Last week, my family and I went to an ocean park. We didn’t know what to expect because we went with a tour group and it was frequently referred to as a water park. In hindsight, if we knew what was in store, we wouldn’t have gone.
Over time, I have come to have a strong opposition against circuses (although I have never been to one) because I believe it is cruel to force animals to act against nature. This opposition is rapidly extending to zoos and ‘ocean parks’. The animals are in small enclosures, much smaller than that of where they would be in the wild. This results in the animals being very stressed and thus affecting their health. In addition, they mostly look very sad.
Hence, this poem in hopes of starting a conversation on this issue. I would love to hear your stand.
I am a grizzly bear.
A dark-brown usually 180kg salmon eating beast.
Yet, here I am
In this small place where the hundreds of kilometres
I walk is now back and forth in a small enclosure.
I myself aren’t surprised that my skin is slowly drooping.
It’s the same way I am losing my gusto.
The 3 inches long claws I have are being put to waste
As I am fed sweet potatoes by tourists whose targets aren’t accurate enough to reach me.
In addition, the 3 metres I can stand to is now simply a tourist attraction.
I am not sure where I came from,
But I am sure I cannot go back to the wild.
Still, this pain, this suffering, for the entertainment of others, is not what I deserve.
So, do you agree or disagree with my opposition against ocean parks? Why and why not? Do leave comments!
Hi Temidayo.
This is fantastic. I so very much share in your thought even though i want to believe also that a lot these animals may have been kept for educational, scientific purposes etc.
Hi Rofiah,
Thank you for the comment. I am glad you enjoyed the poem 🙂 Hopefully, we can soon put an end to more animals falling into this vulnerable situation.