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animals
February 2009 
New Zoo Review
Posted on May 8th, 2007
by 
Lens Universe
Lens Universe
It's been 11 years since my beginning at the zoo. Shortly before my father passed, I was accepted as a technician in service of the zoo's mechanical systems. Several years back, due to a variety of circumstances, I was promoted to middle management. Many stories to tell but nowadays I find the "regime", which is always changing it seems, has hastened down the road to corporate imbecility. Now I have no inherent problem with capitalism, as it were, but what was once a family of generally like-minded individuals harmonizing and having a single purpose (we're really all there for the animals) it feels like a job which all too often is a chore. I am not privy to all happenings and decisions but something feels wrong. People are looking for answers. Why are we still here?
In contrast to the amazing press we are getting these days the atmosphere sometimes seems more like a forced-labor camp. Employee to employee relationships seem strained and all too defensive a posture is taking place zoo-wide. In spite of the fact that our pride Sumatran rhino, Emi, has given birth thrice to successful captive-born calves (never happened before anywhere on earth) and we introduced one back into the wild recently (well a preserve, actually, where he'll have a chance to mate in a wild setting) and besides the fact that our Center for Reproduction is doing tremendous work and realizing some of the institution's highest goals, something is wrong in Zooville.
I love my job. I am passionate about the ideals, the animals needs and the people I interact with daily. Lately, however, I find myself staring after the world I have created for myself and wondering what it's all about. Summary dismissals of long-term employees (who had done nothing apparent to bring on such treatment ) have been counted. More than a few found themselves being hastily ushered out the door. These are people who have felt this place their second home being told they have two hours to be off the premises (with no forewarning).
What happened to our zoo? The zoo where its people AND its collection of flora and fauna were its pride? The original charter could perhaps shed some light (together with its recent revisions). This over 100-year old institution has a amazing history of successes. I am not one to run out on a work in progress, so these days, I search for an answer...
"Capitalism is the astounding belief that the most wickedest of men will do the most wickedest of things for the greatest good of everyone."
John Maynard Keynes
In contrast to the amazing press we are getting these days the atmosphere sometimes seems more like a forced-labor camp. Employee to employee relationships seem strained and all too defensive a posture is taking place zoo-wide. In spite of the fact that our pride Sumatran rhino, Emi, has given birth thrice to successful captive-born calves (never happened before anywhere on earth) and we introduced one back into the wild recently (well a preserve, actually, where he'll have a chance to mate in a wild setting) and besides the fact that our Center for Reproduction is doing tremendous work and realizing some of the institution's highest goals, something is wrong in Zooville.
I love my job. I am passionate about the ideals, the animals needs and the people I interact with daily. Lately, however, I find myself staring after the world I have created for myself and wondering what it's all about. Summary dismissals of long-term employees (who had done nothing apparent to bring on such treatment ) have been counted. More than a few found themselves being hastily ushered out the door. These are people who have felt this place their second home being told they have two hours to be off the premises (with no forewarning).
What happened to our zoo? The zoo where its people AND its collection of flora and fauna were its pride? The original charter could perhaps shed some light (together with its recent revisions). This over 100-year old institution has a amazing history of successes. I am not one to run out on a work in progress, so these days, I search for an answer...
"Capitalism is the astounding belief that the most wickedest of men will do the most wickedest of things for the greatest good of everyone."
John Maynard Keynes
Access: Public
Gentle Soul,
What you are experiencing could be the bad Karma of keeping animals in prison. We need to phase out animal prisons as soon as possible - not acquiring new animals and adding our efforts to natural habitat conservation and preservation. There is a generalized lifting of consciousness going on on the planet, this is part of it.
Muse
Hello free Energy!
Thanks for your comment. Our zoo was early on in the vanguard of creating a natural environment for its inhabitants (this trend began here in the 1940's). While I do agree in principle with your suggestion about the uplifting of consciousness in this country and around the world. I also agree generally with the idea of leaving nature alone to be as it is (how anti-capitalism is that) but also believe we humans have a hand in how out of tune with the spirit of Truth things have become. I'd like to think drawing attention, as our zoo does, to the plight of these creatures dying out and the globes resources being used to fuel even more corporate greed has to play positively in the future of all inhabitants of this blue marble we all call home. Future generations, properly educated, will be poised to allow the planet to begin recovering, as well as to begin to think with more than their wallets about humanitys' place here and elsewhere.