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Zoo Visitor Crushes Tasmanian Devil in His Small Enclosure

October 21, 2014 by Leave a Comment


The News

A Tasmanian devil crawled into his enclosure and died after a visitor crushed him with a block of asphalt at the Albuquerque Zoo in New Mexico. With no surveillance cameras at the devil exhibit, law enforcement probably won’t find the killer.

photo: Dean Hanson/Albuquerque Journal

photo: Dean Hanson/Albuquerque Journal

A spokesman for the local Mayor said that “our poor Tasmanian devil was killed, intentionally, by what seems to be blunt force trauma to the head.”

Photo: AAP/Dave Hunt

Photo: AAP/Dave Hunt

Jasper, one of four devils acquired by the zoo several months ago, came from the Healesville Sanctuary, a zoo in Australia. Healesville is attempting to breed several thousand devils in captivity for eventual release because the wild population in Tasmania is being decimated by a contagious facial cancer.

Contagious facial tumor

Contagious facial tumor

In the wild, Tasmanian devils, who are nocturnal, swim across rivers, hunt, eat with other devils, climb trees, run exceptionally fast and have complex sex lives. Captivity can’t possibly meet the instinctual needs of these animals, but, at the moment, it might be their only chance at survival.

tasmanian devil screech

Devils are famous for their strong bite and blood-curdling screech

Opinion

After a three-week old tiger drowned at the London zoo in 2012, PETA called for a boycott, describing the zoo as a “prison with living exhibits.” The zoo director, David Field, defended captivity, saying “Conservation breeding programmes are the only way to ensure a future for these animals.”

If members of a species are forced to sacrifice their freedom to help to conserve the entire species, then they should at the very least be housed in sanctuaries. Zoos are inherently inhumane, and they teach children that animals are exhibits, not individuals who want to live freely.

Your Turn

The ideal way to preserve wildlife is to support the work of groups like Sea Shepherd that protect animals in their own habitats.



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TheirTurn.net Comments

  1. Rita & April Klich Birmingham, Alabama says:

    My husband is a BIG deal at KBR in Birmingham, Alabama! Me and my daughter are local celebrities! I am building a resort in the area with my daughter! It will be a (ONE) star resort for MISTRESSES looking to have affairs with married men. This is a clothing optional resort! The rates are $35.00 per hour for a standard room and go as high as $75.00 per hour for a suite. Art Carr you are welcome to stay one night for free since you are friends with my husband! We are a Bible oriented resort! We may be indirectly responsible for several murders!

  2. All zoos need to be shut down. At least have surveillance cameras on site to help protect the animals. Humans are the most dangerous animals on the planet.

  3. Soooo opportunity sad

  4. Terry Russo says:

    If animals are going to be forced to endure captivity, shouldn’t they at least be afforded some protection? There was no surveillance, not even a camera!

  5. Natasha Brenner says:

    I’m not sure the human race deserves survival! At least, some of them, and you know whom I mean!

  6. Brian says:

    Wow! I’m sure stuff like this happens all of the time. The animals safety should be the one thing that is at least guaranteed when they are forced to endure a life in captivity for profit.

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