Who can exert influence, then, on these governments? And who can exert influence on international corporations? Mostly other governments and in many ways First World consumers. Zoos can be instrumental in forging the personal, emotional connections between people and animals that can galvanize action. Citizens are not motivated to boycott or protest via rational argument or TV nature specials. It requires an emotional commitment.[/QUOTE]
Who can exert influence, then, on these governments? And who can exert influence on international corporations? Mostly other governments and in many ways First World consumers. Zoos can be instrumental in forging the personal, emotional connections between people and animals that can galvanize action. Citizens are not motivated to boycott or protest via rational argument or TV nature specials. It requires an emotional commitment.[/QUOTE]
Of course it is the west driving habitat destruction, hunting, poaching and traditional medicine; after all people living in habitats that are being damaged have lived in harmony with their surroundings for thousands of years and habitat destruction is a relatively new issue. It also isn't the average Joe that can afford to pay thousands to hunt rhino bad elephants. Bear bile, rhino horn and other traditional Chinese medications are also incredibly expensive. Therefore going to locals demanding they stop doing xyz is never going to change anything; after all the massive demand for Palm oil isn't coming from the locals. Another big threat to natural habitats is land clearance for grazing for animals destined to be eaten, we can't create more land to farm without destroying natural habitats so we either need to say sod it and continue to destroying natural habitats or consume less meat and turn the industry back from multinational to local farmers serving their own communities. The issue is only going to get worse as 'the west' expands with China and India two of the world's most densely populated become more westernised.
I agree zoos have a role in creating a emotional connection, which they do and are getting better at, but humans are fickle and often don't make the connection from the orangutans, for example, they saw in the zoo and the keeper educational talk on habitat destruction to their chocolate bar that is packed full of palm oil. That of course isn't the zoos fault. Another strategy is of shocking images of dead animals, those trapped in snares, habitat destruction etc but again people don't make the connection to their lifestyles. People also become immune to seeing this images and they loose the shock value. To get over this it could it could be helpful to engage the use of psychology and psychologists like advertising company's do to get the message to stick.
Politicians generally want to do minimal amount of work for for maximum votes, there are exceptions, so if they can chuck money at zoos/conservation organisations or meet with officials from countries, all done very publicly, and pay lipservice while in reality doing very little to change. It is my stance we need an international conservation organisation independent of zoos and anti organisations such as born free. Which will be compelled to report what it is doing and how it is doing it. It should also be a regulatory body to ensure that money given to countries for conservation is spent on conservation i.e. the money China receives from zoos for having pandas
In reality though how much influence do governments and the people that elect them over things such as hunting and the illegal pet trade being as it's already illegal new laws won't make a difference and leaves customs and wildlife police in a cat and mouse situation with the criminals. Though even that situation isn't as straight forward as it may seem. Individuals caught stealing or smuggling aren't the ones behind the operation so when one mule gets caught another is recruited. Another issue is poverty in places such as Africa where a poacher or smuggler could be offered more money than they could earn in a year for one job, it would tabs strong person to refuse and watch their family struggle.
