Wildlife Warriors
Robert Miller
Environmental Biology BIO 2002G-002
November 20, 2015
Professor Tucker
MLA Citation Style “I have seen Tasmanian devils battle over a carcass. I have seen lionesses crowding a kill, dingoes on the trail of a feral piglet, and adult croc thrashing its prey to pieces. But never, in all the animal world, have I witnessed anything to match the casual cruelty of the human being.” (Irwin, 97) Steve Irwin, along with his wife Terri, revolutionized the way the modern world viewed the natural world. Their television series, The Crocodile Hunter, brought the issues of conservation and preservation of endangered species to an audience on a scale larger than anything seen before. Their passion for protecting
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The Sumatran Tiger is Panthera tigris sumatrae and is said to be the smallest sub-species of tiger in the world today. Their numbers are down from a recorded one thousand in 1978 to around four-hundred known to exist today on the small island of Sumatra. Sumatra is the only place where rhinos, elephants, orangutans and tigers have been observed living together, in direct contact with one another. The presence of the Sumatran tiger is an significant indicator of a forest's biodiversity. Protecting tigers and their habitat means many other species benefit—including humans. (WWF 2015) They are a prime example of the ability of species to coexist which is the driving force behind everything the Wildlife Warriors do. Since having a group of the tigers at the Australian Zoo since 2003 they have raised over one-and-a-half million dollars by bringing attention to their possible extinction. The Sumatran Tiger faces a daunting combination of illegal deforestation and excessive poaching. They are leading the way in tiger conservation by funding and training anti-poaching patrol units and working in partnership with Fauna & Flora International Kerinci Seblat National Park, Sumatra. (Wildlife Warriors 2015) The program is made up of units that patrol the forest where they are a deterrent for hunters and people illegitimately intruding into their habitat. They also confiscate hundreds of traps each year and help local communities manage clashes with wildlife. Their program is accepted as the most successful tiger conservation law enforcement program in South East Asia. Kerinci Seblat National Park is said to hold the biggest population of Sumatran tigers in a continuous forest habitat, making it vital for the future of the species. (Wildlife Warriors
The most effective piece of this documentary, however, was neither the structure of the film nor the specific questions that one is forced to answer regarding the ethical treatment of these killer whales, but the overall questions of whether or not these corporations should be allowed to continue their cycle of abuse toward the animals and whether or not we, as patrons, should encourage their behavior by giving them a monetary profit every day, every month, and every year. Ignorance is forgivable, but with the knowledge given in this documentary: the final two questions raised should be able to answer themselves.
Imagine yourself living in a bathtub for 25 years and you could do absolutely nothing about it. Wild orcas, better known as killer whales have been captured to entertain audiences world wide at aquariums. The most popular location being Sea World. Growing up in Miami, I could not control my excitement when it came time to go visit Lolita the killer whale at the Miami Seaquarium. To be able to see such an amazing creature right in front of me was mind blowing. How amazing is it that you can be face or face with an animal of that size? Well, I wish I'd known then what I know now. In the following paragraphs, I will start off with the difference between the life of a wild orca in the wild versus their life in captivity and I will end with reasons as to why families should not participate and give their time and money to these companies who commit such inhumane acts. I hope that towards the end of this essay, you will change your view on wild orcas and not look at them as just an animal that is used for entertainment purposes.
David Attenborough’s The Life of Mammals: Meat Eaters and Steve Irwin’s Africa’s Deadliest Snakes are wildlife documentaries that have similar but different purposes. Attenborough uses a script that is rehearsed and the natural environment is followed, Irwin does not have a script and the animals are disturbed. However, both hosts inform the audience of the animal and how they function. Attenborough achieves this through the use of language and Irwin achieves this by being the presenter. Purpose, audience, context, language and form will be compared between the two texts.
David Attenborough’s The Life of Mammals: Meat Eaters and Steve Irwin’s Africa’s Deadliest Snakes are wildlife documentaries that have similar yet different purposes. Attenborough’s has a script that is rehearsed and the natural environment is followed. Irwin’s does not have a script and the animals are picked up. However, both hosts inform the audience of the animal and how they function. Attenborough achieves this through the use of language and Irwin achieves this by being a presenter. Purpose, audience, context, language and form will be compared between the two texts.
Singer’s argument that our society is speciesist hinges on his observation that “most human beings… [would] cause pain to animals when they would not cause a similar pain to humans for the same reason” (Singer, Animal Liberation, p. 17). His hypothesis is that “the overwhelming majority of humans” take varyingly active and passive roles in championing activities that cause irreparable harm to other species in the name of the “most trivial interests of our own species” (Singer, Animal Liberation, p. 9). The examples he provides to substantiate this theory range from accounts o...
