I don't have anything available of Roland and Petra Duss's "habitats" but this is the sea lion housing from Circus Charles Knie. Is this high line? It seems to be pretty standard in Europe. And they accept this, and frown on bears and cats in Denmark?
Pool above and the transport cage to take the sea lions to the ring below
Courtesy of Vincent
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
For Jim Alexander
Posted by
Wade G. Burck
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4 comments:
That's pretty much the type of thing that the Duss have. Likewise Ingo Stiebner, who has doen several seasons in Scandinavia.
John,
The bizarreness of how people perceive an animal in captivity has always been so confusing, which is why I traditionally stay away from animal issues. If the animal is swimming or moving they perceive it as being happy. I wager the sea lions swim around and around in a circle as the sea lions, dolphins, and killer whales did at Marine Land. If a bear or feline walks around and around in a circle it is called neurosis, and the small enclosure is given as the reason. There "mind" has never been conclusively studied is my feeling, just the physical aspects, because that is visual and easy to perceive/misperceive. The bigger cages, the elephant hot pens, the horse hot pens, made the public feel better, and also surprising many "professionals"(they were afraid to address what had really bothered them I had some one tell me one time in regards to horses, "why don't you just turn them loose in the pasture, and let them be horses?" I asked, "what the hell is a horse?" To me it is a an incredibly conditioned and fit creature, brushed, groomed, and clipped. Fed the best mixture of grain and hay and looked after and it needs met 24 hours a day. I never perceived a "horse" as a muddy, dirty, mane and tail full of burr docks creature, shaggy coat, with chipped hooves, and a flabby unconditioned physique. I think the bigger enclosures just gives us less reason to spend time with them, and we can pretend that they are happy. Some space is indeed necessary for limited time, just as a horse needs to be lunged/conditioned regularly in the off season. But 24/7 is just "fluff" and "feel good" on the part of the humans, and sadly some have used it as a "new" justification for our existence, instead of skilled individuals training them. Would somebody please study their DAMN minds, and let perceived happy alone for a while. It's been done to death.
Wade
Thanks again for the photos. In the U.S. APHIS marine mammal regs. are based on so much square feet per animal for land and pool (pool must be 4ft. deep or more). Looks like this operation would pass the inspection. Marco Peters has a nice set-up with extra pool and deck area but it would work well on Kelly-Miller -- a major set-up for fairs and sport shows.
I'm a firm believe that there's a lot more to good animal care than cage size but if nothing else it looks good to the public. Does anyone have a large exercise area for bears comparable to the sea lion habitat?
Jim,
If there was a large cage for bears, chances are they would pace in a circle or bob up and down in the corner, leading the public to whine, "oh the poor things, they want to be free." With felines up to a certain age, they will run, romp and play for a period of time. Given access to the apace every day, less activity. That is for a group situation. Living alone, there is not much or anything to run, romp, and play with. Again study any pasture full of cattle, horses, sheep etc. as well as wild herds of animals. Unless they are fleeing from danger, walking to the next clump of grass, or going to water, they are not moving at all. But you know that, having spent most of your life in the service of animals. It is the uniformed that we have let dictate to us, but try to convince them of that. LOL And because of that knowledge you are dead on about cage size, not being of paramount importance, just like a horse's stall or a 1000 acre pasture. But it is easier and cheaper to build big cages, rather then replace an old friend and spend more money for skilled trainers, so my industry "patches" by giving them "happy space," and enlisting the "experts" who will endorse that misconception, as well as a coat of fresh paint or the latest in stainless steel technology.
Wade
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