Tiger Trouble
Wild Animals Are Not Pets: A Wildlife Artist’s Perspective on Respect and Conservation
After the unfortunate and terrible incident at the Yorkshire wildlife Park this weekend I thought I would like to share a few things. Before I go on, I’d like to say that the zoo was in no way at fault, the tiger was just being a tiger and the poor gentleman was suffering from mental illness.
Let’s face it, with animals in captivity, who’d have thought that one day it would become the case that the bars would be there to protect the animals as much as the humans.
With two sad animal incidents this year alone, it has become a very hot topic on social media. What we need to remember is that in both cases the animals were never at fault and, it was a terrible accident derived from psychiatric issues. Most animals have no desire to inflict pain, attack or eat human, we are not their chosen prey and I doubt most of us would taste that nice anyway with all the chemicals and rubbish in our bodies.
I have always noticed from working with creatures most of my life that so many people have an inbuilt desire to get close and pet wild animals. They disregard the fact that to the animal this is often stressful and could even become life threatening. They do not want to be held for a good photo, stroked and cooed over or played with like a fluffy kitten. We live in a world where we are bombarded with images, and films of people interacting with animals like they were family pets when in reality, animals should be treated with a lot more respect. Animals just want to go about their business, doing the things they do best, and do not need overzealous, misinformed humans sticking their phones and faces into their lives. It is so important to remember wild animals are exactly what they say on the packaging, they are wild and need to be left alone.
Zoos and safari parks, although originally set up to quench the public thirst for animal encounters, have a serious job to do, they are mostly on a desperate job to breed, conserve and educate how animals are in trouble across the globe and need our help.
Although it is deeply saddening what has happened this weekend, we must never forget it was never any fault of the tiger. I know the gentleman unfortunately came to a nasty end, but accidents and occurrences happen all the time in all walks of life, and no accusations need to be made.
If nothing else, this has driven forward the plight of tigers and of how special they are to so many people. The public outcry to save this individual Amur tiger in the headlines has been enormous, and it actually pleases me so many of you care.
Have I ever drawn an Amur tiger? Yes, you will find that although a young specimen ‘Vision of hope’ is of a teenage Amur tiger. The only other Amur tiger I released in print was ‘Old man of Tunguska’ a portrait of an old Siberian tiger, also known as the Amur tiger.
David Dancey-Wood.
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