A vast majority of UK residents polled want to see an end to large animals being cruelly confined in zoos, a new survey from nonprofit Born Free Foundation found.
The survey, which polled 2,000 UK residents, reported that 76 percent wanted to see the next UK government phase out captivity for large animals, including giraffes, rhinos, elephants, lions, and tigers — a practice that Born Free described as “archaic, unethical and damaging.”
“Wild animals are traded and kept in zoos and private homes in ever-increasing numbers,” said Mark Jones, Born Free’s head of policy. “Wildlife crime continues to have devastating impacts on individual animals, wildlife habitats, and wider society. Far too little is being done to effectively protect and restore our natural fauna and flora or safeguard the welfare of wild animals.”
Born Free’s survey followed their report, “Confined Giants: The Plight of Giraffe in Zoos,” on the devastating consequences of confinement on giraffes. The report highlighted how zoo enclosures, which are tiny compared to the vast savannah and grasslands the animals inhabit in the wild, limit giraffes’ range of motion and can potentially lead to lameness and stress-induced behaviors.
Physical trauma and malnutrition are commonly seen in captive giraffes too, which can decrease lifespan, according to Born Free’s report.
In addition to seeking an end to commercial captivity for large zoo animals, Born Free also is campaigning to curtail hunting “trophy” imports, end the UK’s infamous badger culls, and phase out animal fur in the military.
You can can help giraffes today by signing our petition calling on the U.S. government to grant these iconic animals urgent protection.
