OneKind and the Captive Animals’ Protection Society have responded to proposals for a new zoo on the Clyde set to feature lions, gorillas, hyenas, crocodiles, penguins and seals.
Wildside World Ltd plans to build a new zoo complex at the Cuningar Loop on the Clyde River near Glasgow. As leading animal protection charities, our two groups have warned that if plans go ahead for the £85 million development– billed as “one of the largest wildlife attractions in the world” – the facility could face the same fate suffered by Glasgow Zoo in 2003. We believe this would seriously jeopardise animal welfare and are calling for the plans to hold animals at the new development to be reconsidered as a matter of urgency.
While OneKind opposes the keeping of any wild animals in zoos, we have also pointed out the unsuitability of these particular species. In an urban zoo it will be impossible to provide the complex terrestrial or marine environments needed for these animals to enjoy a reasonable standard of psychological welfare. Lions, for example, are known to face problems of obesity and behavioural problems in zoos and have been recorded as spending 48% of their time pacing – a recognised sign of behavioural problems. Hyenas are largely nocturnal and therefore unlikely to benefit from being kept in a busy daytime attraction. Seals are also known to suffer boredom in captivity, deprived of the natural environmental stimuli of the haulout, the hunt for prey, the weather and the sea.
In addition to animal welfare, ethical worries and a purported lack of contribution to conservation efforts, we also have concerns over the economic viability of the plans.
The location chosen for a new zoo at the Cuningar Loop in South Lanarkshire places the proposed development just 7 miles from the site where Glasgow Zoo operated until 2003.
Glasgow Zoo closed after running up reported debts of around £3.5 million which in turn resulted in the zoo failing to meet the standards required under zoo licensing regulations, reportedly impacting upon animal welfare and ultimately resulting in the zoo’s closure. The financial problems came as a result of a year-on-year decrease in visitor numbers and the associated decrease in income.
Competition with Edinburgh Zoo was deemed to be one of the factors affecting Glasgow Zoo’s visitor numbers – and at that time Edinburgh Zoo had not introduced its high profile Giant Panda exhibit which has seen its visitor footfall increase by around 50% to 810,937 visitors in the last twelve months. It stands to reason that the Cuningar Loop project will be under much more pressure than its predecessor in terms of competition with its Edinburgh-based rival.
All evidence suggests that in the short term, as visitors continue to flock to Edinburgh Zoo to see the pandas, the zoo at Cuningar Loop will be overlooked. In subsequent years, as the draw of the pandas wears off, it is reasonable to assume that visitor numbers will drop back to the “pre-panda” levels. That is, levels which could barely sustain one zoo in the area and had, for over ten years, been too low to support two.
CAPS and OneKind have suggested to the developers that an excellent environmental attraction – perhaps similar in nature to the Eden Project in Cornwall or Our Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh – could be equally suitable for this site, and could provide educational and entertainment facilities without exploiting wild animals.
The CAPS/OneKind response was compiled in consultation with the Born Free Foundation.