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Zoobic Chicken

May 1, 2005

I am, by no means, an animal rights advocate but I think I should blog about this.  I went to Zoobic, an zoo of sorts in Subic, largely because the hotel we were staying in gave us 2 complimentary tickets.  One of the main attractions is a safari-type tour of an enclosure where tigers roam free.  Basically, the tourists ride around in a grill enclosed jeepney.  At the orientation, our guide mentioned something about a chicken which I found strange but quickly dismissed.

When we were about to head off for the “safari”, I saw one of the staff with a live chicken, its legs bound at the end of a nylon rope.  It was making a noise which led me to believe it was stressed out.  Well, if he wasn’t, I was.


So, here’s our first encounter with a tiger.  As expected the Zoobic staff member threw the chicken out of the jeepney.  What happened next surprised me and made me think of the cruelty we inflict on animals for the sake of our amusement.

I thought we were going to bear witness to a live version of Discovery Channel but the folks at Zoobic who must have been bored with a ritual killing of a chicken, had other things in mind.  Once the tiger sees the chicken and starts going for it, the “handler” pulls at the rope until the chicken ends up inside the jeep - alive but definitely not a happy camper.  This makes the tiger jump up on to the jeep — a close encounter with this huge cat.  To download a 5.5MB video, click here.

This goes on once or twice before yet another game begins.  After teasing the tiger into standing on the side of the jeep, it’s now time to see if it will give chase to this magic chicken.  To my horror, the driver instructs the handler to throw the chicken out the jeep while he drags it giving the audience a nice first-hand view of a tiger running. 

There is the occasional stop to let the tiger catch up.  After all, where’s the fun in letting it get the bird immediately.  In our case, the fun was cut short when the chicken died not in the tiger’s mouth but in the jeep’s rear tire where it got stuck.  Now, we get to see a tiger attack a jeep’s tire. (For a 2.4MB video, click here.)  Whoo hoo!

Well, the tiger walks off with most of the chicken in its mouth– a nice snack which it had to work for.

What was left of the chicken was fed to these tigers.  (For a 4.4MB video, click here.)

If there’s anyone out there from PETA, DENR or even the SBMA, can you please put a stop to this?  Please.

Posted by JJ Disini at 2:23 pm | permalink

Previous Comments

hMn.. just last night, i learned that Animals also have different personalities? whew. stoopid of me to no know when all the whle i know eveything i needed to survive.

hi. just hoppin. =)

Posted by futaneshka at May 3, 2005, 6:01 am

Oh no! And in an odd tangentially related-way, some people buy mice and chicks from my pet store to feed their snakes. It seems that the snake gets invigorated by the struggles of their dinner.

Posted by Dean at May 3, 2005, 9:05 am

All cats are hunters by nature. It doesn't matter if they are fed by their master, they will still hunt. So, seeing them hunt for their food (follow their instincts) is natural and, depending on the explanation that goes with it, educational for children.

Of course, a bedgraggled chicken with its feet tied and hanging upside down ready for the tiger's mouth is NOT natural.Kids should be well-guided with accompanying explanations on tours of places like zoos.

Posted by Sassy at May 3, 2005, 10:51 am

Prof, did you see today's article about the python in Forbes Park? The SIXTH they caught there? :)

Posted by Oscar at May 18, 2005, 1:49 pm

it would have been, at least, less cruel and more natural if they had just released the chicken instead of tying it up for a tiger chase. it's a wonder what impact this would have to young kids witnessing it.

Posted by arch at August 7, 2005, 12:58 pm

hi may i ask on what hotel did u stayed in wherein u got those free tickets :D

Posted by PiNk at April 25, 2006, 4:59 pm

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