Zoo Animals In China Dying From Abuse

We have previously discussed the cruelty shown by Chinese to animals in zoos and circuses. The article below offers a further glimpse into this national and cultural disgrace after a man strangled an ostrich to death in a zoo. Another report shows that a zoo in Shenzen is down to just two crocodiles from a dozen because people are killing them by throwing rocks at them and garbage into their pools.

The pool for the crocodiles were filled with garbage as Chinese visitors thrilled at hitting them with rocks and debris. In another zoo, Chinese threw snowballs at the lions as well as more obnoxious items.

Environmentalists in China have told me that they have to overcome a cultural barrier to caring for nature and animals. I saw the same cultural problem in my visits. This is a high consumer culture where exotic animals are valued more on a plate than in a zoo. This is why I have such respect for Chinese environmentalists who are fighting against both an authoritarian government as well as a cultural hostility to their work.

Source: Atlantic Wire