow. Peter Singer, a Princeton professor, lays it out pretty bluntly:
“There are legitimate arguments for retaining some species of animals in captivity. ..That doesn’t mean that people have to go and look at them.”
woof.
Try to Make Me Go to Rehab…
Unlike zoos, sanctuaries have a much more humane approach to the animal observation business. The main distinction being that sanctuaries don't breed their own attractions. Instead they take in animals that have been abused or abandoned and aren't able to reintegrate into the wild.
Love her or hate her, but Carole Baskin rescues big cats from the over-breeding and space issues of other zoos. She runs a legitimate non profit organization, despite what her haters say, and her main goal is to provide a sanctuary for animals previously abused in weird big cat sex-cults. Looking at you, Doc Antle.
While Carole may not be the best example of ethics, these kinds of sanctuaries and rescue organizations exist all over the world. For the large Ottawa demographic in this audience, Little Rays Reptile Zoo is a great example of an ethical, education-focused refuge.
The befits of sanctuaries are relatively obvious. They act as a perfect win/win where animals are taken care of and people are able to take advantage of the educational benefits regular zoos spout on about. Moreover, sanctuaries have long been listed as the future of zoos and the only real way to provide a humane animal-viewing experience. Even animal tourism has taken this approach. Instead of riding elephants in Thailand, for example, the new fashion of the day is to go care for them humanely. A huge step in the right direction.
Sanctuaries have also brought about the idea of the unzoo, which, not to double down on the Ottawa references, is akin to Park Omega. The unzoo is a large space that allows visitors to view animals in their natural environments. Like a safari or a fenced in nature walk, the goal is to let animals exist as the would in the wild, and for people to have a chance to experience it without any qualms of abuse.
Twitter Critters
Alas, pretty much none of this is relevant in a world where our big outings include doing groceries and screaming on the roof to feel alive. With COVID, more and more of our world exists online, and zoos and sanctuaries have both followed suit. Without visitors, these organizations have turned to online means to garner support. From Youtube series, live feedings, and instagram it's easier than ever to get your animal fix without factoring in the ethics of your viewing.
Take, for instance, this absolutely insane independent farmer who has rigged up a Twitch live stream feeding contraption for his ducks. You can send money electronically that will instantaneously release food into the water, throwing the birds into a frenzy for your own amusement. Adorable.
The next time you have a slow day in the "office", I highly recommend it.
Actually, I've enjoyed these live streams and duck feedings so much that it makes me wonder if I will ever go visit a zoo in-person again. If we could shift the experience of zoos online, it opens the doors for a few things.
First, it would eliminate the need for entertainment-based zoos with whale performances, animal photo ops, and the like. Of course the Doc Antles of the world will always find ways to monetize at the expense of helpless animals, but delegitimizing in-person visits could be a good start.
Secondly, it takes away the need to have physical enclosures in the first place. Imagine, if you will, a world where our animal interactions exist purely through a web cam. I get damn hyped when there’s a new Animal Planet out, but think about living that experience live. With tracking technology, go-pros etc.. there is an opportunity to create online zoos purely based on brand. You could, in theory, put cameras all over the world and have viewers drop in whenever they want to see what's happening. Instead of forcing seals to pathetically clap along to your bucket of fish at Marine Land, why not develop a system where clients could donate money to a conservation organization and shoot fish out of a cannon toward a heard of wild seals? This duck farmer figured it out, and I think the potential exists for all types of species.
Zoorassic Park
I'm not the first one to make these kinds of suggestions, and I'm praying to not be the last. In fact, multiple companies are looking into virtual reality as an option for the future of zoos. Like Zoo Tycoon meets the Matrix.
For example, National Geographic developed an absolutely bat shit experience called Encounter Ocean Odyssey where you can explore the ocean as if you were swimming in it. The experience boasts that you can "play with sea lions" and "get up-close with a majestic life-sized humpback whale." And honestly, the photos look incredible.
I'm optimistic that this will be the future of animal education and tourism. Gone are the days of banging on the glass of a depressed animal. Now we have the technology to immerse ourselves in their environments without actually touching anything. We can learn and observe from the comfort of our own homes, and we can afford animals the same luxury. Mutual respect. Not only is this humane, but it's really fucking cool. Truly we could have a real life Jurassic Park without the risk. How dope is that?
Now that we know this kind of technology exists, why would we subject poor creatures to birth control, depression, and euthanasia for our own amusement? It seems to me that we can get an even bigger thrill through these controlled environments. Another Harambe massacre can’t happen if we aren’t there in the first place. Instead, Harambe could be a creature you cuddle with or who helps you swing from tree to tree. Like Tupac at Coachella, anything is possible with holograms and VR.
Believe it or not, this is on Amazon
Although there will likely always be a place for sanctuaries, I think it's time we alter our thinking around zoos. What do we actually need to see these animals for? Maybe we don't need to slap the top of a stingrays back or feel emotionally connected to a dancing elephant to learn about their species. Maybe it's enough to respect their beauty from a distance or interact with a virtual copy. Hopefully we can make that enough.
And, until we figure out what our new world normal is, I’ll just keep feeding ducks online
