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| Sunday, 17 February 2002 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Why do visitors to the Zoo act more like animals than the caged creatures themselves? Mindless behaviour
Ever wondered what the caged animals in the Zoo thought of the throng of humans who mill around their enclosures at weekends? It is most likely something quite uncomplimentary. If you witness the callous, reckless, undisciplined behaviour of most visitors at the zoo, especially of the younger generation, you would not be amused either. It is not just the animals that end up disgusted; well-mannered visitors and hapless Zookeepers are also equally disturbed. But it appears no one has managed to come up with a method of controlling crowds and instilling in them a respect for the dumb animals they are looking at for Sunday afternoon entertainment.
Although the Zoo is quite strict about rules on feeding caged animals often food items, which are not palatable to them, are thrown into cages. Not much a leopard can do with half a seeni-sambol bun. Nor can deer munch on packeted, fried gram. It is not just inconsiderate, but also dangerous to throw food into cages housing exotic expensive species that can easily develop problems from the unfamiliar food. Plastic litter in the Zoo is a huge problem. Especially during weekends when crowds overwhelm the 21-acre area, plastic bags, sili sili lunch carriers and wrappers from toffee, chocolate or biscuits are scattered indiscriminately all over the grounds. The litter often ends up in animal cages - and woe betide the poor animal that swallows a good-smelling plastic bag. It is difficult to fathom what prompts young children to poke sticks in to the monkey's cages and toss stones at shy, nocturnal creatures that hide in the shade during the day. It is even stranger to see graffiti-ridden walls, enclosure walls and even trees. Youth, especially young lovers appear to take great pleasure in carving their love on stone and tree bark - at times not even sparing cacti-plants and Zoo benches.
During a weekday, the Zoo may have a crowd of less than 5000 but on a holiday or weekend the number easily doubles, Zoo security officials number a bare 20 on weekends, and cannot hope to control the huge numbers. "The problem is with adults and teenagers, "said Renuka Bandaranayake, Deputy Director of the National Zoological Gardens. "On weekends we exceed the carrying capacity of the zoo and it is virtually impossible to monitor or keep control in anyway." The fine for perpetrating such careless acts is too small to deter wrongdoers. At Rs. 100/- the fine is not taken seriously by the few who are caught in the act. "It is only by amending the Act to increase the fine that we can hope for some mitigatory action," Ms. Bandaranayake said.
Remember when you next go to the Zoo - don't pollute the tiny space they have to live in. Better still, pick up and put away other people's litter - if nothing else, you will be easing the animals' discomfort by that small measure. |
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News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
The problem points to a disturbing character in our society. The total
disregard for the very animals they come to see and the other visitors
illuminates a want of discipline and correct values. At an age when the
very concept of caging animals in a Zoo is being questioned, our society
has a long way to go to learn kindness and concern for these creatures.
