Dublin Zoo has been branded an “animal prison” ahead of a protest taking place there this weekend. The protest follows 17 allegations made against the tourist attraction by a whistleblower, which prompted an investigation by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). In its report, the NPWS found “no evidence” to support 16 of the allegations , while the last was upheld but has since been resolved.
Animals Behind Closed Doors founder Gerry Boland said he’s not involved in this weekend's protest but fully supports it. “When you boil it down, Dublin Zoo is essentially an animal prison,” he told The Hard Shoulder . “And all zoos in the world are essentially that, or almost all of them.
“I say that because it’s very rare for any animal in any zoo to be successfully reintroduced into the wild. But these days, the wild is rapidly disappearing.” Mr Boland explained the history of zoos.
“Zoos came into place around 150 to 200 years ago with the purpose of entertainment, to show people animals they had never seen before,” he said. “But nowadays, zoos claim that their raison d'être is both educational and conservation purposes. “They keep animals in captivity, try to create a natural environment, and give it fancy names like ‘Himalayan Hills,’ ‘African Savannah,’ and ‘Gorilla Rainforest.
’ “But that’s just a joke, a brand, because we don’t have Himalayan Hills or African Savannas in Ireland.” Mr Boland said money should be spent o.