Comments on: More Crap About The Gorilla

By: Sister Wolf

Sister Wolf — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 10:04:15 +0000

Suzanne Meyers – Ha, I didn’t know that quote but I like it. I believe the planet is making its move, starting with all the tornadoes, floods, and record-breaking heatwaves.

Kellie – Thank you for your concern and kindness. I would have stopped him if I could.

By: Kellie

Kellie — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 01:10:20 +0000

Sister, your sons death wasnt your fault. Not your failure to protect him. Not your failure to know what he was thinking. Nothing. Which is easy for me to say, and I dont want to sound condescending or mean. I am trying to out my thoughts in writing.

You couldnt save your son, because you didnt know what he was thinking, or considering. Or you would have stopped him.

This “mother” at the zoo heard her child say “I wanna go and play with the gorilla” or whatever. Somehow she didnt see him climbing up over the railing, up over the bushes, and jumping down. She wasnt paying any attention to him. Neither was anyone else, apparently.

You would have seen your son on that hedge and grabbed his shirt. He wouldnt have fallen.
You arent neglectful. You just arent.
And I am so sorry for your loss, always.

By: suzanne myers

suzanne myers — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 19:55:05 +0000

Sister, such a great post. I loved reading the comments. Agreed about Merri’s insight. Zoos, circuses, all very sad. As George Carlin said, “The planet’ll shake us off like a bad case of fleas.”

By: Sister Wolf

Sister Wolf — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 18:38:36 +0000

Merri – Thank you, your comment should be required reading.

Kim – Going to look now!

By: Sister Wolf

Sister Wolf — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 18:34:16 +0000

Marya – Yes and yes. The whole thing is very precarious. xxoo

By: Marya

Marya — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 16:25:34 +0000

I hate zoos. I will never go back to one! And your post makes me so sad. Dont you think it’s an illusion that we can protect our children or gorillas. most of us are doing the best we can and holding our breath and making deals with God we don’t believe in. And blaming ourselves for everything. Right?

By: Kim

Kim — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 14:59:15 +0000

RIP Harambe.

Meanwhile: patched denim is back
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/denim-trend_us_574f2b15e4b0ed593f130b0d

By: David Duff

David Duff — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 13:31:56 +0000

Also, I just don’t get it with zoos. In this day and age of wild life films available on all media, what’s the point. You go and stare at a gorilla, and he stares back at you. The conversation is abysmal!

By: Merri Ferrell

Merri Ferrell — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 09:29:18 +0000

Zoo and (somewhat less consequential) museum barriers have been looked at very closely, David Duff. You can’t imagine the many hours are spent on these topics. Zoos, museums and nature centers have several roles, among them being educational and how that is defined is largely imposed on them by parents and the “thought leaders” who have decided no one can learn unless they are directly or seemingly “interacting” with what is displayed. There has been pressure, often against the better judgement of the caretakers of animals (and artifacts) to open the space for “engagement.” (Now museum educators are called “engagement specialists.” On the one hand, it is good for an animal to have something that resembles its habitat so it does not go insane but everyone knows it is a far cry from actual territory. But a more open natural habitat makes the public feel good about their experience, regardless of how the animal feels. And (if you watch commercials or FB videos) we have far too many images of little kids giving a lion a high five or rolling around with a baby elephant to understand the dynamics of interacting with a wild animal, on how to read its cues. People come to zoos and scream. This is not something you could do in the wild. All of the animals would (rightfully) run away. We should not be swimming with dolphins. Getting over the barrier to get into the gorilla’s exhibition habitat was not an easy matter. This was not like tripping over a crack in the sidewalk. It took effort and time. If zoos returned to their more secure and restricted enclosures to protect their specimens from curious children not watched by inattentive parents, everyone would yowl. Then we get to the question of “why zoos?” I fall back on John Berger’s “Why Look at Animals” (About Looking) but the sad fact is, esp. for gorillas, bush meat, war zones in habitats, poaching for “Chinese medicine” (unstoppable), loss of habitat because the gorillas just happen to live where people are busy killing each other.

By: Sister Wolf

Sister Wolf — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 07:47:41 +0000

David – Absolutely, yes! But I think they should place the primates and elephants, at least, in a more natural environment, if they can’t function back in the wild.