Saturday, May 26, 2012Mostly Cloudy 17°C
City

Animals Jealous of the Toronto Zoo?

Posted by Tim / July 8, 2006

I don't really see what's to be jealous about, but the Toronto Zoo is running a campaign insinuating that animals would rather be confined for life in fake environments like the zoo and gawked at by children rather than living in their natural habitats. Here's one of their TV spots. Two more on You Tube.

They also have a web site supporting their campaign at Jealous Animals.

Discussion

8 Comments

David Topping / July 8, 2006 at 12:37 pm
user-pic
I thought that the ads were kindof funny, regardless of their implications.
Sameer Vasta / July 8, 2006 at 01:03 pm
user-pic
They are kinda clever. Anybody know what firm created them?
Michael / July 8, 2006 at 02:56 pm
user-pic
Are zoos evil? I think I have a stronger appreciation for animals because I've seen them at the zoo as a kid. I'm not going to defend bad zoo pracitices around the world, but I think a zoo is valuable to a kid's education.
Adele / July 8, 2006 at 10:19 pm
user-pic
The ads <I>are</i> funny, and they're meant to imply that the non-zoo animals are jealous that the zoo animals are getting so much praise from the zoo-goers'.
<P>
While zoos aren't exactly ideal habitats for wild animals, they are often safer havens for animals whose species are in danger. Zoos do a wonderful job of preserving all kinds of species, and zoos in developed countries have a keen understanding of animals' needs and do their best to provide the best environment and care.
<P>
Activists love to talk shit about how evil zoos are, but they fail to acknowledge that few people around the world love their animals as much as North Americans do. Better here in a zoo that cares for their well-being and preservation than in their "natural" habitat where they're killed for a quick buck by careless and greedy people.
<P>
While zoos used to be only for business, the facilities have really evolved. Technology is now being developed that will catalogue zoos' animals around the world to provide better tracking and communication between facilities so that all the zoos involved will have a more accurate picture of the world's animals.
<P>
But maybe you're right--zoos are clearly the bad guys here!
Matt / July 8, 2006 at 11:15 pm
user-pic
Some people believe that animals in zoos actually are happier than animals in the wild, because their lifestyles inherently have a lower stress level under controlled circumstances. Obviously, it's impossible to substantiate such an idea, but it's a nice theory.
anon / July 9, 2006 at 12:05 pm
user-pic
The equation of happiness and low stress is the principal problem with that theory. I can just hear the average tiger, "I've just had enough of my go,go,go lifestyle in the wild! I'd love to just chillax on the couch and watch some tv for a while. Oh, the claws? Yeah, you can take those, they're a pain to keep up anyway." Isn't this just a projection? Humans make great pets and zoo animals--it's our ideal of happiness. But healthy animal species, unlike ours, tend to not fit that model.

North Americans "love" "their" animals by anthropomorphizing them: making them wear tshirts and pose for pictures in front of beer bottles, or parading around in pet shows. And they only "love" their cute animals. Whales? Seals? Heck yes! Cows, chickens? Screw you, man.
Shannon / July 11, 2006 at 09:20 pm
user-pic
This campaign was done by Lowe Roche, Toronto; directed by Brian Lee Hughes of Reginald Pike, Toronto.
colin / October 24, 2007 at 08:56 pm
user-pic
I work at the zoo. Its really nice and i think ya its for people loving the animals so much there. also not predators, all the food they can eat. and specialty enrichment its pretty awsome to be an animal at the zoo.

Add a Comment

Other Cities: VancouverMontreal