2023 Annual Report - Flipbook - Page 10
Amanda Lollar
Amanda Lollar
A few of the 257 bats a昀琀er being released into our large indoor-outdoor 昀氀ight areas.
The prac}ce of allowing bats to breed
uncontrollably is the norm at most zoos,
solely so the public can see babies.
Zoos must stop the devasta}ng prac}ce
of crea}ng 8disposable9, surplus lives.
Males should be neutered to prevent
these types of catastrophes going forward, and bats should always be transported humanely. We have been campaigning for decades on the issue regarding overpopula}on of bats in zoos.
10
We have contacted both the USDA as
well as the AZA on numerous occasions with li琀琀le to no results. We are
now asking for your help.
Your voices are powerful and ma琀琀er
greatly. The following list of AZA and
USDA o昀케cials can make the changes
needed for bats. Please take a moment to write to the following individuals to voice your dismay at the way
bats are oven mistreated in zoos, and
demand that dras}c changes are made
to bene昀椀t the lives of these intelligent
animals.
Kris Vehrs, AZA CEO
kvehrs@aza.org
301-332-957
Robert Gibbons, USDA
Robert.M.Gibbens@usda.gov
& animalcare@usda.gov
Kate Rugroden
While this story is both heartbreaking
and maddening, we are s}ll grateful that
the zoo re}red these bats with us so
they can have the life they have always
deserved. Unfortunately, this zoo is the
excep}on to the rule. For most zoos,
these }ny bats are seen as a commodity—disposable beings who only ma琀琀er
in large numbers for public viewing.
With us, they will be treated as individuals whose lives are as important to them
as ours are to us.
