Jungle Zoo bosses hit back at protesters
THE owners of Jungle Zoo in Cleethorpes have hit back at allegations their creatures are being kept in discomfort.
Protesters rallied at the entrance to the zoo on Saturday with a loud hailer, banner and placards to demonstrate against alleged conditions in animal attractions.
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Protestors from the Captive Animal Protection Society outside Jungle Zoo in Cleethorpes on Saturday.
But a spokesman for the Jungle Zoo has said photographs taken by the group were out of context, and their arguments baseless.
The group, which had loosely assembled under the banner of the Captive Animal Protection Society (CAPS), had members from Grimsby and further afield.
Olly Dean, 27, from Sheffield said: "We have concerns about the place. CAPS brought it to our attention."
He claimed pictures being displayed on their banners had been taken during a CAPS "investigation" into the zoo on March 27.
Mr Dean claimed the pictures taken during the visit showed:
A parrot "pulling its feathers out" – which campaigners argued was a sign of distress.
A capuchin monkey which they said was alone, and in an enclosure they thought was "not matching the animals' needs".
A snake, which they claimed did not have enough room to uncoil.
A toucan, which they said should not be brought to Cleethorpes.
A guinea pig which they claimed had a "lesion" on its back.
A number of parrots in an aviary which they claimed was too small.
One 19-year-old Grimsby protester, who did not wish to be named, added: "The conditions are not right."
However, Bernard Bale from the Jungle Zoo has rubbished the claims, and likened animal rights groups to "playground bullies".
He said: "They never even come to us – and every zoo in the country has this problem.
"They don't go to zoos and offer constructive help, or ask questions."
He refuted the claims based on the photographs, saying the angles the pictures had been taken from were misleading, and that the criticisms were "an uninformed snapshot" of day-to-day workings at the zoo.
Mr Bale added many of the animals which the Jungle Zoo took in were "rescue" animals, brought in because owners could not look after them properly.
Answering the protesters' allegations, he said parrots can pull feathers out for several reasons.
He said: "We have a number of parrots brought into us for the very reason that they are pulling their feathers out. We get them out of that habit for their owners."
Mr Bale added it was too soon to put their three male capuchin rescue monkeys together, although they were looking at creating a colony in the future.
He added the monkeys were able to be moved from one enclosure to another to make sure they were content with their environment.
In relation to the allegations regarding the snake, he said that sometimes when a snake is brought in, it is temporarily put in an enclosure which may "not be ideal" until a proper home can be found shortly after. He added the camera angle of the photo would have to portray the whole of the enclosure to be accurate.
Mr Bale also described the protestors' claims that the toucan's lacked an appropriate habitat as "complete rubbish" and said Guinea Pigs living in groups were prone to cuts.
He said: "The enclosure has been done up to the point where there is brush matting at the top of the enclosure to simulate the toucan's preferred environment under a forest umbrella.
"Lesions on Guinea pigs are something they are prone to – males give each other a scrape now and again. Staff attend to these things, they don't just leave them.
"The Department for Environment and Rural Affairs has inspected our premises and if the habitats were not right, then they would remove our license.
"Animals would never come to harm here for two reasons. The first is because people get into this business because they like animals.
"The second is the animals themselves are irreplaceable."
24 Comments
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by luke, Grimsby
Wednesday, April 28 2010, 4:54AM
“Quite shocking, they never give up last time was about the circus now the Jungle Zoo do they ever give up? next they will be protesting people having general pets.”
by jellybean, Cleethorpes
Tuesday, April 20 2010, 10:02PM
“It seems to me gordon that you yourself have escaped from somewhere very strange, are the still looking for you if not why not ?”
by Sue, Grimsby
Tuesday, April 20 2010, 4:43PM
“What Paul! 2 showers and " trips to the job centre. Whatever next. A job maybe? lol”
by Paul, Clee
Tuesday, April 20 2010, 3:38PM
“Why is it that all you tie wearing, Daily mail reading close-minded, Camron loving Conservatives have to resort to name calling?
It makes me want to get a "shower" and go to the "Job Center" [sic]”
by Paul, Clee
Tuesday, April 20 2010, 3:33PM
“Why do you tie wearing, Daily Mail reading, uptight, closed-minded Conservatives resort to name calling?
Its nearly enough to get me in the "shower" and off the "dole"[sic]”
by Sue, Grimsby
Tuesday, April 20 2010, 9:09AM
“Yes Bored, I know what CAPS stands for as I read the article. I just wondered if that idiot Shaun Turkington who keeps inventing societies for himself to be head of was involved in this one. He has a history of getting himself in the paper for animal rights - yet he totally ignored the way his friends kept their very large dogs permanently shut up in tiny back yards with NO exercise. Very much a case of double standards.
The animals in that place are for the most part rescue animals - so who's to say these lesions etc didn't occur before they were rescued. As I said before if there was cruelty involved I'm sure the RSPCA would have investigated these claims after the last protest. And as for making a profit - he has rates to pay to Cleethorpes Council and all the food, vets bills etc to pay for. I doubt that he has made millins of profit from this venture. Sure they have a right to protest but not to frighten passers-by and get peoples backs up. Surely a silenty vigil outside would be much more dignified, get their point across and get the publicity they want..”
by Bored, Grimsby
Tuesday, April 20 2010, 12:19AM
“As soon as a story like this hits the paper every in favour of animal abuse ignoramus in the locality immediately jumps onto their computer for an ill informed rant.
Unwashed, jeering and waving banners, would scare the grandchildren, tree huggers, far left neo anarchists; not to mention "What's" persistent lies about a man with a lump of wood - he knows, as does everyone else, that the man only had the lump of wood because the banner that had been attached to it was tangled around a white van following Mr Bale's attempt at ABH. The usual boring story - no proper facts to back up your views, so you just resort to insults.
As this was the same group of protesters who were accused of hooliganism, criminal damage and anti social behaviour at the recent circus protest, I actually went along to the Jungle Zoo to meet them.
What I found was a group of people, most of whom were I would guess in their mid to late 20s, standing on the grass verge outside the zoo holding banners and placards, handing out leaflets and talking to anyone who wished to stop for a chat. One of them was using a megaphone to broadcast information about the plight of animals in zoos, but he was doing so in a calm and well spoken manner. Certainly, none of them were unwashed, all were well educated and as I learned from speaking to them many of them work in the same kind of professional jobs that the animal abuse fan club claim the circus protesters don't have.
You people are always advising that anyone who is anti the mistreatment of animals goes along to the zoos etc. because you are convinced we will change our minds. Well, I would advise that you go and meet the protesters - you will find that they are not at all what you claim they are.
Oh, and Sue, CAPS stands for Captive Animals Protection Society.”
by jellybean, Cleethorpes
Monday, April 19 2010, 11:46PM
“Why do these people have to intimidate people in this manner, Without any research into why these animals are in this situation. The people running the Zoo have accepted these animals to feed and care for them,as the owners previously were unable to do so. Why don't you people find something constructive to do and protest somewhere like, India,South Africa,America.Could think of a few more places for you to go .”
by Ian Gillan, Immingham
Monday, April 19 2010, 9:33PM
“Forgive me, Gordon Lightfoot, but why don't you resurrect your extinct career and play a protest gig outside London Zoo?”
by Gordon Lightfoot, Grimsby
Monday, April 19 2010, 9:12PM
“Just because an animal has been treat badly doesn't mean it's ok to subject it to a lower form of cruelty. No animal should be caged, and I include animals in domestic situations in that.
What makes this worse is that the owner is being cruel for profit.”