Damian Aspinall: You all know my views on zoos prove me wrong

Damian Aspinall said:
on what evidence do you suggest such a thing ? A.. we throw them out into the wild which implies that there is no intelligent and cautious process to what we do and B ..they all die is simply not true
Click to expand...

Granted, the eventual survivorship of animals is always an uncertainty during reintroductions, however, don't you think that your stance on reintroduction is too reductive ?

Regarding "hateful comments" I have always tried to give you the benefit of the doubt and as I have stated on the forum I believe that there is some logic in your cynicism towards zoos and stronger emphasis on In-Situ conservation.

However, I do not agree with your sweeping generalization of zoos and I believe there is an incongruence between your words and your actions. I believe your emphasis on reintroductions to be with the best intentions but ultimately believe many of these will end in disaster.

By the way, I am not a "hardened zoo person" (I am simply a conservationist / conservation biologist) and I am in fact as cynical about zoos and as adamant that they "walk the walk" in becoming the conservation and education centres that they claim to be and as cynical about their failure to do this as you apparently are.
 
CrashMegaraptor said:
Yeah, we all know the real Damian Aspinall's views on zoos, but I suspect he'd feel the same way about someone impersonating him just to get a raise - the aggressive start, the lack of appropriate capitals and the listing of "London" as location when everyone knows the Aspinall zoos are in Kent is all too much of a giveaway.
Click to expand...
I work in London during week so check the facts before you go of on one and there has been nothing aggressive from me however some people may say your comment is aggressive ..
I find it quite funny that you all think it isn't me as if i would be scared to discuss these issues with you all ..thats mad how do we improve life or anything without sensible discussion
 
Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
Granted, the eventual survivorship of animals is always an uncertainty during reintroductions, however, don't you think that your stance on reintroduction is too reductive ?

Regarding "hateful comments" I have always tried to give you the benefit of the doubt and as I have stated on the forum I believe that there is some logic in your cynicism towards zoos and stronger emphasis on In-Situ conservation. However, I do not agree with your sweeping generalization of zoos and I believe there is an incongruence between your words and your actions.

By the way, I am not a "hardened zoo person" (I am simply a conservationist / conservation biologist) and I am in fact as cynical about zoos and as adamant that they walk the walk in becoming the conservation and education centres that they claim to be and as cynical about their failure to do this as you apparently are.
Click to expand...
thank you appreciate your sentiment here .. i don't mean to be reductive and we have written scientific papers on our work which are published and been circulated to the zoo community .
If you would like to know more reach out to Amos Courage at Port Lympne and he can send you any papers you ask for.
 
Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
Granted, the eventual survivorship of animals is always an uncertainty during reintroductions, however, don't you think that your stance on reintroduction is too reductive ?

Regarding "hateful comments" I have always tried to give you the benefit of the doubt and as I have stated on the forum I believe that there is some logic in your cynicism towards zoos and stronger emphasis on In-Situ conservation.

However, I do not agree with your sweeping generalization of zoos and I believe there is an incongruence between your words and your actions. I believe your emphasis on reintroductions to be with the best intentions but ultimately believe many of these will end in disaster.

By the way, I am not a "hardened zoo person" (I am simply a conservationist / conservation biologist) and I am in fact as cynical about zoos and as adamant that they "walk the walk" in becoming the conservation and education centres that they claim to be and as cynical about their failure to do this as you apparently are.
Click to expand...
I totally agree here. I am not that much as a big zoo person as I am a wildlife and animal person, that much is clear. Zoochat isn't strictly talk about zoos, its also about wildlife preservation and conservation.
 
Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
Granted, the eventual survivorship of animals is always an uncertainty during reintroductions, however, don't you think that your stance on reintroduction is too reductive ?

Regarding "hateful comments" I have always tried to give you the benefit of the doubt and as I have stated on the forum I believe that there is some logic in your cynicism towards zoos and stronger emphasis on In-Situ conservation.

However, I do not agree with your sweeping generalization of zoos and I believe there is an incongruence between your words and your actions. I believe your emphasis on reintroductions to be with the best intentions but ultimately believe many of these will end in disaster.

By the way, I am not a "hardened zoo person" (I am simply a conservationist / conservation biologist) and I am in fact as cynical about zoos and as adamant that they "walk the walk" in becoming the conservation and education centres that they claim to be and as cynical about their failure to do this as you apparently are.
Click to expand...

I also believe in this.

CheeseChameleon2007 said:
I totally agree here. I am not that much as a big zoo person as I am a wildlife and animal person, that much is clear. Zoochat isn't strictly talk about zoos, its also about wildlife preservation and conservation.
Click to expand...

