Gatorland - animal care standards

[michixxx]

we did this park in june and were disgusted with it we spaent just an hour there and left - worst day of the holiday

[bevc]

I read this thread with interest. Even though I am an animal lover and a vegetarian, I am not and have never been one to force my opinions on anyone else as I truly believe it is each to their own. I can see both sides of the arguments raised here. I have visted Gatorland only once and have to say that putting the whole animal rights argument to one side, I just found the place to be incredibly tacky and nasty! Stayed for an hour and left vowing never to return. Wild horses wouldn't drag me back there! Obviously some people love it and as I said, it's each to their own but on a personal level, for the life of me I can't see why.

Bev

[Rigstig]

Gatorland has for over 50 years made income by showing these amazing creatures to the paying public.

But for those who think it a cruel place, try spending some time on a proper working farm here in the UK, and I dont mean one that invites the public in for a look round and a stroke of the sheep and the goats either.
I was in farming for quite a few years before and for a few years after leaving school, mainly in the production of Veal and Pork, and believe me, some of the things that a farmer has to do in the way of making money would make your hair curl.

How many of you out there have been to a slaughterhouse.
Getting that piece of beef, lamb or pork prepared ready prior to you finding it on the supermarket shelf is definately not a pretty sight.

Would you boycott Australia because they shoot and eat nice fluffy Kangaroos... and crocodiles.
Would you boycott Korea knowing that you will see dead dogs hanging in the markets in readiness for that nights dinner.
How many dibbers boycott Chinese made goods knowing of their terrible human rights record, in fact take a look at the majority of Disney souveniers, most of it made in China.

How many of us would boycott the local curryhouse if they really knew how Halaal meat was slaughtered. Ive seen Veal calves slaughtered Kosher in a Jewish slaughter house in London, not a pretty sight at all, and extremely cruel.

Ive been to Gatorland , held a baby Gator, and it wasnt taped up.
As for the chicken Jumperoo thing, how is this not natural?.
Ive seen many a wildlife programme showing crocs and gators leaping up out of the water to take an unsuspecting bird off a low lying branch in the swamps.

Gatorland might not have the tidyness and razzmatazz of the Disney/ Busch parks, but I'll bet the breeding marsh in Gatorland is a damn sight bigger and more natural than any living areas you will find in Animal Kingdom or Seaworld.

Stuart

[Villainlover]

I agree totally Stuart ...

[fintywalker]

And so do I, let's get this in perspective this is evolution of the species, survival of the fittest, these are not children in third world countries, without parents, begging for food and clothes, these are crocodiles and alligators. As has already been stated, we would have to have very high impossible values in order to boycott our whole existence. I believe we should have respect and value all living things, but hey there is a pecking order here, what did george Orwell say? ' all things are equal, just some are more equal than others'

[Sue]

Originally Posted by Suzie&Stuart

How many of you out there have been to a slaughterhouse.
Getting that piece of beef, lamb or pork prepared ready prior to you finding it on the supermarket shelf is definately not a pretty sight.

Stuart

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I have and it's not nice - but the slaughtering of animals for Kosher and Halal meat is even more barbaric imho (seen that too before I get flamed) - but I still eat meat. Could I kill an animal to eat - if it meant my survival then yes!
As for farms in this country doing horrible things - of course they do. Do they charge people entry for it - no!
I've lived in Australia - grey kangaroos are not cute, they are a pest! Eaten kangaroo meat - bit gamey but edible nonetheless. Lambs are cuter but I still eat them.
As I said before, if you want to go to Gatorland then fine - I choose not to and am entitled to my opinion.

[Guest]

flintywalker when you say:


"I believe we should have respect and value all living things" I'm in full agreement with you.

Just that taping an animal's mouth up and forcing it to jump for food against its natural instincts doesn't sit easily with the word respect.

I'm not saying you advocate either of the above btw!

Mike

[fintywalker]

I don't Mike ! I've been to Gatorland once and will not be returning, but neither am I going to campaign to have the place shut down, hey there's humans dying out there, and I'm sure the alligators have a better life there than in the surrounding areas where locals are free to kill them I believe.

[Rigstig]

Originally Posted by fintywalker

and I'm sure the alligators have a better life there than in the surrounding areas where locals are free to kill them I believe.

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Alligators have been taken off the endangered species list but are still protected.
There are the occasional organised hunts, but other than this the Alligators cannot be killed by joe public ,even if found in the swimmng pool.

Why has Gatorland been a success for so long?, I believe its because Alligators are generally only to be found south of the Mississippi, and the main majority are in Florida. People will always want to see these amazing creatures, and will always take the easy way by visiting somewhere like Gatorland.
Why do people go on an airboat ride?. I personally dont think its just the ride thats the attraction, but the chance of seeing a Gator. Seeing a gator from an airboat is not guaranteed, but it is at places like Gatorland. And then theres the fact that not everybody likes boats.

Making animals perform is a fact of life unfortunately.Like has been said, we are top of the food chain and will continue to dominate the rest of the animal kingdom whether its for pleasure or for profit.
Animals are made to perform because if left to their natural devices, they tend to just laze about and would be regarded as boring, then the majority of people would see them once, and would probably never pay to see them ever again. People will always pay to see a show though. Even shows become repetetive though, hence why the likes of Seaworld change the shows every couple of years or so.
Taping a gators mouth or making it jump for food isnt natural, but neither is making a Killer Whale or a Dolphin react to a command to do sommersaults [sp] etc and how often do you see a human stood on a Whales nose or riding on its back out in the wild.

Love it or loathe it, there will always be zoo's of some kind, because this is the only way the majority of people will ever see wild animals from around the world up close, and those that run and own these zoo's will allways tell us its a conservation thing. Of course , conservation was always a major issue in the early 1900s when most zoo's started cropping up, making lots of money had nothing to do with it.

Stuart

[jeanwales]

Great post Stuart.


Lover of Gatorland