Comment Re:Oh my! (Score 1) 294
Ok, while it is good to see many concientious people voicing their concerns, a lot of extraneous non-issues are being brought up. While there is a lot we don't know about the animal kingdom in general (humans included) a good bit is know through Veteranary research, Animal Husbadry, Professional Animal Trainers and Behavioral Psychologist just to name a few. To both PETA members and their detractors - I recommend you spent time learning about (scientifically and empically), getting to know and caring for a non-human individual.
Below are some important issues for consideration.
1) Were the penguins captured in the wild or were they raised in captivity. If they were raised by humans in captivity, humans are what they identify with. They are no longer wild and they wouldn't know how to live in an wild colony. This is neither bad not good, just a fact of their existence like being born in Oshkosh or San Pedro.
2) If they have been raised by caring and inteligent human, then they have formed a cross-species bond. Thus, these penguins are most comfortable when they are with their family (read owner, caregiver, provider, etc).
3) While zoos are not natual habitats, there things that make artificial habitats comfortable - even desireable to animals. Much of it is species and individual specific and little of it has to do with what we think it should look like. Setting up a minature SeaWorld may make you feel more comfortable but it doesn't mean that the penguin would appreciate it at all. It takes a person who is experienced both with the species and with the individual to determine what is needed to make the individual animal happy. For most animals, it starts with food, shelter and being near other creatures you reguard as caring and familiar. While a pen may seem small by human standards, the important consideration is the animal's comfort. A responsible, caring owner would be albe to tell if their animal was cramped and uncomfortable.
4) While the above is true animals that are stressed do exibit some common behaviors - pacing, refusal to eat, aggressiveness. Pacing, which many animals held in old zoos have exibited, is a sign of bordom. But there is a difference between pacing - in which an animal seems locked in a trance, and walking about looking at your surroundings.
Agressiveness to a stranger can be many things but aggressivness to ones owner is a definite sign of a problem. If an animal is not exibiting fight or flight behavior with their caretaker, then they are probably well cared for.
5) I do recognize these penguines. They are a breed commonly refered to as the Jack-Ass penguine. While in the wild they spend a lot of time in the ocean, they form their breeding colonies on the Western coast of equitorial Africa. Thus they were probably quite comfortable with the temperature in an air conditioned convention center.
6) If it is true that these penguins have been working in movies and entertainment with their owner for a long time then they are accustomed to being around strangers. The important thing to them is that their owner (someone they know and trust) was there and signaled to them (through voice patterns and body language) that everything was OK. Also, if they have been working with their owner for a long time, they must trust and feel comfortable with her: unhappy animals don't work.
Below are some important issues for consideration.
1) Were the penguins captured in the wild or were they raised in captivity. If they were raised by humans in captivity, humans are what they identify with. They are no longer wild and they wouldn't know how to live in an wild colony. This is neither bad not good, just a fact of their existence like being born in Oshkosh or San Pedro.
2) If they have been raised by caring and inteligent human, then they have formed a cross-species bond. Thus, these penguins are most comfortable when they are with their family (read owner, caregiver, provider, etc).
3) While zoos are not natual habitats, there things that make artificial habitats comfortable - even desireable to animals. Much of it is species and individual specific and little of it has to do with what we think it should look like. Setting up a minature SeaWorld may make you feel more comfortable but it doesn't mean that the penguin would appreciate it at all. It takes a person who is experienced both with the species and with the individual to determine what is needed to make the individual animal happy. For most animals, it starts with food, shelter and being near other creatures you reguard as caring and familiar. While a pen may seem small by human standards, the important consideration is the animal's comfort. A responsible, caring owner would be albe to tell if their animal was cramped and uncomfortable.
4) While the above is true animals that are stressed do exibit some common behaviors - pacing, refusal to eat, aggressiveness. Pacing, which many animals held in old zoos have exibited, is a sign of bordom. But there is a difference between pacing - in which an animal seems locked in a trance, and walking about looking at your surroundings.
Agressiveness to a stranger can be many things but aggressivness to ones owner is a definite sign of a problem. If an animal is not exibiting fight or flight behavior with their caretaker, then they are probably well cared for.
5) I do recognize these penguines. They are a breed commonly refered to as the Jack-Ass penguine. While in the wild they spend a lot of time in the ocean, they form their breeding colonies on the Western coast of equitorial Africa. Thus they were probably quite comfortable with the temperature in an air conditioned convention center.
6) If it is true that these penguins have been working in movies and entertainment with their owner for a long time then they are accustomed to being around strangers. The important thing to them is that their owner (someone they know and trust) was there and signaled to them (through voice patterns and body language) that everything was OK. Also, if they have been working with their owner for a long time, they must trust and feel comfortable with her: unhappy animals don't work.
