World's leading zoo association overlooked horrific cruelty to animals

Zoos belonging to World Association of Zoos and Aquariums filmed allowing shocking mistreatment of elephants, dolphins, lions, bears, penguins and whales

The Guardian, Oliver Milman, 24 March 2015

A white tiger jumps for his food at Taman Safari in Indonesia. Tourists
are able to pose with tigers there. Photograph: Beawiharta/Reuters

Dozens of examples of harrowing cruelty towards animals in zoos have been overlooked by the world’s top zoo organisation, animal welfare groups have alleged.

Zoos belonging to the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (Waza) have been filmed over the past five years making animals perform dangerous tricks, confining them to inadequate premises and beating them, contrary to Waza’s code of ethics, which demands the “highest standard of animal welfare”.

In November, an animal keeper at Mysore zoo in India was filmed beating an elephant, and Taman Safari in Indonesia runs a travelling dolphin circus in which dolphins are forced to jump through flaming hoops. Tourists are also able to pose with tigers for photos.

Zoo Negara in Malaysia has been condemned by a local MP for the terrible condition of its animals, and Dehiwala Zoo in Sri Lanka has come under fire after the deaths of a hippo, a lion and all the zoo’s penguins. The zoo has also been criticised for an elephant show in which handlers threaten the animals with sticks to make them do tricks.

A manacled performing elephant has been filmed at Dusit Zoo in Bangkok, and Almaty zoo in Kazakhstan and the National Taiwan Aquarium have been accused of housing bears and beluga whales, respectively, in sub-standard enclosures.

In 2009, a South Korean TV show filmed a small, terrified bear being placed inside a tiger enclosure at Everland Park.

All these zoos are members of Waza, a Switzerland-based organisation that acts as the peak member body for the world’s zoos. As revealed by the Guardian, Waza is being taken to court by an Australian conservation group over its alleged complicity in the infamous dolphin hunts in Taiji, Japan.

Waza’s code of ethics states that where animals are used in performances by zoos, they must “focus on natural behaviour” and “not demean of trivialise the animal in any way”.

It states: “Waza and its members should make all efforts in their power to encourage substandard zoos and aquariums to improve and reach appropriate standards. If it is clear that the funding or the will to improve is not there, Waza would support the closure of such zoos and aquariums.”

Despite these stipulations, Waza has confirmed that no zoo featured in the videos of alleged cruelty has been expelled, or publicly or privately condemned.

Waza has more than 300 individual zoo members, including London Zoo, the Zoological Society of San Diego, Toronto Zoo, Bronx Zoo and Melbourne Zoo.

Sarah Lucas, head of Australia for Dolphins, which is leading the court action against Waza, said the organisation was too closely wedded to the interests of its members.

“It’s very easy to find abuses in these zoos – elephants being beaten or bears being kept in tiny, grimy cages – but Waza doesn’t call out its members on any of these abuses,” she said.

“It’s easy to form the view that Waza is an organisation that protects its members’ interests above that of the animals.

“Many of the zoos and aquariums do take the code of ethics seriously, but there’s clearly a significant number that don’t and Waza itself doesn’t take it seriously. They need to enforce it, to take action. They’ve either got to do their job or stop pretending to be a policeman for zoos and aquariums.”

Lucas said Waza’s dual role as a voice for zoos and a conservation organisation was “inherently conflicted”.

Waza has previously expelled zoos for breaches of conduct, such as Johannesburg Zoo for the illegal importation of animals last year.

A spokeswoman for Waza said it took “reputable and reasonable complaints” very seriously. She said there had been no complaints over any of the examples of abuse highlighted by the Guardian, but that the man filmed beating an elephant at Mysore zoo had been fired.

The claims have raised concerns among Waza members, with one, Kolmarden Zoo in Sweden, weighing up whether to quit the organisation.

The director of the zoo, Mats Höggren, said he could not be part of the same organisation as the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which takes dolphins from the Taiji hunt.

“We can’t be even indirectly associated, that’s not possible,” he said. “We feel horrible about what’s happening over there and we need to put pressure on Waza to do something.

“We will wait a little longer but there needs to be something constructive or we will terminate our membership, for sure.”

Höggren sits on the executive committee of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, and said it would also discuss Waza membership.

Sir Richard Branson has added his voice to the condemnation of Waza’s link to the dolphin hunts.

“I was shocked to learn that the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which is meant to protect animals, has members that are heavily involved in the horrific capture of dolphins in Japan,” the Virgin founder said in a statement.

“I join with Australia for Dolphins in calling on Waza to end its support for these organisations, and to end its toleration of taking animals from the wild using traumatic methods. Waza is the world’s peak captivity body and it should take a strong stance – no dolphins or whales should be captured from the sea ever again.”

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Kryon Q&A

Question: Dear Kryon: I live in Spain. I am sorry if I will ask you a question you might have already answered, but the translations of your books are very slow and I might not have gathered all information you have already given. I am quite concerned about abandoned animals. It seems that many people buy animals for their children and as soon as they grow, they set them out somewhere. Recently I had the occasion to see a small kitten in the middle of the street. I did not immediately react, since I could have stopped and taken it, without getting out of the car. So, I went on and at the first occasion I could turn, I went back to see if I could take the kitten, but it was to late, somebody had already killed it. This happened some month ago, but I still feel very sorry for that kitten. I just would like to know, what kind of entity are these animals and how does this fit in our world. Are these entities which choose this kind of life, like we do choose our kind of Human life? I see so many abandoned animals and every time I see one, my heart aches... I would like to know more about them.

Answer: Dear one, indeed the answer has been given, but let us give it again so you all understand. Animals are here on earth for three (3) reasons.

(1) The balance of biological life. . . the circle of energy that is needed for you to exist in what you call "nature."

(2) To be harvested. Yes, it's true. Many exist for your sustenance, and this is appropriate. It is a harmony between Human and animal, and always has. Remember the buffalo that willingly came into the indigenous tribes to be sacrificed when called? These are stories that you should examine again. The inappropriateness of today's culture is how these precious creatures are treated. Did you know that if there was an honoring ceremony at their death, they would nourish you better? Did you know that there is ceremony that could benefit all of humanity in this way. Perhaps it's time you saw it.

(3) To be loved and to love. For many cultures, animals serve as surrogate children, loved and taken care of. It gives Humans a chance to show compassion when they need it, and to have unconditional love when they need it. This is extremely important to many, and provides balance and centering for many.

Do animals know all this? At a basic level, they do. Not in the way you "know," but in a cellular awareness they understand that they are here in service to planet earth. If you honor them in all three instances, then balance will be the result. Your feelings about their treatment is important. Temper your reactions with the spiritual logic of their appropriateness and their service to humanity. Honor them in all three cases.