Tiger King exposed the dark side of for-profit zoos, but people have not gotten the message
The reason you say, “awwww” when you see a puppy is the same reason it is so difficult to convince people that baby tiger petting is wrong
Netflix´s hit series Tiger King is back for a new wave of attention since the main zoo (now owned by Jeff Lowe) depicted in the series re-opened during the first week of May to long queues and large crowds. Baby tiger petting sessions — one of the problematic activities portrayed in the show — are still being offered.
When the series first came out, several researchers, zookeepers and committees from serious accredited zoological facilities released statements against the practices it highlighted. The main criticism from animal welfare experts was the lack of information about the animals and their treatment. Some people hoped that shedding light on the problems of for-profit zoos would be a good result of the Tiger King frenzy. But judging from the crowds that the zoo saw on re-opening, that does not seem to be the case.
Humans often react to animals based on emotions and feelings, and forget about logic. There are quite a few studies about why we are fascinated by cute things and are drawn to baby animals. There…
