Shooting your self in the foot 101

It brings to mind; all those pics of Ranier playing with the young cubs. He really had a trainers heart to want to work so closely with those animals like that and to allow the cubs to roam the palace with the kids as pets was a story that was quite amusing and endearing.

Prince Albert, a keen and active environmentalist, appreciated that now there was more known about the needs of captive wildlife. He acknowledged his father had become concerned about the zoo and was pleased to have the opportunity to rehome the leopards to more suitable conditions. “I am delighted the Born Free Foundation has offered to return these wonderful and complex animals to their native Africa… It’s time to rethink the mission of zoos, particularly when we can now see the wonder of animal life in documentaries.”

It's still horrid that they're kept in cages & made to perform when they really should be in the wild ... Don't even get me started on Monaco zoo!

I so agree about the Monaco Zoo in the past but now the tigers have been sent to the Born Free Foundation in SA and so far as I know, the plan is to create a petting area for children with farm animals. I'm not sure there are many, if any, real zoo animals left anymore, thanks to Prince Albert making arrangements for them to go to a better place.

Back in Ranier's time it was considered okay to have animals caged and no doubt, they were probably far better off in monaco than someplace else. But, these days such an "in the environment' is considered more healthier for the overal psyche of an animal. However, there is so much going on with global warming. It's probably assumable that 50/50 chance an animal will fare better in a well kept environment like Monaco, rather than in wild. However, the more 'natural' approach towards animals is good.

There is one thing on which we can all agree regarding the debate about animals in zoos or circuses. I trust that we will all agree that it is good to keep the animals in cages where they can be viewed up close by visitors, as long as we are doing so to save the animals and to enable them to live free again.

Monaco zoo was never a 'well kept enviroment' ... There is absolutely no way an animal would fare better there than in the wild ... The only reason some of the animals have been sent away was because many residents in Monaco & numerous charities campaigned so much for better treatment! My Parents have lived in Monaco for 20 years, I'm well aware of the failures of that zoo.

The elephants look content and well fed, although I have no expertise. They've got a few tree trunks to move about. I remember last year seeing one of the elephants rocking back and forth, which perhaps indicated stress.

"Before we address the message the world got from the Circus Festival sponsors, let's address the message Monaco got from the Circus Festival sponsors."