Appalling Animal Attractions, Part 4: Dusit Zoo, Bangkok, Thailand

Dusit Zoo is Thailand’s first public zoo, and even though it was established 60 years ago, it doesn’t appear to have changed much since. The pens are small and severely crowded, and they provide little stimulation for the intelligent animals they imprison.

Sun bears are kept in a dark, outdoor enclosure. Because of the lack of enrichment, bears were seen digging at the concrete floor and wall as well as pacing the perimeter of their small enclosure. The water in the moat was filthy, and the indoor dens were small, with no ventilation or enrichment.

Worst of all, elephants at Dusit Zoo are all chained by one leg each. Their chains—which measure about 1.5 meters for each animal—deprive the animals of any sense of freedom and limit them to spending their days swaying back and forth in the same spot.

Zoos claim that they educate people and preserve species, but they rarely succeed on either count. Instead, they present visitors with a distorted view of wildlife. Even the biggest zoos cannot provide the space, exercise, privacy, and mental stimulation that the animals they hold captive need, much less fulfill the animals’ other complex needs.

Please do your part to help animals like the ones at the Dusit Zoo. Please pledge never to patronize zoos or any other animal attraction, and share this information with friends and family.

Posted by Ashley Fruno