Bless the beasts

Growing up in the city of Manila, I was a regular visitor to the zoo. So as a young reporter assigned to cover city hall, I was delighted to be allowed to play with newborn lion cubs at the zoo (they look adorable, but those claws can cause serious injuries even when they’re tiny).

Even before then, however, I knew the zoo needed major improvements. The elephants and giraffes always looked listless in their enclosures. Once, someone had the brilliant idea of bringing in a polar bear, even if the zoo lacked a facility to keep the poor beast in Arctic temperature. In an open enclosure in the tropical heat, the bear sat pathetically on a block of ice. I don’t think it lasted three months.

The chimps were always a popular attraction. When the crowds gathered, the chimps would start thumping the ground with their fists and jumping up and down. As soon as people turned their backs to pose for pictures with the animals in the background, the chimps would reach into their backside and then lob turd balls at the people. If humans were hit, the chimps would whoop it up and swing happily around the pen. Everyone laughed – except those who were hit.

I always considered this a display of unhappiness by the intelligent animals, and wondered if they would kill us humans if given the chance. And no, the “Planet of the Apes” remake was still several years away so I wasn’t influenced by any movie. You could see the displeasure in the chimps at the zoo.

I wonder about the chimps these days, now that the Manila government has shut down the zoo indefinitely for what the public is told would be a thorough cleanup.

The zoo was found to be discharging sewage into a creek that washes out into Manila Bay. Environment officials found the creek to be heavily polluted, like almost all the other waterways in the city of Manila (Pasig River at least is much improved, though this is no thanks to the city government).

So Manila officials decided not to wait for President Duterte to order the zoo shut down. The zoo is now closed – certainly not for good, but it has raised expectations of a dramatic rehab.

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On TV and the Internet we can watch wildlife species in their natural habitat, engaged in all types of activities from birth to death. But observing them live, and if possible interacting with them, is a different experience that every human being must try at least once.

As the voices of those advocating against animal cruelty have grown stronger, several countries have implemented measures to make interaction with wildlife as minimally disruptive as possible to the beasts and their natural environment.

Obviously, the ideal places are wildlife conservation parks with vast tracts of land where animals roam freely. The wildlife areas are simply fenced off to keep out hunters, poachers and other threats, so the animals don’t even know that their habitats have been turned into gigantic pens.

I’ve been to a safari in such a park in South Africa. We toured the park on an open-top jeep-like vehicle. The guide carried a shotgun, but he reassured us that wildlife generally shun humans. In fact the problem in such safaris is that human presence drives away the beasts, and visitors must wait a long time before they spot the animals.

It was breathtaking, however, to watch hyenas chase an antelope and catch it. Giraffes were concealed in a grove of trees as tall and slender as the animals’ necks. Two elephant calves rolled around playfully, destroying everything in their path in a thunderous roar. In the evening, as we enjoyed a barbecue in an open enclosure within the park surrounded by torches to keep out the beasts, we could hear elephants trumpeting nearby. The primeval howl can give you goose bumps.

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Obviously, not all countries can offer safaris. Some countries such as Indonesia operate wildlife theme parks on a much smaller scale, with visitors exploring only from the safety of vehicles.

Indonesia also has a massive zoo in southern Jakarta, whose unique attractions include the Komodo dragon, the venomous monster lizard endemic to the country, as well as the Sumatran tiger and orangutan. Ragunan Zoo occupies 140 hectares; compare this to the Manila Zoo’s 5.5 hectares. The more adventurous can visit islands and provinces across Indonesia where the Komodo dragon freely roams.

Several countries offer petting opportunities or at least close encounters with their unique wildlife. In China you can pose beside a live panda – part of a massive conservation park for the adorable-looking endangered animal. In Australia you can hold a koala and pose with a kangaroo. In South Africa you can ride an ostrich.

Even dangerous predators can be offered for human interaction. In the US state of Louisiana, you can hold a baby alligator, or explore the swamps on an open boat, waiting for the big ones to emerge from the water. In the Sacred Monkey Forest of Ubud in Bali, Indonesia, monkeys roam freely even in city streets, and will perch on your head and shoulders for a photo if you reward them with food afterwards.

We can develop such areas for communing with wildlife and nature, outside congested, polluted cities. Visitor fees can be collected and souvenirs sold for proper maintenance of the facilities.

The level of humaneness in a society is reflected in the way it treats animals. The shutdown of the Manila Zoo should prove to be good news for both the animals in its care and the humans who visit.