In Springfield, Missouri an elephant at the Dickerson Park Zoo charged and killed 62 year old John Phillip Bradford, a zookeeper who was coming to feed her that day. A report from the zoo said that there had never been any issues with the elephant who had been there since 1990.
Sadly, this is not the first attack on humans by animals and it raises the question, should we really be keeping wild animals in captivity? What are your thoughts and reasoning on this question? Do you think there is any way to keep these attacks from happening? How can it be made safer for people such as trainers and zookeepers to be around these animals?
http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/11/us/missouri-zoo-death/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
Replies
Great job!
It is hard to keep animals that are trained as well as they can be from attacking. I think we still need zoos so humans can study how animals live.
I agree, I still think we should have zoos, its just sad that we never really know what to expect from these animals.
Sadly, I dont think there is a way to predict what animals will do. Maybe it isnt the best idea to hold animals in captivity, but it keeps them alive and from going extinct. Hopefully, people find a way to be safer around large animals.
You make a really good point! We can't predict what animals are going to do and while it may be better for some to be in the wild, we as humans are only trying to protect them by keeping them in captivity.
Wow. This is sad! I think that people should switch animals out. Like have one a tiger for a couple of years then switch it out for a new one.
I agree this whole situation is really sad.
Well there elephant has been there for awhile but maybe it got sick or something or thought the lady was of harm. Anyway most animals in zoos are born in captivity and don't know about the wild life. But some animals it would be nice to see and most animals don't hurt other people unless the animals feel like the person is of harm. Well I think zookeepers should pay more attention when they are doing there job.
You make some really good points. A lot of these animals, like you said, are born in captivity so they don't really know anything different, and I think they would struggle a lot if we were to all of the sudden put them in the wild. I think a reason that they may hurt people is because they feel threatened for some reason.
I think that we can have animals in captivity as long as we understand the dangers. People may think that animals can be trained and things like that, but all animals are still wild, or were at one point. People have to be careful especially around large or harmful animals.
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