From Beauty Without Cruelty in South Africa
Opal the Orangutan has been housed at Brian Boswell’s Natal Zoological Gardens and Lion Park in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, for 34 years, where she has spent most of her time in isolation, after losing her mate and only baby. Her barren enclosure in no way replicates a natural environment, and no stimulation and enrichment is provided to prevent boredom and depression. This deplorable situation of Opal, in particular, is shameful. That any animal should be forced to live a jailed life of solitary confinement, and without environmental enrichment to boot, because they are considered property, should have any halfway ethical person hanging their head in shame. Clearly, that is not the case here. The fact that offers to relocate Opal to a loving and socially enriching environment have been refused speaks of a level of self-gratification above regard for any suffering this entails.
Science has proven animal sentience, and therefore a capability for suffering. The orangutan genetic code has confirmed that they share 97 per cent of their DNA with people and are highly intelligent. It doesn’t matter what the law says, basic decency, a trait sadly lacking here, should have ensured Opal’s happiness and peace of mind ahead of personal greed.
Beauty Without Cruelty supports any and all legal efforts to secure a better future for Opal, and will offer whatever assistance we can in this matter.
Petitions to relocate Opal at petition: Free Opal the Orangutan!
and brianbosw@gmail.com: Call for Brian Boswell to release Opal from Natal Zoological Gardens
Thanks to those that sign!
Opal the Orangutan has been housed at Brian Boswell’s Natal Zoological Gardens and Lion Park in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, for 34 years, where she has spent most of her time in isolation, after losing her mate and only baby. Her barren enclosure in no way replicates a natural environment, and no stimulation and enrichment is provided to prevent boredom and depression. This deplorable situation of Opal, in particular, is shameful. That any animal should be forced to live a jailed life of solitary confinement, and without environmental enrichment to boot, because they are considered property, should have any halfway ethical person hanging their head in shame. Clearly, that is not the case here. The fact that offers to relocate Opal to a loving and socially enriching environment have been refused speaks of a level of self-gratification above regard for any suffering this entails.
Science has proven animal sentience, and therefore a capability for suffering. The orangutan genetic code has confirmed that they share 97 per cent of their DNA with people and are highly intelligent. It doesn’t matter what the law says, basic decency, a trait sadly lacking here, should have ensured Opal’s happiness and peace of mind ahead of personal greed.
Beauty Without Cruelty supports any and all legal efforts to secure a better future for Opal, and will offer whatever assistance we can in this matter.
Petitions to relocate Opal at petition: Free Opal the Orangutan!
and brianbosw@gmail.com: Call for Brian Boswell to release Opal from Natal Zoological Gardens
Thanks to those that sign!
