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[wylies99]

Cleaning up the zoos
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2896806

It was a slaughter of the innocent.

In the dying days of the Pacific War (1937-1945), Japan, desperate for manpower and weaponry, gave orders to kill the animals in a Korean zoo.

�The Japanese poisoned 150 animals during the [war], as they had to use the zookeepers as soldiers and the iron bars as weapons,� said Oh Chang-yeong, a former manager at the zoo in Seoul Grand Park, Seoul.

Oh describes the tragic massacre in �80-Year History of the Korean Zoo,� published by the Seoul city government in 1993.

The animals that survived the end of Japan�s colonial rule in 1945 would face more hardship. Shortly after the Korean War broke out, the zoo staff fled, leaving the animals to either starve or freeze to death.
Whatever people might think about the quality of zoos in Korea today, things have obviously gotten a lot better.

Today marks the 99th anniversary since the first zoo opened in Korea. In 1907, Japan was busy extending its control over Korea and as a way of trying to diminish the authority of the Korean royal family, a zoo and a botanical garden were built in Changgyeong Palace, central Seoul.

The name of the palace was changed to Changgyeong Garden to add further ignominy.

The zoo opened to the public on Nov. 1, 1909, with a menagerie of animals including Siberian tigers, kangaroos, ostriches, camels and orangutans, and proved to be a huge hit.
In its first year, the zoo attracted 15,000 visitors and the next year, 110,000. In 1940, 1.2 million passed through the zoo�s gates.

Although the zoo reopened after the Korean War ended in 1953, it wasn�t until the 1980s that the Korean government restored Changgyeong Palace and found the animals a new home.

In December 1983, 900 animals and 2,100 plants were taken to Seoul Grand Park in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi.

Most Koreans who have been to the zoo in Korea - there are less than 20 - are familiar with �showcased animals,� or to be more exact, �caged animals,� but for many, memories of their trip probably include scenes of dull, inactive animals behind iron bars and people throwing stones or food at the cages.

A civic group called Haho, which is made up of members of the Korean Federation for Environmental Movement, a group dedicated to animal rights and welfare, inspected Seoul Grand Park in 2001 and published a report the following year.

�Sad Zoo� raised a red flag about the zoo�s facilities, arguing that they failed to consider the animals� natural habitat and behavior.

According to the report, such an environment resulted in the animals� failing health. They cited the case of a lowland gorilla, considered a critically endangered animal, who had to endure festering toes that scraped on the concrete floor of its living quarters.

Haho also pointed out how animals exhibit abnormal behavior due to stress, like a polar bear repeatedly shaking its head.

According to a survey in the report on reasons for visiting the zoo, only 10 percent of visitors said they came to see the animals, 36 percent said they came for a family outing and others said they were on a date or were just taking a break.

�Working here, what hurts me the most is the jail-like facilities of the zoo,� said Lee Won-hyo, the director of Seoul Grand Park.

But there have been several notable changes to the zoo in recent years. In March 2006, staff changed the soil on the grounds for the first time in its 22-year history, and in September of the same year, they planted 1,200 trees from the Namsan Botanical Garden, which closed in October 2006.

�We�ve begun to recognize the rights and welfare of zoo animals in recent years, and we�re transforming our facilities to ensure just that,� said Kang Hyung-uk, the chief of planning at the zoo, on a recent visit.

�Before, the zoo was just about showcasing the animals. But today, we�re trying to change the place into an �ecology-oriented� zoo by making their environment here as close as possible to [the animals�] original habitat.�

Other more recent changes include installing a mini rocky mountain for the Barbary sheep, rock-loving animals from North Africa who had to put up with a flat terrain for years in the zoo.

Last summer, a two-story observation deck opened at the giraffe habitat so giraffes no longer have to eat from the ground like before and visitors can feed the animals at eye level.

�We are in the process of changing the concrete floors to soil-covered ground and metal fences to wooden ones,� added Yun Jeong-sang, head of animal planning.

�We�ve also installed a heating system so the animals can stay warm in cold weather, and visitors can watch them in the winter unlike before.�

But staff at the zoo know they have a long way to go to realizing their dream of an ecology-oriented zoo.

�We have all kinds of animals here - some originally living in trees, some living on level ground, some living in caves. If we gave these animals all we�d like to give them, our work would be never-ending,� said Yun.

But they are heading in the right direction after years of apparent neglect.

�In the past, a zoo meant wild animals in cages, but that�s an outdated concept now,� said Kwon Su-wan, director of the zoo at Everland, an amusement park in Yongin, Gyeonggi.

