On Demand
Dead or Alive
Wanted: Meat. Preferably alive. That is, if you're a carnivore. But most carnivores in zoos find themselves being fed something more along the lines of a hamburger... or in zoo lingo "a meatsicle." And like in the movie "Supersize Me," the result of this diet is a bunch of overweight, lethargic, unhappy animals lying around in the zoo. So, a new wave of zoo reformers are suggesting that to make these caged carnivores happy, we should be feeding them whole carcasses, or better yet, whole live animals. We visit two zoos who are trying to recreate this gory element of wildness, and see how visitors feel about watching it. First up, NPR Science reporter Nell Boyce takes us carcass-tossin' at the Toledo Zoo. And then we follow reporter Jocelyn Ford onto a bus in China where hungry lions lick their chops at the squawking cargo. The question here is just how far will we go to be 'humane', and when does it get us right back to a point dangerously close to the Romans?
Podcast
Stay up to date.
Subscribe to the Podcast
Radio Lab Blog
Radio Lab’s got a blog! Check out our rants and ramblings, hear bonus audio, and get all kinds of other goodies like ringtones and videos.
More
Radio Lab Email
Tell Radio Lab What You Think
Have questions about the show? Ideas for topics for Radio Lab to investigate? Heard things you like? Don’t like? Let us know. We’d love to hear from you.
Email us at radiolab@wnyc.org
Comments
Refresh
I had to stop listening when the tigers started yowling. Too sad.
What an amazing program. Now I'm questioning whether sleep is my favorite. Maybe Zoos is my new favorite. Can't decide. Radio Lab should run for president.
One of the best Radio Lab shows yet. These seasons are just too short.
Great story! I always look forward to stuff by Jocelyn Ford.
I saw live mice being fed to captive snakes at a nature centre in Florida.
This whole episode on zoos was fantastic - thank you.
The yowling of the tigers is heartbreaking and reinforces my feeling that China is hell on earth for animals. I firmly believe there will never be human rights for all the peoples of China until the people of China become compassionate towards animals. It will start with the animals and spread to all life. Cultural traditions are never an excuse for cruelty. I judge Chinese governments and society harshly because of the unnecessary torment to animals and the whole-scale environmental destruction and forced removal of people from their homes.
At the end of the "Dead or Alive" segment, Jocelyn Ford went into some other part of the facility (I missed exactly where) and saw some tigers in small cages. She recorded one. I recognized that cry. It was the sound of utter despair.
We are hosting five lovely cats here in our little paradise and I often witness them torturing the cute little mice to death. I have to accept the cruelty of nature but I'm nevertheless glad to be a vegetarian.
A great and enlightening program!
The lion's cry was one of the most heartbreaking things I've ever heard on the radio. How can we help them?
Good god, those tigers made me sit back in my chair, completely dumbstruck by disgust and grief and all that sort of thing. Completely heartbreaking.
I am haunted by the sounds of the tiger's cries at the end of Jocelyn's segment. It was chilling. I cry every time I think of it. I'm with Emily. How can we help him? (I hope there is only one!) Can we find out where that tiger is and buy it and free it? Jocelyn, please respond!
Hello Emily and others--
My apologies for a much delayed response.
Sadly, I don't have a simple solution. There were many tigers and lions who were in cages. As I left the "natural" wildlife park, I heard more cries coming from another building.
I think your concern, and desire to take action, is a good start toward a better tomorrow for these and other animals.
Here are websites for two organizations that are working toward promoting animal protection and humanitarian treatment of animals in China; the Jane Goodall Institute China http://www.jgichina.org/index.html, and Animals Asia Foundation http://www.animalsasia.org/index.php?module=2&lg=en.
I am optimistic that as China grows wealthier, society will become more compassionate. The tragic May 12, 2008 earthquake has spurred greater concern for strangers among many, to the pleasant surprise of many Chinese friends of mine.
I hope you will remain interested in social developments in this large and fast-changing country, or better yet, become engaged with groups here that share your interests.
Thanks for your comments.
Jocelyn
A caged tiger yowls
and sounds a lot like a man
begging for his life.
Leave a Comment
Please stay on topic, be civil, and be brief.
Back to EpisodeEmail addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments. Names are displayed with all comments. WNYC reserves the right to edit any comments posted on this site. Please read the WNYC.org Comment Guidelines before posting.