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"Australia Zoo logo," accessed 1 Nov. 2012, https://twitter.com/AustraliaZoo.
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To start off the analysis of animals in Australian tourism, I will examine the Australia Zoo. The hundred-acre park was founded by Bob and Lyn Irwin in the 1970s in Beerwah, Queensland. It was later passed on to their famous son, Steve Irwin, and his family who continues to run the zoo today. Zoos are probably the enterprise most closely related with wildlife tourism, and the Australia Zoo does a great job of showcasing the animals that are unique to this country.
While I visited the Australia Zoo, I couldn't help but wonder why people pay money and get so excited to see these animals in captivity. Wouldn't the real thrill be seeing kangaroos, crocodiles, and dingoes in the wild? The easy answer to this question is convenience. At zoos people can pay money and are guaranteed to see the animals they are looking for plus many more. The zoo also gives people an opportunity to interact with these animals without the safety risks that would be of concern in the wild. For these reasons, zoos continue to be successful tourist attractions worldwide.
Conservation
One of the main missions of Australia Zoo is conservation. Within the zoo, there are programs implemented for endangered species and for creating environments suitable for breeding. Outside the zoo, conservation is promoted worldwide. In fact, the Australia Zoo is partnered with several international companies to combat any threats to the wildlife.
Probably the most prominent effort for conservation is the Wildlife Warriors Worldwide initiative. This charity aims to protect any injured, threatened, or endangered animal. In addition to funding the Australia Zoo Animal Hospital and Wildlife Reserves, there are projects to help protect the following animals:
· cheetahs
· crocodiles
· elephants
· Tasmanian devils
· tigers
· sea turtles
Additionally, the Australia Zoo encourages environmental conservation and anti-animal consumption.[1]
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| "Australia Zoo sign," personal photo, Australia Zoo, 6 Oct. 2012. |
Captivity Ethics
While all of these efforts seem very noble and heroic, of course there are going to be critics. And no analysis would be complete without examining both sides. The moral dilemma of captivity is one that plagues all zoos. It is the question of whether or not it is right to keep animals in cages. There are arguments that claim that life in a zoo is better for an animal. But those who are against captivity believe that animals are being harmed because in captivity they face:
- a violation of freedom
- exploitation for human amusement and profit
- a deprivation of natural habitat
- a lack of space
- becoming bored, institutionalized, lazy, displaying unnatural behavior
- an unnatural interaction with human beings[2]
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| "Beth and Elephant," personal photo, Australia Zoo, 6 Oct. 2012. |
Some, but not all, of the animals at Australia Zoo were injured, brought to the zoo, and rescued; therefore, they would otherwise not be living if it weren’t for captivity. In these cases, I think that all can agree that captivity is the right answer.
Financial Status
A visit to the Australia Zoo reveals that it seems under-staffed, out-dated, and lacking in animal variety. This made me question the financial status of the zoo.
My research found that in 2011, the zoo was faced with tremendous debt that led to 22 staff dismissals. The debt was caused by the global economic crisis, mismanagement, and a devastating flood that year in January. There has been no updates on the financial status since, but rumors to sell the zoo never came true, and the current staff still energetically works towards “Steve’s dream” of building a zoo that is comparable to a Disney park.[3]
[1] “Conservation,” Australia Zoo, last modified 2012, accessed 1 Nov. 2012, http://www.australiazoo.com.au/conservation/, n.p.
[2] “Animals for Entertainment,” BBC, accessed 1 Nov. 2012, http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/animals/using/entertainment_1.shtml, n.p.
[3] “Australia Zoo ‘crippled by debt’,” Sunshine Coast Daily, last modified 21 Feb. 2011, accessed 1 Nov. 2012, http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/zoo-in-crisis-ex-workers-critical-zoos-australia/774743/, n.p.
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