In light of the current public consultation on the draft Legal Notice on the keeping of wild animals in zoos, Moviment Graffitti has submitted its comments and continues to reiterate its position against these zoos, whether they are regulated or not.
Zoos are inherently an act of cruelty against these wild animals, held captive in enclosures, which no matter how well-furnished, will never provide sufficient space for these large animals, and which fail absurdly at mimicking these animals’ natural environment, leading to depressed, anxious animals. Depressed animals also result in dangerous animals, who are more likely to attack handlers and visitors, a lose-lose situation for all.
The stated aims of the legal notice is “to strengthen the role of zoos in the conservationn of biodiversity, protect the health and wellbeing of wild animals and to protect the public from these animals.” Moviment Graffitti does not see how these zoos helps to conserve biodiversity; they instead send a message to the public and any children visiting that is it normal to keep wild animals locked in a cage, in unnatural conditions, and at the mercy of visitors and their handlers. Zoos do not protect the health and well-being of animals; holding animals in captivity for people’s entertainment is purely exploitative and is only in the interest of those who are making a profit off of these animals.
Zoos also contribute to the further eradication of ODZ in Malta, as these enclosures are often developed on ODZ land. Not only do they contribute to environmental degradation, but neighbouring farmers who work their agricultural land must also put up with the negative consequences of these zoos, dealing with leakages of unwanted materials into their fields.
Moviment Graffitti condemns the opening of any new zoos. However, any zoos that do exist must be regulated to the highest standards, and therefore, the organization has submitted a number of comments to the draft Legal Notice in order to help safeguard these animals’ existence, as well as for the safety and well-being of the people who visit them.
We urge the public to also submit their feedback to this draft Legal Notice in order to make your voices heard on this issue, and to offer a voice for the poor animals who have to suffer this exploitation.
___________________________________________________
IL-LEGALIZZAZZJONI TAL-MOĦQRIJA GĦALL-PROFITT
Avviż Legali se jkun qed jirregolarizza l-moħqrija u l-isfruttament tal-animali biex iħaxxnu l-bwiet tal-ftit
Fid-dawl tal-konsultazzjoni pubblika li għaddejja bħalissa fuq l-abbozz tal-Avviż Legali dwar iż-żamma ta’ annimali selvaġġi fiż-zoos, il-Moviment Graffitti ssottometta l-kummenti tiegħu u jkompli jtenni l-pożizzjoni tiegħu kontra ż-zoos, regolati jew mhumiex.
Iż-zoos fihom infushom huma att ta’ moħqrija kontra dawn l-annimali selvaġġi, li jinżammu msakkrin fi spazji magħluqin, li anki jekk huma attrezzati sewwa, qatt ma jistgħu jipprovdu biżżejjed spazju għall-dawn l-annimali kbar, u bl-ebda mod ma jirnexxilhom joħolqu kopja adegwata tal-ambjent naturali tagħhom. Dan iwassal biex l-annimali jispiċċaw dipressi u ansjużi. Meta l-annimali jkunu dipressi, ikunu wkoll iktar perikolużi, u hemm iktar ċans li jattakkaw lil min jieħu ħsiebhom u lill-viżitaturi, sitwazzjoni fejn kulħadd jispiċċa tellief.
L-għan iddikjarat ta’ dan l-Avviż Legali huwa biex “jissaħħaħ l-irwol taż-zoos fil-konservazzjoni tal-biodiversità, fil-protezzjoni tas-saħħa u tal-benesseri tal-annimali selvaġġi u biex ikun protett il-pubbliku minn dawn l-annimali”. Il-Moviment Graffitti ma jistax jifhem kif dawn iż-zoos jistgħu jgħinu biex tkun imħarsa l-biodiversità; għall-kuntrarju, il-messaġġ li jwasslu lill-pubbliku u lit-tfal li jżuruhom huwa li huwa normali li żżomm annimali selvaġġi ġo gaġġa, f’kundizzjonijiet mhux naturali, u dipendenti fuq dawk li jieħdu ħsiebhom jew iżuruhom. Iż-zoos ma jipproteġux is-saħħa u l-benesseri tal-annimali; iż-żamma tal-annimali maqfulin għad-divertiment tal-pubbliku mhux ħlief sfruttament li huwa biss fl-interess ta’ dawk li qed jagħmlu profitt minn fuq dawn l-annimali.
Iż-zoos ikomplu wkoll jikkontribwixxu għall-qerda ta’ art ODZ f’Malta, peress li dawn l-ispazji magħluqin ħafna drabi jiġu żviluppati fuq art ODZ. Dawn mhux biss jikkontribwixxu għal degradazzjoni ambjentali, imma bdiewa fil-madwar li jaħdmu l-art agrikola tagħhom ikollhom ukoll ibagħtu l-konsegwenzi negattvi ta’ dawn iż-zoos, bħal meta jkun hemm xi materjal inixxi ġol-għalqa tagħhom.
Il-Moviment Graffitti jikkundanna l-ftuħ ta’ kwalunkwe zoo ġdid. Madanakollu, zoos eżistenti jeħtieġ li jkunu regolati skont l-ogħla kriterji, u għalhekk, l-organizzazzjoni ssottomettiet numru ta’ kummenti dwar l-abbozz tal-Avviż Legali biex tkun imħarsa l-eżistenza ta’ dawn l-annimali, kif ukoll is-sigurtà u l-benesseri ta’ min iżurhom.
Inħeġġu lill-pubbliku biex jissottometti l-kummenti u r-reazzjonijiet tiegħu għal dan l-abbozz biex issemmgħu leħinkom fuq din il-kwistjoni, u biex tkunu ta’ vuċi għal dawn l-imsejkna annimali li jkollhom isofru dan l-isfruttament.
