WTF I just found out Russian Zoo's feed predators live prey

[brimdog]

You learn something new everyday, sometimes it horrifies you. Just don't let it make you a prick, right?

[aryianna]

I'm surprised but not horrified. Actually the first thought that came to mind with Russia are all the wild dogs roaming the streets. It would surprise me if that's where a lot of them go. There are many animals that will not eat if their prey isn't active. That's the only way they know how to eat, it's their instinct.

[Nyoken]

Animals and humans die everyday, humans kill humans, animals kill animals. For tigers it's a natural thing, they have to do it to survive. Good that they are staying true to the tigers.

[Fullmetal89]

Fucking based Russians at it again.

[Imnick]

The thing here isn't that it's "cruel" to feed live prey to animals, but dangerous.
Prey animals will not always just accept their fate, and can cause pain or injury to their predators.
Whenever possible, animals should be fed with already killed prey, but sometimes it is just not practical.

[niki]

I will just leave this here,

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/tiger-g...rsky-1.3339769

[ComputerNerd]

For real? Are you that type that complain when he/she see in a documentary a lion eat a dear/zebra etc??

A documentary is documenting, not dictating.

I wouldn't argue it it necessary from a behavioral point of view, given how the rest of their environment is still artificial and nowhere near a natural one.
You aren't in my view ensuring natural behaviour of the animal with that.
But perhaps different animals respond differently to being fed "prepared" food.

I just don't think it should be live prey for the sake of being live prey.

[Laerrus]

What are they supposed to feet them? Processed and dead crap that is choc full of preservatives and carcinogens?

Russia apparently cares enough about their animals to ensure that they are fed good.

[Deleted]

animals going to animal this is natural behavior

[Rhine101]

Those horrible meat eaters. They need to shop at whole foods like civilized animals. Better yet, they need to go vegan.

And don't allow moms to breast feed. Milk is murder.

[derpkitteh]

honestly, it might seem bad, but live prey is very good for the mental health of the predators.

so while it may be slightly cruel, it is good for the predator to get live prey.

[Sliske]

these animals aren't scavengers. it would probably fuck up their mental health if they never got to hunt again.

picture it. you're a tiger. all you have to do is hunt, roam and fuck. two of those are taken from you. at least you have the last one.

[Adam Jensen]

You do realize what predators eat in the wild right?

[Deleted]

For real? Are you that type that complain when he/she see in a documentary a lion eat a dear/zebra etc??

That comparison is bad and you should feel bad. Taking a predator killing prey in the open world where they have no other choice and the prey has an actual chance to escape and compare that a tied up/hampered animal being thrown into a small enclosement to be torn apart with no chance whatsoever for the onlookers amusement is bizarre.

As far as i know it's pretty common several places?

For stuff like Mice who get fed to snakes, because otherwise they most of the time they wont eat. Not throwing in animals such as goats, cows or dogs into the enclosure of Lions and Tigers so people can get off on watching them torn to pieces. Might aswell start burning small animals at that point, not much difference anymore.

Some animals will refuse to eat meat that they haven't killed because it might not be edible.

None of the large predators have ANY such inhibition. Hyenas, Lions, Tigers, Polarbears etc will happily dig in. This isn't about snakes being fed mice.

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these animals aren't scavengers. it would probably fuck up their mental health if they never got to hunt again.

picture it. you're a tiger. all you have to do is hunt, roam and fuck. two of those are taken from you. at least you have the last one.

Most of the large predators happily eat carcasses or drive other predators away from their kills when given the chance, its easy food they didn't have to work for. Not having to actively go out and kill stuff doesn't impair them in any kind of way an artificial enclosure doesn't, most Zoos do not engage in this kind of viewer pandership (because thats what this is, nothing else) and hve no issue whatsoever.

[derpkitteh]

Most of the large predators happily eat carcasses or drive other predators away from their kills when given the chance, its easy food they didn't have to work for. Not having to actively go out and kill stuff doesn't impair them in any kind of way an artificial enclosure doesn't, most Zoos do not engage in this kind of viewer pandership (because thats what this is, nothing else) and hve no issue whatsoever.

do you know why steve irwin risked his life to handfeed and move around the food his crocodiles ate? so they could feel like they're attacking and killing their food, and running him out of their territory. their mental health suffers if they don't hunt.

[Ghazan Julio]

OMG IT'S LIKE THEY'RE REPLICATING WHAT HAPPENS NATURALLY IN THE WILD!? *gasps*

[Doctor Amadeus]

Ah of two minds here, on one hand maybe some animals simply wont eat something dead which would be cruel to the animal not to feed it, on the other hand if that isn't the case putting live animals in with other live animals to feed one is a dick move.

If it isn't needed then it's cruel pure and simple, and I really don't care what OTHERWISE they would do in the wild, if they are in a zoo they are likely never going to be free, so this is never going to be an issue. Nor will they get special birthday cakes made for them by the zookeeper in the wild.


In most cases it's just humans being dicks.

[MikeBogina]

Kinda need prey to be called a predator.

Keeps the animals active and prevents them from becoming lethargic... likes those pandas that are dying off.

[Nanaboostme]

Welcome to Mother Nature and Human Nature.

[Maoli]

Well, the prey isn't truly prey since it's not truly being hunted. It's being put in an impossible situation and has to suffer prior to death because of it. It's not really mimicking the wild at all, whether it's good for the predators in the zoo or not. I wouldn't really mind assuming the animal are killed quickly. Long, prolonged kills would be a bit hard to stomach, and I doubt the handlers interfere with the killings, which is a bit of a shame.