Now which are the animals really to be pitied in captivity?
...a piteous scene, seldom noticed by ordinary zoo visitors, is enacted by some species of swans at migration time.These creatures, like most other water fowl, are in zoos generally rendered incapable of flight by the operation of "pinioning", that is the amputation of the wing bone at the metacarpal joint. The birds never really grasp that they can fly no more and they try again and again. I do not like pinioned water birds; the missing tip of one wing and the still sadder picture that the bird makes when it spreads its wings spoil most of my pleasure in it, even if it belongs to one of those species which do not suffer mentally by the mutilation.
Though pinioned swans generally seem happy and signify their contentment, under proper care, by hatching and rearing their young without any trouble, at migration time things become different: the swans repeatedly swim to the lee side of the pond, in order to have the whole extent of its surface at their disposal when trying to take off against the wind.
All the while, their sonorous flying calls can be heard as they try to rise, and again and again the grand preparations end in a pathetic flutter of the one and half wings; a truly sorry picture!
{From King Solomon's Ring by Konrad Lorenz}
Some facts about the animal kingdom are too important not to share.
I am a huge animal lover, and sometimes my friends think I'm annoying...I don't care though. I could go on forever and ever talking about animals. I am one standing strong against animal abuse. You see, I am an animal lover.
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Hope you have a wonderful weekend! xx
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