First, the Singapore zoo announced in 2006 that it will transfer Inuka to zoo in a more suitable climate after his mother passed away.
This month, it reversed the decision citing that Inuka is no longer young, and it is acclimatised to its living conditions.
For those who are not aware, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inuka for a quick overview.
I thought the whole decision was quite unfair to Inuka.
He's been born in captivity, and always had the companionship of other polar bears all his life. When he was born in 1990, there was his father Nanook, his mother Sheba, and Anana, a female polar bear caught in the wild.
Nanook was caught in the wild at 11 months old and came to Singapore zoo in 1978. He died in 1995 after suffering from chronic heart and lung disease. He was 18 years old.
Anana was also caught in the wild, came to Singapore in 1979, and died in 1999.
Sheba was born in captivity, and was 14 months old when she came to Singapore from Cologne Zoo (Germany). At 29, She's well over the expected lifespan of a polar bear in captivity (25 years) now.
While polar bears in the wild are solitary, it was a necessity due to relative scarcity of food. Bear cubs leave their parents when they mature (sexually), around age of 2-3 years old.
During my last visit to the zoo recently, Inuka brought a piece of fish to his mother. He cannot be judged like a polar bear in the wild for his life expectancy, behaviour and mental conditions.
I think nothing could comfort his loneliness when his mother, who have been with him since birth, passes away. Nothing the zoo keepers could do would alleviate that.
At the same time, he had been deprived of a "normal" life, no chance of meeting a girl so to speak, nothing has been really normal his whole life, not the least the small enclosure he lives in.
I called the zoo, I wrote to the press, asking them to give Inuka a chance at life.
Yes, in hindsight, the zoo has admitted it was a bad idea to breed polar bear in Singapore. Nothing can be done to change the past.
But something still can be done for the future. Inuka still has a chance for some semblance of "normal" life cycle if he goes to another zoo where there are other polar bears. At least the companionship of other polar bears, even if in captivity.
At this age, Inuka still could potentially live another decade. I wouldn't want him to be alone until he dies.
I saw the call for Inuka in the papers. I guess it was you. In the first place, we really have no business having polar bears here in the first place, they are fish out of water. Even if we are able to give them the environment they need, we have a duty to ensure they are happy living here with us. I know our Zoo is trying their best to become the best in the region, however, certainly not at the expense of the animals.
ReplyDeleteAfter all the publicity, they would think of something, perhaps, it might be a good time to think what to do; to return Inuka back to the wild, might too be signing a death warrant, as it might not have the necessary skills to survive in the wild. As for bringing in another polar bear, it would mean taking another animal out if it natural habitat to serve our needs, this will become a never-ending cycle of replacing to ensure the polar bear continue to have a companion.
What would be the solution?
Why would we want to confine poor polar bears in the tropics anyway? Just so we humans can gawp at them? 'Twould be like asking us to stand starkers in an Alaskan zoo during mid-winter.
ReplyDeleteCertainly not turning him to the wild where he was never trained for and it's rather late for that.
ReplyDeleteCertainly not bringing in another polar bear.
The first idea is still best, let him go to another zoo in a more suitable climate, and where there are other polar bears.
And given Inuka being hand-raised since birth, send a couple of familiar faces (zoo keepers) along for the mid-term to help him adapt.
It's going to cost, but consider it a payment for what he's brought the Zoo and what the Zoo has done to him.
The principle can be extended to many animals in the zoo, especially those who roam vast distances in the wild.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen how bored and listless the lions are?
The Zoo does play an important part in educating human beings about wildlife, and some animals pay a heavier price than others for it.
It would do well for us to consider that in recent decades, we've learned a lot and have become more sensitive to the needs of animals.
On hindsight, the zoo didn't know better in the past.
But now we do, so like I said, let's consider what can be done in the future.
So true.
ReplyDelete