Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sparkx]

I recently made the mistake of visiting the zoo in Seoul. Warning bells should have gone off immediately when I learned that the cost of the lift to get to zoo was three times more expensive than admittance into the zoo itself....
The cages for the animals were far too small, dirty and lined with a linoleoum type material to give the appearance of a WWII concentration camp washroom. Leopards and Tigers were thrown into these cells and could not even walk 10 feet without loosing their footing. Most of these cats had worms in their feces and would not even eat when given their daily meals.
Even more deplorable than this was the primate cages. Many of the monkeys were visibly distraught by their filthy and tiny cells. A few of them sat rocking - showing obvious signs of mental illness - as Koreans banged on the glass tormenting these poor animals. I got so upset that I screamed at a group of Koreans who found it side-splitting to repeatedly slap and bang the glass that surrounded these "washroom cells". One of the monkeys actually tried covering his ears while rocking back and foreth...

I have never been so disgusted since being here in Korea. If anyone can offer any suggestions on what can be done to change this situation it would be greatly appreciated. I realize that interest groups for the prevention of cruelty to animals would have no pull here in this ass backwards country.

[Hotuk]

I've heard about the mistreatment of animals at local zoos. There was a thread on Pusanweb about this very topic - click here.

FWIW, I saw no problem with your description of conditions. You painted a vivid, though sad picture.

[Circus Monkey]

I know what you mean sparkx. I once went to the Taegu zoo. My girlfriend (now wife) and I saw a marmot (or similar type animal) pacing back and forth in its cell. That's the first time I've seen an animal act crazy. We both stopped and just stared. It was unbelievable. We soon left and then my wife cried. After that, that turned me off going to the zoos.

Mort. No one is suggesting that the animals suddenly get pampered treatment but how about striving for a certain level of decency and kindness?

CM

[Ka-CHING!]

I went on the safari ride at Everland and was similarly disturbed. Gave me nightmares.

[sparkx]

I guess my biggest gripe is that the Seoul Zoo makes absolutely no attempt to emulate the animals natural habitat. I don't know too many amazon or safari animals that walk around on wet, slippery tiled floors and eat korean food. Also, even some of the animals outside with quasi-decent domociles were completely misplaced. There were some small cats whose indigenous habitat is the amazon jungle yet were locked outside in sub-zero weather. Also, the most prolific animals in the whole zoo were rats! No lie -- nearly ever cage had a multitude of scurrying rats waiting to pounce on any food scraps.
The aformentioned modern zoo's in Canada and the U.S at least donate a large percentage of their proceeds to animal protection groups and the World Wild Life Fund. The single and only reason the Seoul zoo is in operation is to "entertain" twisted, inhumane Koreans.

[Hyalucent]

I'm not going to the Seoul Zoo.

The aquarium at the bottom of the 6-3 building was enough. I still feel sorry for that dolphin they have, that's in the tank about 10 feet across, and so narrow that it has to slow down to a virtual stop when it needs to turn itself around and swim back the other way... over... and over... and over... again.

It's no wonder that there are no animals here. That, more than the bright lights and exotic atmosphere, reminds me more of "Bladerunner"/"Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" than anything else. Japan might be the movie... but Korea definitely fits the book.

[candu]

Haven't been there since '96, but the Children's Grand Park Zoo near Konkuk U. was pretty grim. The cages were generally small and seemed dirty, which was depressing enough. However, it was the behavior of zoo visitors that disturbed me most. Elementary school children encouraged by their teachers to throw cookies, potato chips, and cotton candy to the polar bear below. Throwing pebbles and firing BBs at caged birds so as to make them fly away in fear and/or pain. Boyfriends poking monkeys through the bars of cages with sticks to show off for their girlfriends. It appeared as if the visitors - male and female, young and old - took genuine enjoyment in this abuse. Laughs and smiles all around (excluding the animals that is!) And all the while, not a zoo employee - nor any other compassionate human being - to be seen discouraging this behavior. I hope the conditions there have improved since then, but my gut feeling is that going there again would only depress me.[color=darkred][/color][size=18][/size]

[Bulsajo]

About 4 years ago I totally "lost it" at the Seoul Zoo and started shouting at people who were bombarding the bears with food. Even with the "Do Not Feed the Animals" signs right in front of them, people just treated me like one more entertaining attraction, 'the crazy foreigner'. In one of the larger bird of prey cages was a huge dead bird in the middle of the cage- on it's back, beak open, talons curled. Nobody seemed to be concerned. I've since taken my wife to some zoos in North America (Assiniboine and Toronto) and she now understands why I was so upset with the Seoul Zoo.
Aquariums- quite pleased with the new COEX one except for the fact that the tank sides aren't high enough, allowing people to stick their hands in as well as possibly throw stuff into the tanks. I went the first month it opened and while thankfully I didn't actually see anyone chuck anything into the tanks I did see a stupid old duffer on his tiptoes actually trying to catch a fish by sticking his arm into a tank... too bad the shark tanks are totally enclosed. DLI 63 aquarium is pretty pathetic, but the ones in the Pusan and Seoul towers are at least as bad as the zoo.

[Derrek]

... reminds me of these animals, in a way.

See:

http://www.msnbc.com/news/859191.asp?0si=-

I wonder if South Koreans will stand up and take more notice -- perhaps protest about the thousands -- estimates as high as 500,000 -- people enslaved (and killed) in the labor camps of North Korea?

[simulated stereo]

You think Seoul's bad then try the Jeonju zoo.

[Cabbit]

I must admit I didnt read all of your postings.....but I do feel quite saddned to read about zoos in Korea. I remember going to the zoo in Australia as a child and feeling very sad to see animals such as bears in very small concrete cells. They looked so sad and it put me off going to Zoo's for a long time.
Then when I was older and society in Australia had begun to focus more on animal cruelty I returned to these same zoo's to find a virtual animal paridise!! I now love visiting Zoo's in Australia. I also remember seing people then and even now banging on the cages tormenting the animals. This is the behaviour of some of the narrower minded of our species and we can never change that.
But I do beleive that Korea is not in the same place today as Australia, New zealand, Canada, England or the US. It seems in many ways to be where these countries where in the 1950's (not meaning to be disrespectful here). I beleive that with time, patience and plenty of compassion and good will.....this country and the people with the power to change things here will begin to realise that animals can, are and should be treated better.
I send my compassion to these animals and all those that are saddened by seing them in these conditions.
If there is an animal rights community in Korea, I would very much like to know about it.....petitions are always helpful perhaps even useful with the new government coming to office soon. (I speak mainly to the Koreans here).

Take care
*gets off soapbox*

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

Where is the Seoul Zoo?

[exportedhabster]

If you think the zoo is bad, check out the conditions at Moran market. They had dogs there for sale (for boshin tong restaurants), about 10 dogs in one cage so they couldn't even sit properly. They had a skinned and partially cooked dog on top of the cage for display. All the other dogs could see and smell the dead dog. The look in the eyes of the dog showed they knew what was coming. There were similar or worse conditions for cats (medicine) and chickens.

[Zyzyfer]

.............oy.

On a brighter note, Shanghai and Hong Kong both have very nice aquariums.

Guess I won't be going to check out any animal displays while here...sheesh.

[captain kirk]

hey, great wall of whiner! where is seoul zoo, you ask? it's at the 'seoul grand park' subway stop. look south of seoul on the subway map. at the same stop is the museum of contemporary art, which is HUGE. and 'seoul land', with some fantastic rides including the 'superman swing'. so you can see all three things in a day if you really boot it.