As am I. I simply only follow ZooChat to see the progression I wish to see within zoos. Not to glorify them or anything. I like zoos for the fact that you can see the animal you so wish to protect in the wild, it helps me creating the image for what I want to fight for when I am done with my study.

I currently study to become a conservationist and wildlife protector in the field, at the front where the battle really should be fought.
 
Given the last time we had someone talked about on here start a thread to argue with users ("A. P. Wolfe") I will not believe you are truly Damian Aspinall unless you post a photo of yourself holding a peice of paper saying "Hello ZooChat".
LowlandGorilla4 said:
I really have to thank you, @Damian Aspinall you have just made my lunch much more entertaining (troll or not).
Click to expand...
What is that supposed to mean?
 
Ursus said:
I also believe in this.



As am I. I simply only follow ZooChat to see the progression I wish to see within zoos. Not to glorify them or anything. I like zoos for the fact that you can see the animal you so wish to protect in the wild, it helps me creating the image for what I want to fight for when I am done with my study.

I currently study to become a conservationist and wildlife protector in the field, at the front where the battle really should be fought.
Click to expand...
I just think we need to move on and not have animals to entertain people anymore or so they can see them for real etc
 
Damian Aspinall said:
on what evidence do you suggest such a thing ? A.. we throw them out into the wild which implies that there is no intelligent and cautious process to what we do and B ..they all die is simply not true
Click to expand...

All of your released animals have either died rather quickly (hyena, most of the gorillas), have had to be taken back into human care (the rest of the gorillas), or have never actually been released (I think you sent rhinos to Africa which fall under here?). So you're right, they do not all die, but none of your attempts have succeeded and only caused animal suffering for the sake of a publicity stunt.

Damian Aspinall said:
Not a hybrid and yes we plan to rewild
Click to expand...
Mattaki said:
Pretty sure it is since the parents are of two different subspecies
Click to expand...

The animal is a subspecific hybrid and I'd like to at least give the real Damian (whether that be you or someone else) the benefit of the doubt and assume he'd know what animals his parks keep... In any case, wasn't the original plan to release the hybrid youngster along with his parents (including the Central African subspecies) into South Africa? Why are the parents no longer going?

~Thylo
 
birdsandbats said:
Given the last time we had someone talked about on here start a thread to argue with users ("A. P. Wolfe") I will not believe you are truly Damian Aspinall unless you post a photo of yourself holding a peice of paper saying "Hello ZooChat".

What is that supposed to mean?
Click to expand...
I'm saying that this is very entertaining to read, if he's the real Damian Aspinall or not
 
Ursus said:
I also believe in this.



As am I. I simply only follow ZooChat to see the progression I wish to see within zoos. Not to glorify them or anything. I like zoos for the fact that you can see the animal you so wish to protect in the wild, it helps me creating the image for what I want to fight for when I am done with my study.

I currently study to become a conservationist and wildlife protector in the field, at the front where the battle really should be fought.
Click to expand...
Great statement, thanks for sharing. I am still in school, and I am still learning about animals and how to conserve them. Zoos just are a place for me to view the animals and actually see them for myself, having read about golden lion tamarins I can then go and see them for myself.
Unless this is all a troll and This not actually Damian Aspinall. I would like you to prove it in some way.
 
ThylacineAlive said:
All of your released animals have either died rather quickly (hyena, most of the gorillas), have had to be taken back into human care (the rest of the gorillas), or have never actually been released (I think you sent rhinos to Africa which fall under here?). So you're right, they do not all die, but none of your attempts have succeeded and only caused animal suffering for the sake of a publicity stunt.




The animal is a subspecific hybrid and I'd like to at least give the real Damian (whether that be you or someone else) the benefit of the doubt and assume he'd know what animals his parks keep... In any case, wasn't the original plan to release the hybrid youngster along with his parents (including the Central African subspecies) into South Africa? Why are the parents no longer going?

~Thylo
Click to expand...
we did not own them and we asked if we could plan a release and the answer was no even though there was only 11 in europe and they held no conservation value at all
 
Damian Aspinall said:
I just think we need to move on and not have animals to entertain people anymore or so they can see them for real etc
Click to expand...

So what happens to the animals that are extinct in the wild or nearly so? Or the populations which only persist due to continuous reintroductions?

~Thylo
 
Ursus said:
May I ask you what you believe to be species with conservation value and which species don't? I'm curious
Click to expand...
So am I. I would like to actually see supposed "Damian Aspinall" to actually prove he is the real one. This could all be a troll and this conversation is all pointless.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top