NEWS
ACRES IN THE NEWS
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Today
9-10 September 2006
Breeding is no indicator
Letter from Louis Ng (MSc)
President and Executive Director
Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres)
I refer to the report “No more animals from the Arctic: S'pore Zoo” (Sept 7). Acres would like to once again congratulate Singapore Zoo for responding positively to our concerns and agreeing to phase out the keeping of polar bears.
Acres is, however, puzzled as to why Singapore Zoo now says that the polar bears are housed in good conditions since they had earlier acknowledged the space constraints in an email in July 2005? If the bears are housed in good conditions, why then do they display abnormal stereotypic behaviours which are clear signs of stress?
The current polar bear enclosure fails to meet the standards laid out in the Polar Bear Protection Act, which was made law by the Government of Manitoba, Canada in 2003. These guidelines outline the minimum standards of care and husbandry that must be followed by those institutions housing polar bears.
These strict guidelines must be met by any zoos wishing to acquire a polar bear from Manitoba. The Singapore Zoo enclosure fails both in terms of size and design. Indeed, if Singapore Zoo today wants to acquire polar bears from Manitoba, the government by law cannot allow it.
It is misleading for Singapore Zoo to state that Inuka's birth is a sign that the bears are in good conditions. Progressive zoos should recognise that animal births are no longer considered a benchmark for good animal welfare. Acres has investigated several zoos in the region and has noted that captive animals breed even in the most appalling conditions.
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