Damian Aspinall, chairman of The Aspinall Trust which runs Port Lympne and Howletts wild animal parks in Kent, has urged parents not to take their children to zoos, calling the practice 'hypocritical' and harmful to animal welfare.
Aspinall, who inherited the zoos from his father, told The Times that taking children to zoos 'normalises the mistreatment of animals' and teaches them 'it is acceptable to have animals held as prisoners for your entertainment'. He acknowledged the irony of his stance, as it would hurt his own business, but insisted 'there's no excuse for any zoo today'.
The conservationist believes all zoos should be phased out over the next 30 years and plans to turn Howletts, home to nearly 400 animals, into a rescue centre. He accused zoos of exaggerating conservation efforts and covering up disease and inbreeding, and claimed some employ 'breed and cull' policies where healthy young animals are euthanised.
However, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), which operates Whipsnade and London zoos, defended the role of zoos, describing them as 'Noah's Ark' that maintain genetically healthy populations of endangered species as a backup. ZSL runs conservation programmes in over 50 countries and argues that zoos 'play a vital role in conservation'.
