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Weak-Calendar5497 t1_j1fleaj wrote

My friend refers to this place as The Wild Animal Jail and they're not wrong.

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spillsomepaint t1_j1fweo3 wrote

Not true. The zoo owner is well regarded by the animal cruelty task force lawyer who prosecuted cases across the state. She knows the zoo director bc she has placed rescued exotics in the past there. She has given the zoo high commendation for the care they provide. The lead vet there is also a pretty big deal in breeding some kind of wild cat, maybe leopards iirc, and releasing them into the wild.

Zoo's usually bum me out too, which is how I struck up the conversation for her when we served on the animal welfare grants committee at CF of Richmond.

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turkeyyyyyy t1_j1g6xr2 wrote

They’re big into cheetah breeding. There are a few adolescent cubs there now.

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geekitude t1_j1hipvp wrote

Better to think of zoos as genetic arks, saving species by studying them. Zoos all over the world share data without regard for boundaries, more concerned that their animals can be healthy, and if possible, support their wild cousins by educating people about what they need to survive.

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gravy_boot t1_j1ja80o wrote

Saving species that we endangered, solely for our own benefit.

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readthistoyourmomma t1_j1jfpvq wrote

Ok? So we shouldn't try to fix the issue we caused?

Disregard, just saw your other angry asshat comment, happy holidays everybody!

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gravy_boot t1_j1jhye3 wrote

That person deserved the asshole comment for being an asshole.

Anyway no we shouldn’t because it can’t be fixed, and because the attempt causes a ton of harm.

Happy holidays to the new Pygmy Hippo, it’s all downhill from here!

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Captain_Tiberius t1_j1gnj1e wrote

Do you have more info on the zoo breeding a kind of wild cat and releasing them into the wild? I know the zoo has a pretty successful cheetah breeding program, but I figured all of those cubs would stay in captivity. From what I understand, it’s very rare for animals born and raised in captivity to be released into the wild.

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VAtenkara t1_j1g0irw wrote

I would love to know why you’re friend calls it that instead of just throwing shit to the wind and hoping it sticks

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Ruminator33 t1_j1gmtfl wrote

Zoo’s serve an important role in preservation of endangered species through breeding. Some species are near extinction, only present in Zoo’s and wildlife sanctuaries. The goal is to eventually reintroduce species back into the wild.

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ThaLZA OP t1_j1fokug wrote

Ooof. I’ve never been, just liked the idea of a baby hippo. Didn’t realize how complicated this issue is.

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jeb_hoge t1_j1fqg2v wrote

The zoo is just fine...I've been more than probably anyone on this sub (annual memberships + little kids = lots of visits). It's not on a par with a true municipal zoo, sure, but it's fine.

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c53x12 t1_j1ge78i wrote

Bundle up little hippo

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FattieBanton t1_j1ilp0h wrote

There’s a richmond zoo?🤯

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ThaLZA OP t1_j1ioqmh wrote

This was also news to me. It’s out in the suburbs, not downtown or anything

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gravy_boot t1_j1fhjrn wrote

Raising wild animals from birth in captivity is barbaric, at least for more intelligent species. We destroy their habitat then breed and torture the future generations to alleviate our guilt.

Zoos don’t do nearly as much good for the planet as they claim, and id argue in many (but not all) cases they’re a net negative. There are better ways to raise money/awareness in 2023.

/rant

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TDIMike t1_j1fkxdc wrote

Thanks for sharing. Can't wait to take my kids to see it in the spring

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gravy_boot t1_j1fntec wrote

Cool, while you gawk at the baby in it’s boring, dusty new forever-cage be sure your kids don’t learn anything, and cherish the memory as they throw a fit for froyo that they won’t appreciate. Then take them home to watch another focus-grouped Netflix dud while you get drunk and ignore them. As is tradition.

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jeb_hoge t1_j1fqlhw wrote

I support you in your rant against zoos circa 1963.

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TDIMike t1_j1fo169 wrote

Shit you read me perfectly.

What's your name so I can make a donation to the zoo in your honor? I'll match it to SeaWorld too.

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Sunf1re96 t1_j1fotum wrote

Goddamn, can't post anything on this subreddit about the Richmond Zoo without people getting cranky. Can't you just let people who likes zoos alone and keep your negative comments to yourself? No one is forcing you to go to the zoo, but some people get excited about it

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gravy_boot t1_j1fq8kh wrote

Sorry if the opinions you found on this internet forum weren’t agreeable for you. You’re free to go to the zoo, but I’m going to keep being cranky about animal abuse.

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Sunf1re96 t1_j1frw0i wrote

It's interesting because the numerous posts about breweries and bars don't cause people to rant and rave about the dangers of alcohol.

If you (or anyone else) has issues with how the zoo operates, then I strongly recommend reaching out to the zoo politely and professionally to voice your concerns. Not just the RVA zoo, any of them.

Zoos do phenomenal conservation and education work around the world, and are filled with hard-working, extremely dedicated individuals. I'm sure any of those people would be thrilled to tell you how they provide the best care possible for the animals that they love.

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gravy_boot t1_j1fz5ox wrote

The issues with our zoo are noted elsewhere and I generally agree with them- but it’s all besides the point for me. There are two facts that I can’t get around when trying to justify maintaining captive breeding programs:

  1. Humans aren’t entitled to animals.

  2. Animals don’t care about extinction.

If we’re not doing it for the benefit of individuals who can appreciate their own sacrifice, and doing it causes them measurable misery, then we shouldn’t do it.

We made our bed, now we have to sleep in it. On a planetary timescale this is a blip, humans will die soon enough and nature will heal itself.

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panopticon31 t1_j1fsu91 wrote

Richmond Metro Zoo is a for profit business that is "accredited" through the ZAA. Which was started after another zoo lost their accreditation through the existing AZA organization.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoological_Association_of_America

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gowhatyourself t1_j1fuy3r wrote

Is there a good source of information about the RMZ that gives any detail about why it's not great other than it being part of ZAA? I've seen people say the Richmond Zoo is bad but never really give any explanation as to how they got there.

My mom has a membership because she lives down the road and loves going on walks since the hills are good exercise. We've gone once and my daughter was overjoyed at seeing all the animals. If I knew there was mistreatment of animals or something else that would give me pause I'd want to know about it so we wouldn't go back and I would tell my mom to give up her membership.

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Sunf1re96 t1_j1ftsv2 wrote

It'd be really great if every zoo could be AZA accredited. I've seen a lot of zoos without any accreditation and they are really problematic. The ZAA provides a way for a lot of smaller zoos to improve their standards of care without the expense of the AZA (it costs money to join and stay accredited).

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WikiSummarizerBot t1_j1fsvik wrote

Zoological Association of America

>The Zoological Association of America (ZAA) is a non-profit organization founded in 2005 dedicated to responsible wildlife management, conservation, and education. The ZAA is headquartered in Punta Gorda, Florida, and accredits zoos and aquariums within the United States.

^([ )^(F.A.Q)^( | )^(Opt Out)^( | )^(Opt Out Of Subreddit)^( | )^(GitHub)^( ] Downvote to remove | v1.5)

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Cuda14 t1_j1hyeyu wrote

You’re incorrect on almost all counts, cheers.

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