Tuesday, September 21, 2010

"Zoological Consultant" Peter Stroud







Peter Stroud of Peter Stroud Services is a paid Zoological Consultant. That means he say's what the people paying want him to say. His bias and personal agenda is so think it would choke a horse. Not a single one of his assoications or affiliate organizations of which he "consults" and is paid for said "consults" advocates the proper captive husbandry of animals. Everyone of them advocates no animals in captivity. That is their agenda. Some bury it deep and you have to look for it, and some have it right on the surface, but every single one of them have wrong facts, designed to "polish their agenda apple." If Peter Stroud will be kind enough to put down his books and stop writting/reading highline research papers for a moment I would like to offer him a "just common folks" education. In his letter to the Washington Post on August 22, 2010 regarding the new elephant habitat at the National Zoo, Peter Stroud say's this:

"Elephants need exercise. There is what the zoo calls an Exercise Trek — a there-and-back route up a hill — but it seems to be designed for elephants to be walked, circus-style, up and down, under the control of a handler. Elephants have soft feet and should never be made to walk any distance on concrete or asphalt, but the route is paved."

Then he say's: "There are sweeping green lawns." Then he ask's: "Why all this close-cropped green grass?" Because you, you nitwit in your one sided consulting capacity advised it. What do you want Peter Stroud, "Elephants have soft feet and should never be made to walk any distance on concrete or asphalt, but the route is paved" or do you want "There are sweeping green lawns," or do you want "Why all this close-cropped green grass?????" Or do you want elephants completly out of a captive situation? The organization's paying you to parrot them would seem to suggest that.

Now here is where you get the free education. You ask, "Where are the piles of loose earth and sand? Where are the scratching posts? Where is the varied terrain, the boulders and logs and mud wallows?" If you look to the left of the photo above and to the extreme back in the barred enclosure you will see what is commonly refered to as loose earth and sand. You will note patches of said loose earth and sand around the pool which should facilitate the elephants making a dandy "mud wallow" in short order. Which should "engage or challenge an elephant" in your esteemed suggestion.

Do you note that wavy wall? That can be interpreted as "varied terrain", and although not a bolder in the true sense, I don't think the elephants will know the difference. But you are right about log's. Apparently the goof's forgot logs as I don't note any. Speaking of "Where are the scratching posts?" that referenced wavy wall is about the finest "scratching post" any elephant could ask for. The exuberant one's will love the "scratching post" in the third picture, as they will be able to "scratch" from on end to the other without having to weave around corners. In the second picture is a great "scratching post" if they just want a leasurly ass scratch or just a tad on the head/shoulder. They can use the post beside it at their discression. In the first photo you can see a real dilema, surely designed to make an elephant nuttier then a rat in a tin shit house. What in the world should we scratch on???(lucky for them they don't have to chose a shampoo on the drug store shelf) I can't decide, you decide. Oh my God, I can't decide either. Let's just stand here in the middle and sway and console each other. Freaking zoo folks are trying to make us nuts!!!!

3 comments:

Amy M said...

Dear Mr. Burck,

Next time you're in Washington, DC, I'll be happy to give you a tour of this new elephant exhibit. In the meantime:

You seem to have a hard time putting all of Mr. Stroud's statements into a cohesive whole. I'm sorry that I can't help you with that. But by taking each statement on its own out of context, you manage to miss the overall point of the op ed (not letter).

I don't quite understand why you don't understand that neither close-cropped grass nor a paved path barely wide enough for an elephant to turn around (I have walked that path myself so I can vouch for it) qualify as features elephants would choose, if they had the choice.

Living near the zoo and visiting at least every few months, the last time last month, I can assure you that there are no sizable patches of loose and sand anywhere in the exhibit. What you see around the pool is the same concrete the pool is lined with (and I apologize if it is not concrete; I'm not familiar with building materials).

I think it's important that people of all opinions have spirited discussions about how we can best take care of elephants in captivity. I am afraid that your post, however, does not serve that purpose since you haven't seen the exhibit yourself. And I don't know why you are launching this attack on Mr. Stroud now since, just as you haven't seen the exhibit in person, you've never met him.

Wade G. Burck said...

ammcomms,
If the elephants could choose? Possibly you should quit choosing for them? "path barely wide enough for an elephant to turn around" Do you know how many of those "paths" a wild elephant will follow for much of it's life in the wild. I don't think wild has much to do with captivity, but as I assume you do, I will just point that out. That is why I don't understand, and that's in context.
I have lived with elephants for 24 hrs, not looked at every other month for much of my life, and I can assure you that there is loose sand in the exhibit. How sizable is the question. How about let's ask the elephants?

This is crazy:
"important that people of all opinions have spirited discussions about how we can best take care of elephants in captivity. I am afraid that your post, however, does not serve that purpose since you haven't seen the exhibit yourself."

"Best take care of elephants in captivity???" I don't believe you said that, because there is not one organization that Mr. Stroud is parroting that is concerned for elephants in captivity. Not one, and do you know how many he has hitched his stifled horse to? Out of context, which you only seem to recognize when it doesn't fit your agenda is what every one of those organizations, with rare, rare exception has done when they reference incident's in the circus or zoo's on their sites. They "schtick" is to tell the unsuspecting, but caring public what they want to hear. Then when it is all over and done, they will console you by saying, "we tried everything, but they just wouldn't listen, so we just had to stop them forever. Wake up. Because I may know Mr. Stroud better then you do, without having met him, I don't need to look at the exhibit. It will be wrong no matter what is done, that way hopefully it can cease to exist. That is the organizations Mr. Stroud is affiliated withs sole agenda. Like a parent convincing a child they did it for your own good. I look forward to your comments( FYI you are required to use a name, unless you have emailed me and introduced yourself) but as for a spirited discussion on the care of elephants, as you get there once in a while to look, no disrespect but I should think you would be grateful just for the opportunity to sit in and listen while a Peter Stroud, and myself, and others have that spirited discussion. And yes, if you do live with an animal long enough they do tell you what they want. A lot of folks misinterpret what they are hearing based on their agenda.
Are you Mr. Stroud's Publicist or will we be hearing from him soon. He is a big boy from what I understand. A lot of my mate's from Australia would like to "spirit discuss" with him too.
Regards,
Wade

Wade G. Burck said...

ammcomms,
Here is an extra homework assignment for you. You state:

"I can assure you that there are no sizable patches of loose and sand anywhere in the exhibit. I'm not familiar with building materials"

Don't apologize, I am not familiar with building materials either. I'm about as white collar as I assume you are. But I look for answers, and I found it for you in the keeper report you were so thoughtful to send for "my" education.

Shanthi explores constantly, enjoying the stimulation of each new discovery. She approaches every aspect of the exhibit like a kid unwrapping a present. Ambika spends very little time exploring, she approaches each new area with serious misgivings, as if everything poses a potential a threat. She seems more practical, settling in to the essentials: eating, dust bathing,

There it is!!!! Did you see it? DUST BATHING!!! That's a building material, suitable to sand and often times the same thing as sand. Or do you suppose they meant dirt? That's a building material also. Or sawdust, also a building material, of which both you and Mr. Stroud say there is none of.

socializing, and ensuring her safety.
Wade