While I found none such information in Expressen, I came across an interesting short report from Guwahati, India. It concerned two tigers, that escaped their enclosure in the local ZOO.
"Panic spread immediatley", said the paper. Ten thousand visitors were in danger.
The Reuters agency (the news source) informed about a fast, professional act from the ZOO management and the tiger caretakers, whom took action without a single hesitation.
They tranquilized both predators and put them safely into a secure area. Done, simple.
Now, how does this story relate to the wolves in Sweden?
I am still in shock from the horrifying news outbroke exactly one week after the January 2-4th slaughter of 28 wolves during the legalized hunt. The news struck the whole country. The entire pack of 12 captive wolves, including puppies, was killed in Skane ZOO, after several wolves attempeted to escape.
The press, and later the park management, informed, that two adult wolves managed to break the fence of their enclosure and escaped. They were still on the ground of the animal park, when they were shot to death. The park management made a quick decision to kill the rest of the pack, including the puppies from the summer litter.
This news is as shocking as disturbing. The park management released an official statement, that it was the best decission they could do under the circumstances, as they had responsibility toward the park´s visitors! Part of the park was evacuated, before the wolves were killed.
The ZOO´s spokesman said to the press, that the wolves had to be killed as this was an extreme dangerous situation. On the other hand, he added that all visitors were evacuated and people were at minimal risk. These absolutley controversial statements prove the total incompetence of the park staff.
How rediculous is that??!!
I still don´t understand. I still can´t and never will understand the brutality, and the gutts to do such thing. What in the world is wrong in Sweden?! Every ZOO and wild animal park has tranquilizing guns and their employees must know how to use it. There have been escapes from many ZOOs all over the world, and by much bigger, more agressive and dangerous predators, than wolves are. And not just predators. So Why did the Skane park not use them??!!Growing up in the neighbourhood of the Prague ZOO, and having a family member who actually worked there, I have many memories of such "adventures".
In one of them, I remember the escape of a fairly agressive monkey, who roamed through the streets of the rural city areas for couple of weeks, before she was found, tranquilized and transported back to safety, out of harm´s way.
It still strikes me on sleepless nights - what could possibly lead the park management to such heartless decission?!
Unfortunattley, I am afraid we´ll never find out. After all, it seems rather "ok" to many, and I was unpleasantly surprised that there was not a single investigation made. I very much doubt there ever will be. As usual, with an uncomfortable subject, this was all just swept under the table.
It is a logic built backwords. In Sweden, dare you to have your dogs in a kennel smaller than the department of agriculture rules tell, even by a few centimeteres. You face an inspection, your kennel might never be "aproved" and you might end up paying a financial fine.
But you can wipe out the entire, healthy wolf pack, kept in captivity, as you please. Apparently, without facing any problems with the law. To me, this is a double moral and also perhaps a proof, that this country needs much more refreshing in it´s laws, rules and regulations. They are confusing and absurd.
After all, this is just another example of how rules seldom comply with ethics.
While this terribly sad case never really became a "case" and is slowly dissapering in the history of "events", Skane ZOO is already planning to get new wolves.
While I searched on internet for information for this article, I came across older news, this time from Lycksele Animal Park, in the North part of Sweden. Few years ago, they also had an escape, in this case of three wolves. Two were killed, and one tranqilized and "left to live". That confuses me even more. There is an option to use the tranquilization gun, but yet the choice is seldom made.
A TV crew made an interview in Lycksele, shortly after the pack was killed in Skane. One of the Lycksele park´s managers told them: "we would act the same, if what happened in Skane, would happen here. We would shoot the wolves, if they escaped".
To read the complete article and also to watch the interview on the news, go to:
http://svt.se/2.33919/1.1842175/vargarna_skjuts_om_de_rymmer
While it is an obvious covering of back of each other, among the ZOO managements, I can´t help wondering what kind of people run these parks and why?!
So while in India, they CAN made a sensible, thoughtfull and human decision to keep the two tigers out of harm´s way, in the civilized country, told to be among the most developed, such as Sweden, they kill wolves who are not even any danger to anyone.
From my reasearch on the web, I came back with one very sad conclusion. It seems to be a common behaviour among Swedish ZOOs and Animal Parks.
And I will not visit anyone of those, treating their captive animals like that. If you wanna change the way things are, do not support them. Please spread the word. People have the right to know.
These three beautiful captive youngsters, will never be seen in Skane ZOO again. They lost their lives because of human incopetence, heartlessness, and lack of sense and sensibility.The Captive 12 Wolf Pack of Skane ZOO, killed for NO REASON will never be forgotten. They will always be remembered together with their 28+ wild brothers and sisters, slaughtered just a few days before.
-----------------------
Media on the subject of the Killing of Skane Captive 12 Wolf Pack:
THE LOCAL - "Wolves Liquidated after Swedish ZOO escape"
http://www.thelocal.se/24302/20100110/ (in English)
AFTONBLADET - http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article6403568.ab (in Swedish)
SVT (Swedish National TV) - http://svt.se/2.33919/1.1842175/vargarna_skjuts_om_de_rymmer-----------------------
If you would like things to improve for the animals, the nature and our environment, the only way is to step out of the silent crowd and do something. Let your voices and opinions be heared. Write letters to decision makers, sign petitions, spread the word. Do not remain passive, please.
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