Recently, a woman climbed into the polar bear exhibit at the Berlin zoo and was attacked by some of the bears in that exhibit. The exhibit is safe–visitors can’t accidentally fall into the water. And the Berlin zoo does not plan to make any changes to the bears’ enclosure.
Bears are wild animals. So, what was she thinking? No one really knows, but it is yet another reminder that wild animals are just that…wild. And, so they should be treated in that manner. A couple of months ago, a woman was mauled by a friend’s “pet” chimpanzee. This led to much controversy about whether chimps should be allowed to be pets.
While some people may try to blame the animals for the unfortunate attacks, we must remember that the animals are responding in ways that are natural to their species. No matter how “cuddly” and “cute” these animals may appear, they need to be treated with respect.
When we are on the tundra and leave the buggies to actually go down on the surface, we are constantly aware of the bears who live there. “Spotters” keep a lookout for bears that may be in the area, and we are always ready to retreat back up into the buggy if need be. The spotters can make noise to scare any wandering bears away from the area if we are on the tundra surface when they start walking our way. And, there are usually “gunners” who are also standing by if needed. No one wants to do anything to injure a bear. And, the bears are mostly curious and observing the humans on the tundra. However, if a bear were to become threatening, the gunners are prepared to do what is necessary to protect the humans.
The zookeepers at the Berlin zoo were also prepared to take drastic measures to protect the woman who dove into the water in the bear exhibit. But, they were doing everything they could to rescue the woman and also keep the bears safe. Luckily, the bears weren’t injured in this incident. The chimp referred to earlier wasn’t so lucky. He had to be shot.
As we are around any wild animals, we must be cautious and respectful–working to keep ourselves safe and also to maintain the animal’s safety as well. We must remember that these animals are wild, and they should be treated accordingly.
What are your thoughts about these two recent events that have made international headlines? While we ALL send both of the women involved in these tragic accidents our best wishes for their recovery, what could or should be done to protect both individuals and the animals…animals who are victims themselves in these situations?
Tags: Animals, bears, Berlin zoo, chimpanzee, endangered animals, polar bears, zoo