�Although a zoo is a closed space, it is important to make the space similar to the natural habitat of the animals and watch how they behave. In that sense, a good zoo educates people about animals and their habits.�

Officials at Everland pick Monkey Valley as a prime illustration.

�Monkey Valley doesn�t have any bars on the cages. Some people may worry that the monkeys will run away. But we�ve studied their behavior and habits and designed it using natural barriers like water,� said Kim In-cheol, a manager at the zoo.

But animal rights activists point to issues other than changing the habitat. They argue that creating a better living environment is only half the problem.

�Changing the habitat is obviously a good move, but basic animal rights are also needed,� said Jo Hee-kyeong, president of the Korean Animal Welfare Association.

�According to our recent survey, most of the zoos in Korea don�t even have in-house veterinarians. This is because there is no law concerning zoo management.�

International exposure is usually motivation enough to initiate improvements in most contexts, which is why next year should be a good year for the animals.

Next year, the Seoul Grand Park, the leading member of the Korean Association of Zoos and Aquariums, will host the annual conference of the Southeast Asian Zoos Association, a first for Kore. In an effort to live up to the expectations of its foreign counterparts, the Seoul Grand Park has launched a two-year project to reconstruct its ape habitat, long considered one of the most outdated facilities in the zoo.

Officials at the Seoul Grand Park hope that the enhanced facilities will increase Korea�s chance of one day hosting the annual conference of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, a focal point of the world zoo and aquarium community.

No doubt zoo animals here will be looking forward to that day, too.


By Kim Hyung-eun Staff Reporter [[email protected]]

[Join Me]

I read this article today. I think it is great that Koreans have recognized there is a problem with the treatment of animals in zoos here and they are doing something about it. Great news. I actually want to go check out the giraffe structure they built. Looks like great fun to feed giraffes face to face like that and I bet it would be a hoot to watch Korean kids scream and yell as the giraffes poke their heads in trying to get food.

[saw6436]

I and my family have been connected with the North Carolina Zoological Park for close to 20 years now. The difference between a good zoo and a Korean zoo are night and day. I've pretty much given up on going to a zoo in Korea as I generally walk around furious at the inhumane treatment of the animals. Here in Daejeon the zoo has a Polar Bear that is totally and completely insane (smacking its head against the wall as it paces). Terribly sad. On the surface its enclosure looks "natural". But its a cold weather animal kept in a hot climate with no way to cool off. Coupled with a too small area. Its no wonder the bears is bonkers. Sad, sad, sad.

It shouldn't suprise me though. Even pets are viewed as accessories and not living creatures. The sad thing from that article is the "authorities" are acting like they have to invent the wheel or something. The know-how on building a natural habitat for animals has been around for years.

Really it comes down to the basic purpose of a zoo. Is it for the entertainment of people? Is it for the preservation of animal species and education? I opt for the latter. hopefully korea will move in that direction.

[Join Me]

[kiknkorea]

Very informative article. Thanks for posting.

[sojourner1]

Is a Korean zoo really any different than a western zoo? I hadn't seen one so I don't really know, but I'd imagine it's an old European idea being relived in Asia. Putting the natural world in an artificial bubble like a climatron. Using technology to save while it kills more than save is the way of the world.

Seems to me all zoos keep animals in captivity. Very bored and depressed animals they are. So are all the elephants who've worked for people throughout history. The 1st thing I noticed in all elephants and primates I met around the world is boredom and depression. I've seen many lonely bored, many last ones of their kind, around the world and it's sad, but we must also consider the value zoos have of letting people see to appreciate, but it still doesn't seem like enough as we just keep destroying natural habitat and animals like it's an infinite resource. It's not and there will come a day when zoos and climatrons are all that's left of what was the natural world. While it's edutainment at it's finest human attempt, it's exploitation of creatures that belong where they come from, but can't because human took their world from them such as oil palm plantations taking over Indonesia. It's a complex subject of many contraindications. It's also an plausible way to preserve species from extinction and it's good many zoos are taking the approach of making exhibits natural using natural barriers like water and deep ditches instead of cages with popping electric arcing around.

Rhinos and hippos must still be kept behind 3 inch diameter iron bars in many zoos hard up for space to expand as they'll kill people on contact, but they too are being put into more natural settings where there's room. Man of the zoos as home are taking the natural setting approach and it's beautiful on a nice weather day. Kansas city as an exceptional zoo fitting that model.

