After an inspection in more than 500 zoos, parks and circuses, Chinese Government closed seven facilities, and considers closing other 53 in case they do not fulfill the authorities’ determinations immediately.

Denounces received from several locations showed a scenery of huge animal mistreating at the facilities, especially in the zoos. Last March a scandal was broadcasted worldwide due to the death of 13 Siberian tigers in a zoo in the northeast of China – 11 of them starved to death and two were killed after attacking a keeper.

Director of Fauna Sector of Forest Science Government Administration, Zhang Xiwu, which is in charge for the inspection of these facilities, declared: “Some zoos are not able to offer the basic care to the animals due to their lack of resources, and others were connected to illegal trade of wild species.”

Director of NGO International Fund for Animal Welfare, Hua Ning, considered the action of the Chinese Government positive: “The Government has to help zoos and aquariums to put an end in the entertainment activities that cause damages to the animals.”

China has 700 zoos, parks, safaris and circuses with animals, which receive the visitation of 150 million people per year.

In Brazil the situation is not different. More than half of the zoos in the country do not have the official registration emitted by Ibama, nor fulfill the existing rules to keep the facilities opened.

People all over the world are coming to the conclusion that keeping million of animals imprisoned in cages and precarious enclosures to offer entertainment to humans is immoral and unethical. China is an example, as long as it is one of the countries that most mistreat and sacrifice animals. One of the most famous cases is the one of the bears, who have their bile collected alive.

Dr. Pedro A. Ynterian
President, GAP Project International