Circuses have a special magic in the life of a child, but the ethical question of the use of wild animals in circuses has engendered public outrage.
As there is now increasing evidence about animal sentience several countries have banned the use of wild animals in circuses, with good reason, whilst still retaining the magical atmosphere of clowns, trapeze artists, acrobats, magicians and music.
South Africa has not yet followed the overseas example but momentum towards a ban is picking up since an exposé on Carte Blanche in April last year which has also resulted in many standing up and organising demonstrations country-wide.
Accordingly, activists from various walks of life, some travelling from Cape Town, staged a peaceful protest on Saturday 8th February to raise awareness of the practice of using wild animals in circus acts, when McClaren's Circus came to the Gordon High School in Somerset West.
McClaren's boasts a variety of animals including white lions and Bengal Tigers. Clearly not everybody was impressed with the notion of incarcerating wild animals in cages and teaching them tricks for public amusement.
Toni Brockhoven who manages media liaison for Beauty without Cruetly (BWC) and who also travelled through from Cape Town, said that given the choice, no animal would choose to live an unnatural life of captivity, regardless of the kindness of the treatment and no animal would choose a life that allows none of their natural behaviour.
"Certainly animals would not choose to be taken from their families to be obliged to amuse us. Circus animals spend months travelling in small, bare cages. The stress of continued confinement as well as the transportation result in long term suffering and a lack of appropriate social interaction, reduction in time spent foraging and the restricted freedom to perform natural behaviours represent stressors for captive animals," she said.
A natural environment cannot be recreated in circuses due to the travelling, with inadequate accommodation and exercise areas, forced movement and handling by humans. Noise, along with confinement results in both short-term as well as long-term behavioural and psychological effects.
Toni feels that teaching children that wild animals belong in cages for our use and amusement is not the way to go. "There are so many options today to teach children about animals in their natural environment, with a wide range of educational nature films readily available," she said.
Somerset resident Louise Spagnuolo who helped organize the protest said that many local residents sent messages to Gordon High requesting that they not host circuses featuring wild animals. No reply had as yet been received.
They were aware that Gordon High probably had contractual responsibilities, but it was hoped that they would not host circuses featuring wild animals in future," she said.
To which Asanda Village resident Kenesias Dambakurima added: "Free them from slavery."
When asked for his views on the matter, Paul Hart who runs the Drakenstein Lion Sanctuary outside Paarl pointed out that he currently had eight lions rescued from circuses. Having seen the effects on these animals, he does not support the use of wild animals in circuses.
Alan Perrins, Chief Executive Officer of the SPCA stated: "Wild animals belong in the wild."
Bolander also posed the question to him: "Local authorities require rescued lions to be housed in enclosures no smaller than 400 sq.metres and yet take no action in cases where circus lions spend their lives in cramped caravans. How can this be justified?"
At the time of going to press, no answer had been received.
SECOND PROTEST HELD AGAINST WILD CREATURES IN CAPTIVITY
Close to 100 people again demonstrated peacefully on the corner of the N2 and De Beers Avenue outside the Gordon High School on Saturday 15th, against having wild animals in circuses.
Law Enforcement were out in full force to see that they stayed within the limits of their permit, as were members of Mclaren circus.
The media officer for the latter would not answer any queries except in writing. However he did say that they had no objection to the protest adding that "all animals were removed from their families at some stage anyway."
When asked by Bolander at what age it happened that lion cubs were naturally separated from their families, he did not know but said he would ask their trainer.
Kenesias Dambakurima, who works for a media company and lives in Asanda village, was present and energetically led the chant: "No no no; nee, nee, nee." He said he loved wild animals and started his animal activism in 2010.
Resident Louise Spagnuolo, who organised the protest, said that McClarens claimed that their animals were well cared for "But this justification was like saying that rape was O.K. if you bought her champagne and chocolates beforehand and provided a nice, soft bed."
