ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

Panthera Tigris

Maureen Clifford © The Scribbly Bark Poet


They seemed to forget he was wild though not free
and they treated him like a tame kitty.
He did party tricks, he could jump through a hoop -
quite demeaning and oh such a pity.
The body language he displayed was quite clear
and though true it was he weren’t mistreated,
the fact that his beauty was out there on sale
to the public, their kindness defeated.

His life was aimless, pointless to the extreme -
he ate and he lazed and he slumbered,
stretching out in sleep in the hot Queensland sun
and now seems the fun days they were numbered.
We have human rights that we strongly defend
but what rights have those who are captured?
And circling time like they circle their pens -
not mistreated but so not enraptured.

A moment in time missed, the damage was done.
He was big, he was strong, but not vicious.
He played as he would in the wild with intent
but with innocence; surely not specious.
He bit down too hard and the damage was done
to human skin unprotected by fur.
Now he’s been removed from the public display
sadly punished for being a tiger.

Yes, Maureen, Australia Zoo seems to think in some bizzaire way that its "handlers" can continually cross the line with wild and potentially dangerous animals and are immune to the repercussions. All in the name of gratuitous showing off for self-publicity, yet twisted and spun as the work of "wildlife warriors" in the name of conservation.

You'd think they'd learn.

Marty

I don't have any beef with them - I think they are better than most facilities that are around and they do so much to promote and care for our injured wildlife and to promote our country - I simply hate seeing any animal in captivity, unless it is because it is unable to fend for itself in the wild - but I suppose we are all human and tend to get a bit blase about our animals and start to think of them in terms that forget they can in fact cause damage if they turn on us even in play. Look at Bills dog

I don't doubt that this Tiger is mortified that he inadvertently hurt his trainer, who had reared him from a cub, during their playtime - but the size of the bite relates to the size of the animal and they were very unmatched.


Not that in Australia we would ever allow this to happen, but no doubt when this zoo started up it didn't either - http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-19/t ... oo/5100928

nearly every type of animal on earth has at one time or another has turned on it's handler. I've had horses try to kick hell out of me and bite me
my dog for instance bit the tip of my finger ALL animals are capable of hurting people just look what people do to each other THAT IS A FACT OF LIFE bill williams

Struth Bill, I must be married to a horse!.......only joking, she really only beats me......