The zoo & more about it

The first long week of the summer hols is over! Long, because it started precisely on the afternoon of Friday. We had to pick up the kids by 12 pm. Just managed a rushed trip with friend S to Leuven and to Botanica and got some more plants. Only, as I was in a big rush have ended up with 2 geraniums of the same colour - PINK. The plants are all doing well, touchwood! I have a brown thumb :-) I also had the time, thanks to S, to pick up a scarpbook for Big G.

In Belgium there is a tradition of the children giving a gift to the teacher on the last day of school, to show their appreciation. Plants, flowers, cookies & chocolates are popular gifts. I always like to give something from India to the teachers and this time I gave lovely bandhini silk scarfs, which were well received :-)

On the weekend we had gone to Antwerp Zoo, a first zoo visit for lil G. The strange thing about this zoo is that it is situated right next to Antwerp Central Station. There are appartment buildings around the zoo and for some lucky  people, they get to see the giraffes and the zebras from their kitchen windows. Strange that, living next to a zoo. I seriously think they should consider moving it out of the city. The one zoo I remember most recently visiting in India is the Mysore zoo and I had liked it. But isn't that also right in the middle of the city? Zoos or even circuses, where animals are caged and away from their natural surroundings don't appeal to me.

This zoo seemed in a bad shape compared to my previous visit. It is more than 100 years old and they are doing some maintenance work.  Some animal enclosures were empty too. This is the first time that I really have dwelt on the zoo as a type of institution. I was wondering idly how they work, how they are funded and what would make someone decide on opening a zoo. Can they be classified as business enterprises read profit generating? Then are the visitors fees and sales from souvenirs and food courts enough? I doubt. They are about education sure, but what more. I would love to read an Arthur Hailey type of book on zoos. I love his detailed research. Did some preliminary reading and there are some expert views on some issues surrounding zoos.  Can be read here and  here and here. The zoodigest is a good resource for zoos. Would love to know your thoughts on this too.

Big G's sports camp has started this week and she is liking it, she has a couple of friends from school and is happy. lil G did do some grumpy protests about going too but was distracted with a trip to the market on her tri-cycle (which I had to push). She  choose, rather insisted, that I buy these purple flowers for the house.




The two sisters were very happy to see each other at the end of the day. Leaving you with the picture. Enjoy!

Comments

  1. Renu12 July 2012 at 05:26

    Though I always enjoy going to a ZOo, but something always rattle my mind that they are being kept caged..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Chatty Wren12 July 2012 at 07:05

      Yes, any animals being caged rankles me too. I too had only looked at zoos as being educative and enjoyment, but recently had more awareness to the other functions they do - conservation, research, breeding, and so much more.

      Delete
  2. Anonymous12 July 2012 at 11:52

    Bandhni scarfs.. the teachers must have felt really special. :)

    Zoos are favorite with kids but without proper maintenance, it feels like no one is actually being benefited out of it. Animals are caged and we are anyways ranting over the petty state.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Chatty Wren12 July 2012 at 12:54

      Yes, the teachers did like them. Sure the kids loved the zoo outing. And I was speaking from the point of view of an ignorant adult.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous31 July 2012 at 06:36

    Wow, you gifted Bandhni silk scarf to the teachers, really thoughtful!!!!
    Zoos are educational no doubt, but at the same time they let children think that it's ok to keep the animals in cage. though i remember i loved to go to zoo as a kid. Every holiday, my grandfather used to take me to the baroda zoo and i used to spend whole day looking at different animals...
    Finally you got some breather :)
    did your MIL finally arrive?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Chatty Wren31 July 2012 at 13:59

      Nopes, this weekend! All fingers crossed and cleaning every inch of the house!!

      Delete

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