January 29, 2004
Mr. Sukeshiro Terata
Akita Prefectural Governor
Akita Prefectural Government
Akita-shi Sanno 4-1-1
T010-8570, JAPAN
Dear Mr.Terata,
Zoocheck Canada and
the Winnipeg Humane Society(WHS)
recently learned of a Japanese zoo's
interest in acquiring polar bears
from Canada and their request to
the Province of Manitoba for polar
bear cubs from Churchill region.
Please be advised that we are strongly
opposed to any shipment of polar
bears to Japan and have written to
the Premier of Manitoba and other
members of government expressing
our opposition to this request.
As you know, polar
bears are highly intelligent, far
ranging, cold weather carnivores
that usually do not do well in captivity.
Even when they are provided with
sizeable, complex enclosures, they
are still prone to the development
of aberrant behaviours, such as pacing,
head weaving, rocking and stereotypic
swimming, or sitting, lying and sleeping
for abnormally long periods of time.These
behaviours, which are the result
of a poor environment and lack of
stimulation, are often more pronounced
in wild caught animals.
Zoocheck has several
concerns about the shipment of polar
bears to Japan. There are already
dozens of polar bears housed in Japanese
zoos, the majority of them in outdated,
grossly substandard conditions. The
suffering of one or several of those
bears could be alleviated somewhat
by their transfer to a new,more appropriate
enclosure.From an animal welfare
perspective, that makes more senses
than importing additional bears from
Canada.
Zoocheck and the WHS
also believe the reason for the request
to Manitoba relates more to visitors
numbers and revenue generation than
anything else. Polar bear cubs are
very appealing and far more marketable
to the general public than adult
bears.Their economic impact on the
zoo that brings them in however,
may be short-lived. By the time the
bears reach tow years of age,much
of their appeal will gone. Utilizing
bears for this kind of commercial
purpose is not acceptable.
We are also concerned
about Japan's very weak animal welfare
laws. If at some point in the future,
the zoo decides that new, younger
bears are wanted, they could sell,
trade or donate the Manitoba bears
to another less appropriate facility.
If the bears do end up in a substandard
situation, there is little that concerned
Japanese citizens (or Canadians)
could do to address any welfare problems
they experience. Zoocheck and the
WHS are strongly opposed to any transfer
of bears to Japan.Should this plan
to acquire Canadian bears proceed,
we will do everything possible to
oppose it.
Sincerely,
Julie Woodyer
Campaigns Director
Zoocheck Canada
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Vicki Burns
Executive Director
Winnipeg Humane Society |
