Singapore. I lived here for five long
years and I just love this tiny red dot country in the world map. There are so
many good things that happened to me here and I definitely learned a lot here,
gained new experiences, developed new friendships and from here, I managed to
travel to many beautiful places on earth. I can write so many things about
Singapore but I want to talk about their zoos and other animal sanctuaries.
I do not have pet and I do not want to have one in any time
soon. I read about the plight of so many activists about the lives of animals
in the zoo specifically in other countries. In the Philippines, the battle
between the local government and PETA for the freedom of a Sri Lanka-born elephant
named Mali is still on going. I found out then that there are many animal care
association or groups who fights for the right of these animals to live a
normal life and get their freedom from such discarded living condition like the
Manila Zoo for example. Mali’s condition, based on what I have read, is getting
terrible each day. I remember seeing Mali about 8 or 9 years ago and honestly,
I cannot how her condition was but all I know is that Mali is alone in
captivity. And to be alone is all but sad.
In Singapore, the zoo is different. I have been to the
Singapore Zoo for so many times that I could not count it anymore. And this
place is heaven for the animals. The place is definitely clean. The housing
condition of the animals is very nice. It is actually better than in the slums
that I have elsewhere. And I do believe that the zoo has enough staff,
facilities, food and medicines to take care of the animals in their habitat. I
could say that the animals here are not in captivity as they do have a first
world living condition. Although living in the wild is completely different
from living in the zoo. I believe that these animals are still lucky because in
this zoo, they are free from any danger that humans can do to them when they
are in the wild.
Aside from Singapore Zoo, Jurong Bird Park is also an amazing
sanctuary for different types of birds. This is where I first saw birds such as
Snowy Owls, Flamingos, Pelican and some other colourful birds that I have never
seen in other places yet. Then they also have the Night Safari and River Safari
which both I have never been to. I think I will find time to see the River
Safari when I come back in March.
So for me, I believe that not all zoos should be closed down
and set the animals free and put them in their natural sanctuaries. Singapore Zoo is an example of such places that takes good care of the welfare of the animals, educating the children and adults as well and a place that helps everyone learn how to take proper care of our pets and animals. There are other
zoos that should be closed down because they do it only for profit and
commercialization and does not care about the welfare of the animals.
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jigomeister
10.02.2014
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