week 4 ##### MEN

1- Sarah Long, a coordinator of breeding at Lincoln Park Zoo, argues in Date Night at the Zoo “Noah got it all wrong.” What does she mean by this? What strategy are zoos taking to “get it right”? What are the pros and cons of this strategy on the part of zoos? Discuss them in the context of animals like cheetahs, black-and-white ruffed lemurs, and polar bears. Reference SSPs in your response.

At this point I t is clear to us that entail animals in zoological gardens were symbols of patriarchal power and wealth by the elite for the elite. By creating this scenario the animals became a direct symbol of power. Thus supporting the concept of the living collection and furthering global cultural power. It is Sarah Long who states “Noah got it all wrong,” that refers to this collection proses and more recently the concepts of animal reproduction. In referencing Noah and his ark Long is also inferring the phenomena in witch humans apply there own habits onto other living organisms, assuming that they behave in the world in the same way humans do. More directly, Noah took two of every animal, neglecting to acknowledge things such as life pairs, solitude, and genetic diversity! Come on Noah… didn’t you just stop to think maybe every animal is not like you…. Or did god tell you that? We are talking about the bible of Couse, tricky business. However modern zoos are going to grate lengths and grate expenses to have successful reproduction programs and move away from the power driven, exsabitionist zoo and are driven toward conservation and education. Many zoos are both contributing and following species survival plans. Created by zoo data and field sampling charts and mating pairs are formed to create the greatest genetic diversity among endangered species. Although zoo may seem to giving a valet effort the element of attraction and pleasing the public is still almost first priority. This creates high expenses directed at unthreatened or Un-endangered animals.

2- if conservation is a key goal, then what is the tension between funding resources and the how zoos go about conservation? Wht are the alternatives – what do some other people should be done with such funds if conservation is the primary motive?

Mostly driven by esthetic appeal and animal significance, especially when talking about American culture.  American zoos allocate more money to popular animals even if they do not need the attention of the public for support and funding to promote rehabilitation and reproduction programs. I believe that it is the product of old advertising that certain animals are still as popular as they are in zoo settings. Popular animals have been popular for a long time.  With am effort to push education I feel that any animal can become just as popular with adamant information fro the public’

3- Many zoos argue that the first hand experience with animals at zoos are crucial for helping people to form bonds, and thus develop a care and sense of conservation ethic, for endangered animals. The Wild Thing piece on the National Zoo especially makes this argument. What is your view?

It is true in my perspective that zoos do provide a sense of diversity that is unmatched. There is I feel a lot to be said of experiencing the physicality of an animal that is not visually common. Most recently I made a ceramic sculpture of a horse. With are thick neck, erect main and it china legs it looked like no horse I had ever seen. Subconsciously I put the “horse” into my own category of the fantastic. The following weekend I went back to the zoo to ease drop on peoples conversations about the zoo. Passing the ape house I found the two magnificent greys zebra. They two are astonishing! With huge necks, little legs and stiff mains I had realized that my sculpture was not at al out of proportion and make-believe but a type of horse I was not aware of. This experience shows that zoos can have a profound effect on all people, especially in the subject of diversity and how through animals can be applied metaphorically to the human experience.

4- what is a difference between American and European zoos in terms of there philosophy of captive animals breeding if room does not exist for the adult population to grow given the size of the zoo habitats? Which approach makes more sense to you and why? How does the European approach relate to the logic of conservation and the issues of genetic diversity that underlie them?

The main difference between European zoos and American zoos is the handling of excess animals. Some European zoos prefer to let animals have offspring  but in doing so the zoos usually practice euthanasia after a couple years of age. However American zoos are in the habit of birth control medications and hormone treatment to both withhold and promote reproduction. I believe that the European approach is better in general and for educational proposes. It is valid that the Europeans zoos wish for their animals to experience rearing young and even a dead animal can still be used for conservation and educational proposes. I feel this approach is more productive over all and is still abiding by keeping genetic diversity strong.