Global S&T Development Trend Analysis Platform of Resources and Environment
| DOI | 10.1126/science.abj9647 |
| Iran's alarmingly mismanaged zoos | |
| Yasin Orooji; Hassan Karimi-Maleh | |
| 2021-07-30 | |
| 发表期刊 | Science
 |
| 出版年 | 2021 |
| 英文摘要 | Instead of providing a sanctuary for rare species, Iran's zoos, aviaries, and wildlife conservation centers have been the sites of repeated instances of animal suffering ([ 1 ][1], [ 2 ][2]). Animals at some of these centers have recently been mistreated, burned, stoned, and slaughtered ([ 3 ][3], [ 4 ][4]), and those being imported from other regions have suffered high mortality rates ([ 5 ][5]). These atrocities negate any potential benefit conferred through captive animal management, and it is, thus, essential for Iran to improve zoo monitoring, licensing, and operation.
Iran has more than 80 “conservation centers,” but only 53 of them are licensed by the country's Department of Environment (DoE) ([ 4 ][4], [ 6 ][6]). The others, which include some of the largest zoos in the country, are operating illegally. Shiraz Zoo and Vakilabad Zoo are unlicensed due to noncompliance with the DoE's instructions ([ 7 ][7]), yet they remain open. Iran's DoE has a responsibility to shut down centers that do not meet its criteria, including adequate space for each animal, sanitary conditions, diet, and transporting standards ([ 7 ][7], [ 8 ][8]).
Unfortunately, the conditions in Iran's 53 licensed centers are not better ([ 7 ][7]). Despite their permits claiming otherwise, animals at these centers suffer from malnutrition, poor health, and insufficient space. For example, each lion requires 300 square meters according to both Iranian and international standards, yet many of Iran's licensed zoos keep four to five lions in just 100 square meters ([ 9 ][9], [ 10 ][10]).
Worse still, because many of Iran's 80 conservation centers are located in remote areas and do not have many visitors, they resort to animal trafficking, including exotic species, and the production of domestic animals, such as puppies, to raise funds for operations ([ 4 ][4], [ 11 ][11]). The demand in Iran for nonnative animals such as lions, tigers, chimpanzees, kangaroos, elephants, giraffes, and zebras has led to higher rates of mortality and suffering in captive conditions ([ 4 ][4]) because administrators lack the ecological and biological knowledge required to properly care for them. Moreover, Iran does not have the infrastructure to import or care for these animals.
Iran's DoE and Veterinary Organization jointly manage oversight of captive facilities, which increases the complexity and reduces the transparency of monitoring. Given the serious and concerning conditions that exist at captive facilities within Iran, we argue that no new centers should be established and that import of animals to existing centers should be prohibited. Furthermore, a deadline must be set by which Iranian DoE protocols and center standardization should occur. Captive facilities should be required to increase security and monitoring using current technologies such as surveillance cameras and sensors, to implement regulatory systems that are managed online and up to date, and in some cases to merge so that resources and specialist care can be better implemented [as recently occurred with the Barajin Zoo and Pardisan ([ 12 ][12])]. The keeping of captive animals requires resources, regulation, and responsibility. We urge the Iranian authorities to play a more active role in order to protect the welfare of its captive animals and improve its conservation centers.
1. [↵][13]1. M. Kheshti
, Science 369, 1066 (2020).
[OpenUrl][14][FREE Full Text][15]
2. [↵][16]1. F. Amiraslani,
2. D. Dragovich
, Animals 11, 1487 (2021).
[OpenUrl][17]
3. [↵][18]1. S. Esmaeili,
2. M.-R. Hemami,
3. J. R. Goheen
, PLOS One 14, e0220702 (2019).
[OpenUrl][19]
4. [↵][20]1. S. S. Khabbaz
, “The need for monitoring the performance of zoos and gardens of birds,” Mehr News, (2021); [www.mehrnews.com/news/5208489/][21] [in Farsi].
5. [↵][22]1. A. Ershad
, “Video of zebras being mistreated during journey to Iranian zoo sparks outrage,” France24 (2021); |
| 领域 | 气候变化 ; 资源环境 |
| URL | 查看原文 |
| 引用统计 | |
| 文献类型 | 期刊论文 |
| 条目标识符 | http://119.78.100.173/C666/handle/2XK7JSWQ/335522 |
| 专题 | 气候变化 资源环境科学 |
| 推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714 | Yasin Orooji,Hassan Karimi-Maleh. Iran's alarmingly mismanaged zoos[J]. Science,2021. |
| APA | Yasin Orooji,&Hassan Karimi-Maleh.(2021).Iran's alarmingly mismanaged zoos.Science. |
| MLA | Yasin Orooji,et al."Iran's alarmingly mismanaged zoos".Science (2021). |
| 条目包含的文件 | 条目无相关文件。 | |||||
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