[denverdeath]

The first and last time I was at a zoo in Korea, EVER, was in Daegoo. It was a pathetic place somewhere not far from Woo-bahng Towerland, or whatever it's called. It was awhile ago(more than 11 years), so I hope it's either changed for the(much) better or has been closed down. The two things I remember the most are the elephant and the Macaque monkeys. The elephant looked like it hadn't eaten in a couple of years and the poor damned monkeys were being constantly pestered by the other monkeys(Korean children). As the monkeys were perceived as being sth important to the Japanese, the other monkeys were pitching stones and bottles and anything else that they could find at the monkeys. Others were trying to entice a monkey over with some kind of crappy food(maybe kimchi) so they could give the monkey a good poke with a stick and hopefully a nice ddong-chihm with the same stick when the monkey tried to run away. I know kids do some of the same back home, but it seemed like these brats were particularly out to get the Japanese monkeys. What a horrendous experience that still gives me nightmares that was.

[NoExplode]

[kiknkorea]

[Captain Corea]

[NoExplode]

[itaewonguy]

The world needs to really become aware of cruelty to animals...

ZOO's are a kind of cruelty to animals for human�s pleasure!
We locked them cages so we can stare at them like objects!
How many humans actually walk away from the cage feeling disturb and disgusted by the way society has formed where it�s ok to torture animals for our pleasure?? Not many I guess...
Most just walk onto the next cage and bang on the glass and expect the monkey to sing and dance for you because you are here now and you deserve the entertainment from the monkey because you paid your 10dollars...
Their needs to be a Global zoo law passed! If humans are the top of the animal chain then it�s our duty to protect the world for all animals to survive in it and it�s our duty to protect the animals which can�t defend for them! Not capture them and throw them into a cage for profits!!

The zoos make millions of dollars a year, how much of that money goes to its stars?? (Animals) NOTHING!!
Zoos feel like they can�t plant a lot of trees and bushes for animals because then the patrons can�t see them well enough and will complain they couldn�t see the animals!
So they will prefer to see the animals in a room with 4 concrete walls a concrete floor and tire hanging from a rope!
And then they wonder why the animal is not excited and singing and jumping around! (You guys seen the orangutan at the zoo on children�s grand park?? that ZOO should be closed down!!!
The lions will never run again the rest of the lives! And elephant won�t even walk more than 10 steps ever again! And that orangutan is serving a life sentence on death row for just being born!!
ZOOS make me sick!
The money made from them SHOULD go back into the zoo!
Problem is many humans just don't give a chit!

the first time my parents took me to the zoo I was so excited! had never been to a zoo before a chance to see all the animals I couldnt wait.
I left their feeling sorry and disturb we would treat the animals that way!
from one cage to the next, I remember just feeling so sorry for them..
it was suppose to be a fun and exciting day, turned into a sad day... of course some animals had it much better than others and was great see them... so I focused on the animals who had better surroundings..

[sineface]

Korean zoos are disgusting. I was taken to ZooZoo north of Seoul my first year here. My handlers knew I loved animals and though it would help with my homesickness. Instead, I ended up outraged, nauseous, and upset. One 'exhibit' was dogs. Just chained dogs. A fucking golden retriever. A husky got loose, chased down a chicken from another 'exhibit', and attacked it. Eventually, a worker came to pick up the half dead chicken, head hanging loose but still moving and making noises, and shoved it back in a cage.

I agree with what Saw said above. And I'm so fucking beyond tired of koreans acting barbarically to animals.

[Janny]

One of the things I make sure I teach my young students here...is that zoos are "jails for animals". I know there are good zoos...but not in this country. And the kids do seem to understand, after a bit of confusion. They are usually willing to see that animals are worthy of respect. It IS a radical notion for them sometimes, but I see flickers of recognition. I believe they innately know that animals are not toys or machines....it's just that they are taught so by ignorant parents.

I can barely tolerate they way animals are treated in this country. I am so glad to be in some sort of position to change it. Every small bit helps. I hope all you foreign teachers out there, especially with young children, take up the issue in your classroom at some point. Your opinion and viewpoints DO have a big effect on most of your students. Give them something to think about.

[jvalmer]

Ah, Korean zoos. Not exactly the best place to be an animal. But the zoos in Korea are on par with most of the world. We as Westerners are very lucky to have seen the state of the art conditions in SOME of our zoos. I've been to a few private zoos in Canada, and must say they make Korean zoos look years ahead.