WILDLIFE AND WELFARE
By : Drh Rio Aditya, MSc.
image credit to Joan de la Malla
Tina, an 8 year old girl is taking a walk around her neighbourhood with her parents. From a distance, there is the loud sound of beating drums and the area is surrounded by children her own age. A long tailed monkey is wearing a mask and dancing, while holding an umbrella in its right hand. Unlike her friends, who are laughing at the monkey, Tina feels sad to see the chain around that monkey. While continue watching, she asks her mom, “Mom, why does the monkey has to be chained and dragged around? Isn’t that cruel?”
The long tailed monkey (Macaca fascicularis) in this story is an example of a wildlife animal with no welfare. According to Law No. 5 Year 1990, wildlife defines the animals, that live on land and/or water and/or air, which still maintain their own natural demeanours, either living freely or being kept by humans. Violence and exploitations towards wildlife animals are well documented since the Roman Empire – hundreds of years before AD, where wildlife animals were captured and their deaths was being shown to the public. Around that period, wildlife animals were often used as an attraction for public festivals. Their sufferings can be seen throughout the many available documentaries, describing their horrific treatments. Elephants, for example, were trained by Roman soldiers by keeping them hungry and using whips as training methods, which were considered to be effective at that time.
Not until circa the 19th century, some people like Tina, started to influence the public’s opinion still believing that “animals don’t have souls”. Various protests regarding cruel animal practices, especially towards wildlife, already took place during that time.
These past years, there has been a growing interest within the science industry regarding animals and their welfare. To find out more about what defines animal welfare in general, please see here. These so called ‘thought changes’ also influenced the empathy and respect towards life in general from all communities, and had an effect on the way how humans interact with wildlife animals in general.
What are our impacts on wildlife?
According to Fraser (2011), there are four categories of human actions, which have an impact to wildlife sustainability.
FIRSTLY
Unlike domestic animals, like e.g. dogs and cats; their welfare is so much easier to be maintained. It is more complicated for wildlife animals. Wildlife animals are far more difficult to be approached and it is proven that because of their inhibited wild demeanour, humans are not able to provide them with the same quality of life, which will be equally as good, as when wildlife remains living in their natural habitat.
SECONDLY
the hunting for wildlife. Whether for human consumption, medicine or being considered as nuisances.
THIRDLY
Actions, which cause a direct suffering, but are being done so unintentionally. For example: land clearing of a forest, habitat for agriculture, oil waste and marine trash.
FOURTHLY
actions, which cause indirect sufferings. For example: the use of chemicals in agriculture, the use of non-renewable energy and overall climate change.
What about wildlife animals at the zoo?
Ex-situ conservations, or what is usually known as the zoo and aquariums, are integrated institutions with their own particular goal, which is to keep animals with the purpose of maintaining their life sustainability (not included in this article).
It is to be known that the interest of scientists regarding animal welfare, also influences any changes taken place affecting beliefs within the so called conservatory sector.
From a “recreational” concept to an “animal welfare education center for humans”. There are several rigid and complicated procedures being applied to animal maintenance management. The goal is for all animals to be provided with the best care/animal welfare.
This includes hiring veterinarians, zoology experts, tight welfare evaluation management, design and living space renovations. Including providing options, like in situ conservation facilities; educating people, who wish to participate in maintaining animal welfare within ex-situ and in-situ conservation. Read the article here.
So what do I need to do?
In the end, there is no better home for wildlife animals than their own natural habitat. We could support their sustainability by taking care of the animal environment around us. Avoid the capture of wildlife animals, which can cause them any harm. Let’s start doing good things and have empathy for wildlife animals by sharing this knowledge to our families and friends.
Bibliography:
Wilson, D.A., 2016. WELFARE OF PERFORMING ANIMALS. SPRINGER-VERLAG BERLIN AN.
Mellor, D.J., Hunt, S. and Gusset, M., 2015. Caring for wildlife: the world zoo and aquarium animal welfare strategy. WAZA Executive Office.
Fraser D , MacRae AM 2011, Four types of activities that affect animals: Implications for animal welfare science and animal ethics philosophy, Animal Welfare, 20, 581, 590
Ruth E. Feber, Eva M. Raebel, Neil D’cruze, David W. Macdonald, Sandra E. Baker, Some Animals Are More Equal than Others: Wild Animal Welfare in the Media, BioScience, Volume 67, Issue 1, January 2017, Pages 62–72, https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biw144
