Just as people like to get out and go for walks - in the park, on grass, on the beach, on sand etc., animals also enjoy being connected to nature in a tangible tactile way. Just as humans are drawn to the green of nature, animals are also drawn to the green of nature.
Nature has soft surfaces - soil, grass, leaves, vegetation etc. By contrast, some zoos have hard surfaces such as cement because cement is durable and easy to clean - but it's hard on animals, physically. There's no cement in nature. Nature has rocks and stones, but animals are free to move about to find the most comfortable environment.
Just as human beings want to be free to be human beings, animals also want to be free to be animals.
However, caged animals, animals in zoos and animals under human care can't be released back to the wild without proper preparation because they don't have the necessary survival skills to look after themselves in the wild - to find food, water, shelter, protection from the elements, protection from predators etc.
I'm not talking about releasing domesticated animals such as cats and dogs back to the wild; however domesticated animals also need to be treated in a humane way, free of cages, chains, and small confined spaces and where if possible, they are free to roam about and experience the green of nature.
Just as you can't take city people and put them in a rural setting without giving them the appropriate survival skills, so too you can't take captive animals and put them in the wild without giving them the appropriate survival skills.
Just as human beings learn survival skills from their parents and peers, animals also learn survival skills from their parents and peers. Animals born in the wild, learn how to look after themselves in their given environment.
However, animals born in captivity, or held in captivity for a long time, don't have the appropriate survival skills to take care of themselves in the wild.
For animals to successfully be released back to the wild:
- They have to be taught the necessary and appropriate survival skills so they can take care of themselves once they're released back to the wild, preferably back to their native habitat. Some survival skills may be instinctual, but some may have to be learned.
- They have to be successfully integrated with others wild animals of their kind so they can learn the appropriate survival skills from these other wild animals.
- If they can't be released back to the wild or their native habitat, then they should be released to animal sanctuaries where they are free to roam about with lots of green space and vegetation, where their food, water and shelter is provided for as is deemed necessary and where they remain under human care and supervision. In this way, animal caregivers, animal guardians, animal wardens, game wardens, animal protectors, animal supervisors etc. can seek the best living arrangements and conditions for the animals under their care.
Releasing animals back to the wild would sever this emotional bond in a way that may harm the animals, leaving the animals distraught and unable to cope.
Before animals are released back to the wild, caregivers should assess and consider this emotional attachment and the animals should be treated appropriately.
In everything we do, even in the way we treat animals, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.
May The One True God, The Infinite God, The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob guide us, may He lead us and may He show us the way. God is with us and to Him we shall all return.
Copyright © 2013, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.