Ascione’s (1993) definition of animal cruelty is defined as “socially unacceptable behavior that intentionally causes unnecessary pain, suffering, or distress to and/or death of an animal” exclusive of socially condoned behavior, such as legal hunting and certain agricultural and veterinary practices. Not all violent individuals have been previously cruel to animals but studies have shown that a great number of them have exhibited this behavior. A great majority of the literature calls for a better understandin...
The latest animal rights issue to hit the public is a whale of a controversy. For decades, the public has enjoyed visiting SeaWorld and taking in mesmerizing displays of aquatic performance by orcas, the largest species of dolphins, and their trainers. Recent events have stirred up a media uproar over the safety of these creatures and their trainers. Much of what the public knows about the maltreatment of these creatures comes from a documentary released in 2013 called “Blackfish”. The breeding and captivity of killer whales for entertainment purposes poses a threat not only to the whales, but also the trainers who interact with them.
Millions of people visit Sea World each year (The Fate). They crowd into Shamu Stadium to be entertained by the killer whales as they perform. Their eyes widen, and they sit in awe, as these enormous creatures effortlessly propel themselves out of the water. The children in the audience squeal with delight as the orca’s giant tail sends a wave of ice water over the crowd. But these fast-paced, high-spirited shows hide a darker reality. They are designed to mask the reality of the bare, cold concrete walls that the Orcas are forced to call home. It’s time for people to realize the plight of these mammals. Keeping Orcas in captivity is both harmful and cruel.
Flynn, Clifton P. "Acknowledging the "Zoological Connection": A Sociological Analysis of Animal Cruelty." Society and Animals 9.1 (2001): 71-87. Print.
The Species of the World Attitudes Toward Animal Use. Anthrozoös, 5, 32-39. Hills, A. M. (1995). The Species of the World. Empathy and belief in the mental experience of animals.
Review Main Points-Animal cruelty continues to be a problem, but we as individuals can make a difference by becoming aware and ultimately involved.
Certain animals need more protection than others, because they don’t particularly need to be on the list. Animals like the Bangle Tiger or the Siamang are the most threatened among others because they are loved for their skins or they are wanted as pets. They go through the pet trade there all their life because they are so rare and beautiful. Just because the animals are a prize kill or to have doesn’t mean people should harm or endanger them. Make your voice heard as a human race, our job is to protect what is theirs.
Every year, the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) takes in close to 50,000 reports of animal mistreatment in Australia and about 150,000 in England and in Wales (RSPCA, 2013). However, these figures do not include the cases when mistreatment is not reported which, according to the RSPCA, happens almost as often as the ones recorded (RSPCA, 2013). Maltreatment occurs when an animal is tormented or harmed, imprisoned or transported from one place to another in a manner that risks their well-being and health. Killing them in a non-humane way, not providing them with the correct food, not taking care of them or the illness and injuries they may have, and not providing them with proper shelter or adequate living circumstances are also forms of cruelty. In 2013 the RSPCA investigated 4,000 more cases in Australia than in the previous year; statistics also show that in the United Kingdom, on average, every thirty seconds someone dials the Organization’s 24-hour cruelty line seeking for help (RSPCA, 2013). This indicates that animal mistreatment is a growing issue that has effects not only on the victims, but also on the perpetrator, the people involved in rescuing and saving the animals’ life, and every other individual that gets touched by their stories. Thus, considering that abusing animals is against our moral and ethical obligation of protecting our planet and the forms of life in it, including animal life, it is an issue that is happening considerably often. However, thankfully for the animals, there are also organizations and laws opposing and fighting against animal cruelty to save the victims and to put an end to it. Global organizations such as the RSPCA, ALDF, PETA, WSPA, among other...
This provides a legal safety net to stop and slow down the loss of plant and animal species. They hold federal agencies and others accountable for complying with laws protecting rare/endangered animals using persuasion and cooperation. They recommend increased funding for private landowners and conservation programs that could benefit animals. They protect and restore habitats that were lost. NWF also reduces threats to wildlife that can lead to endangerment including loss of habitat and pollution. India is now halting tiger tourism to prevent extinction of the animals. About 1,411 of these animals live in the wild, and they are in danger of being “loved to death.” Experts fear these big cats will become extinct in only five years. Poaching is the main reason for many deaths, but tourism has also impacted the tigers. The tourist vehicles drive away the tigers prey and hotels have been built over passageways the tigers used to travel from one place to another. Alligators, Bald Eagles, Wolves, Grizzly Bears, and Whooping Cranes were all saved by the U.S Endangered Species Act (ESA). The WWF is addressing the major threats to Australia’s
Imagine a world with barren trees in overgrown fields. The only sound to be heard is the wind blowing through the tall grass. A world once full of life now lays empty do to extinction. This is the result of a world that failed to understand the importance of wildlife conservation. Why is wildlife so important? What steps need to be taken to preserve wildlife? How can one become involved in wildlife conservation? These are all important questions that need to be explored in order to help maintain the delicate ecosystem on Earth. Wildlife plays a vital role in this fragile ecosystem and without wildlife the human race would not survive.