Cruelty to Captive Wild Animals in Asia

Animal cruelty in zoos, and safari parks in China is sadly common. It is not unusual to see captive wild animals in Asia's zoos in small barren cages, with no environmental enrichment, and inappropriate groupings - such as sociable pack animals housed alone.

Many wild animals including endangered species in captivity, such as elephants live their lives in chains, unable to display any natural roaming behaviours, or move beyond a few metres.

Captive wild animals, including endangered species, also routinely suffer cruel mutilation with their teeth and claws cut back. And in many zoos and safari parks in Asia, terrified cows, donkeys, pigs, and chickens dropped into the enclosures of starving lions and tigers as live prey, for the entertainment of crowds.

Some mammals in captivity in zoos in Asia also suffer with injury and disease. Many wild animals in captivity even self-harm due to the frustration and boredom of constant confinement. Most receive no medical care and are left to suffer alone.

Many captive wild animals in zoos display stereotypic behaviour, not seen in their wild cousins, such as obsessively pacing or circling, or frantic swaying on the spot.

This is due to the neglect and severe stress suffered by confined wild animals in many of Asia's zoos and safari parks.

You can help end this cruelty. Could you help spare a forgotten
captive wild animal from a life of loneliness and abuse?

Wild captive animals forced to perform

Many zoos in China and Vietnam, also force wildlife in captivity to entertain crowds with unnatural, degrading and stressful circus-style performances.

The training methods used to force the animals to perform are cruel and abusive, using punishment and fear. A number of undercover investigations into zoo performances have uncovered gross abuse of wild animals to force them to perform.

Trainers will do whatever they can to break the animals' spirits. Endangered tigers and lions routinely have their teeth ripped out and are declawed to render them harmless.

A recent video viewed by 10 million people in China showed a trainer kicking and beating a chained and muzzled endangered moon bear. For any animal lover, these are humiliating and heartbreaking spectacles. Endangered wildlife such as moon bears, tigers, and elephants as well as great apes, monkeys and lions, forced to ride bikes, jump through rings of fire, and balance on tightropes. All for the 'entertainment' of an audience.

In 2011, China issued a government directive banning wild animal performances. However, an Animals Asia investigation into animal performance in China's zoos revealed that 39% of zoos and safari parks still regularly force wild captive animals to perform.

Suffering for Selfies

To attract tourists and generate more profits, some zoos and safari parks use wild animals, particularly baby wild animals, as photo props.

Many cubs and baby animals are removed from their mothers very young, so they can be hand reared, and held in social isolation, making it easier for the trainers to access them and force them to pose for photo opportunities. Often times, despite their obvious distress and trauma.

Just like human babies, baby monkeys and apes have an extended development period, during this time they need the companionship of older animals of the same species. Removing baby animals from their families robs them of this important development period.

Some animals are chained up and even drugged to keep them subdued for photos and interaction experiences.

Wild Caught Captive Animals

Most animals in zoos in China and Vietnam are 'wild caught'. This means that they were born in the wild, and captured to be forced into captivity.

Animals such as chimpanzees, orangutans, gorillas, elephants, whales, and dolphins are in high demand to supply both zoos/ocean parks and private collections. This demand is leading to unimaginable suffering for many thousands of animals.

To obtain one baby chimpanzee from the wild, for example, it is estimated that an additional ten chimpanzees are likely to be killed.

Many of these adults are likely to be slaughtered as they defend their infants from poachers. The fear and suffering of the kidnapped baby animals is unimaginable. Many are just months old when they are torn from their families.

They are then shipped to a strange land to be placed into a barren enclosure and in many cases beaten into performing tricks as part of an animal circus.

It is time for us all to take a stand on behalf of these animals and demand an end to wild capture.
Help defend captive wild animals in Asia with a gift today.

Animals Asia is Helping Captive Wild Animals.

Animals Asia works directly with captive animal facilities throughout China. Not because we agree with their practices, but because we know collaboration is the best way to help animals in need and bring about change.

Over the years we have worked with no less than 22 zoos as well as collaborating directly with the China Association of Zoological Gardens (CAZG), which sets guidelines for all zoos in the country.

This work has improved the daily lives of thousands of animals, from primates and bears to elephants, endangered tigers and lions.

We also help to expose cruelty in Asia's zoos and safari parks. In the face of public outrage, an Indonesian zoo recently has announced it will no longer force sun bears and orangutans to perform for food, after shocking footage of animals begging for food was released.

In 2015, Hanoi Zoo ended wild animal performances, and unchained elephants, after continued work with Animals Asia to improve welfare standards.

You Can Help Captive Wild Animals from Abuse

You can help stop this cruelty! Your support could help enrich the lives of captive wild animals, and end wild animal performances at zoos and circuses.

• Donate. We all have the power to make a difference. Any gift from you, large or small, could change the life of a desperate wild animal in captivity.

• Never attend wild animal performances, attractions, rides, or photo opportunities.
• Like us on Facebook to follow our LIVE wild animal rescue work, sanctuary stories, and tips on how to be a cruelty-free tourist.