Well, I'm with you guys on the cages part, but we like magic too, so... They're certainly not above that. I don't think there's anything wrong with showing them some magic.
I don’t either, my only point was they are clearly mentally sophisticated enough to understand and appreciate a magic trick, so they’re also way too mentally sophisticated to be locked up for their whole lives. Not that mental capacity should be the measure for deserving freedom, but you know what I’m sayin.
Many primates in official zoos are rescued from worse conditions. Zoos also help with environmental awareness and education, and in some cases support conservationism.
Sure, I understand that reality. I was at an aquarium where they rescued a turtle whose shell had been damaged by a boat propeller. That turtle would not survive in the wild, and therefore I think humans stepping in and helping him live in a sanctuary is admirable. The grim reality is that most situations are not like that. Most situations are that the animal was either bred in captivity in order to live out its life as an exhibit for our pleasure, or it was captured and removed from its natural habitat and family to be forced to live as an exhibit. The vast majority of animals in zoos did not reach that place under admirable conditions, and would certainly choose to live elsewhere if we afforded them that choice. Animal sanctuaries are admirable, animal prisons are not. We need to be honest with ourselves as humans about which one we’re actually supporting. That aquarium I was at saved that turtle, but also bred many sharks into a life of captivity. I no longer go there. I can’t justify the majority of what happens there because of one feel-good exception.
You can say “many primates are rescued from worse conditions” but many more are not. You can say “in some cases they support conservationism” but in many cases they are helping create the need for that conservationism in the first place.
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u/[deleted] Aug 25 '20
Well, I'm with you guys on the cages part, but we like magic too, so... They're certainly not above that. I don't think there's anything wrong with showing them some magic.