Bowmanville Zoo

Bowmanville Zoo
Date opened 1919
Location 340 King Street East, Clarington, Ontario, CAN
Coordinates 43°54′46″N 78°40′06″W / 43.912811°N 78.668456°W / 43.912811; -78.668456Coordinates: 43°54′46″N 78°40′06″W / 43.912811°N 78.668456°W / 43.912811; -78.668456
Land area 42 acres (17 ha)
Number of animals 300
Memberships CAZA[1]
Website http://www.bowmanvillezoo.com

Bowmanville Zoo is a zoo in Clarington, Ontario, Canada. It is one of the largest suppliers of animals for Hollywood movies and television programs.[2] It is Canada's oldest private zoo; founded in 1919, it now hosts over 300 animals. The zoo allows children to ride on the backs of camels.

About 100,000 people visit the zoo each year.[3]

History

The land now occupied by the zoo, on the banks of Soper Creek, was part of the grounds of the Cream of Barley Mill, located further south on the creek. The mill owner developed a campground and park for tourists, aptly named "The Cream of Barley Campground", on the part of the property that was near the highway.[4] Later, a petting zoo was added to the park.[5]

By 1928, the mill, camp, and park (which now included tourist cabins) were owned James Morden and operated by Alfred Shrubb, formerly a world-renowned long distance runner.[6] By 1946, the park included tennis courts.[7]

Over time, the zoo aspect of the business became more prominent, and the cabins were turned into animal shelters and storage buildings.

As of 2016, Michael Hackenberger is the owner of the Bowmanville Zoo. In April 2016, Hackenberger has been charged with 5 counts of animal abuse by the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) due to a video that surfaced from Peta of Hackenberger whipping a young leashed tiger profusely while swearing at it.

Animals

Some of the animal talent include or have included:

Elephants

The zoo once had seven elephants with a mix of African and Asian.

Limba was the lone Asian elephant at the zoo, arrived in 1989 and was euthanized in late 2013 at the age of 50 after a malignant tumor was found in her abdomen. The pachyderm was well known for appearing in Bowmanville's annual Santa Claus Parade and several movies.[10][11] With her death and closure of Toronto Zoo's elephant exhibit, the only zoo in Ontario with elephants is the African Lion Safari.

Traveling exhibits

Animals from the Bowmanville Zoo are sometimes displayed as part of shows in various parts of Canada.[12][13]

Two camels, Shawn and Todd, along with Jonas the tiger, went missing for two days on the way home from one of these trips when their trailer, along with the truck pulling it, was stolen near Drummondville, Quebec in 2010. All three were found in good health and returned to the zoo.[14]

Programs

The zoo participates in breeding programs for endangered species, and also accepts retired circus animals.[15]

Controversy

In December 2015, the Bowmanville Zoo owner, Michael Hackenberger was accused by PETA of animal cruelty.[16] PETA released a video which showed Hackenberger cursing at and profusely whipping a young, leashed tiger named Uno. PETA claims that the tiger was struck each time the whip was snapped. [17]

In response to PETA's allegations, Hackenberger released his own video statement. In it, he asserts that although his “language is atrocious and I apologize for that,” "PETA, once again, is lying." He stated that only two of the 19 cracks of the whip shown in the video struck the tiger, with the remainder viciously striking either the air or the ground immediately adjacent to the tiger. He also challenged PETA to release the full length of the video taken.[18]

Earlier in 2015, Hackenberger was filmed on live television swearing at a baboon for failing to complete a trick, which involved its jumping off the back of a miniature pony. The show, Breakfast Television, later denounced the act and stated they would not be visiting the zoo again in the future.[19]

April 13, 2016 regarding the video of Michael Hackenberger whipping the leashed tiger, five animal cruelty charges were brought against him. The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says it began investigating alleged abuse at the Bowmanville Zoo immediately after reviewing the footage that emerged in December. The agency says the zoo's owner, Michael Hackenberger, is charged with four counts of causing an animal distress; causing an animal distress by striking the animal with a whip handle, causing an animal distress by repeatedly striking an animal with a whip, causing an animal to be in distress by striking the animal in the face with a whip, and causing an animal distress by pushing his thumb into the animals eye. The last charge was one of failing to comply with the prescribed standards of care for an animal. Three of the distress charges relate to the use of a whip, and one related to Hackenberger pushing his thumb into the tigers eye. The OSPCA says it will continue to conduct inspections of the zoo and continue to closely monitor the animals there.[20]

Notes

  1. ↑ "Membership Directory". caza.ca. Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Retrieved 24 April 2010.
  2. ↑ Bowmanville zoo baby births. Clarington.com, 28 March 2010.
  3. 1 2 "U.S. animal rights group wants to stop transfer of circus elephant to Bowmanville zoo". National Post
  4. ↑ McNamara, Robert. "How We Rediscovered Canada in 1928" The Crooked Lake Review, November 1993.
  5. ↑ "Flashback". CHEX TV, 22 June 2012.
  6. ↑ Humber, William. Bowmanville: A Small Town at the Edge. Natural Heritage Books, 1997.
  7. ↑ "Bowmanville Tennis club rallies to save courts". Oshawa This Week, 7 October 2009.
  8. ↑ Clinton, Julie. "Movie Reviews the Ghost and the Darkness". Entertainment Scene 360.
  9. ↑ "Bowmanville zoo tiger who starred in Life of Pi remembered fondly". Metro, 26 February 2013.
  10. ↑ "Limba the elephant euthanized at Bowmanville Zoo". CBC News. December 3, 2013. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  11. ↑ http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/lone-elephant-at-bowmanville-ont-zoo-dies-1.1571945
  12. ↑ O'Connor, Kevin. "Stolen Bowmanville Zoo animals found safe". Toronto Sun, 22 June 2010.
  13. ↑ McCready, Lindsay. "Bowmanville Zoo at the fair". Moose Jaw Times, 20 June 2013.
  14. ↑ "Shawn, Todd, Jonas back home in Bowmanville Zoo". Ottawa Citizen.
  15. ↑ U.S. group opposes planned move of circus elephant to Bowmanville Zoo. the Canadian Press, 26 February 2013.
  16. ↑ http://headlines.peta.org/uno-tiger-abuse-animals-in-entertainment/
  17. ↑ Deschamps, Tara (December 22, 2015). "PETA accuses Bowmanville Zoo owner of abusing Siberian Tiger". The Toronto Star. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  18. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUpIjrnRiB0&feature=youtu.be
  19. ↑ "Social media reacts to Bowmanville Zoo director swearing on live TV.". Toronto Sun
  20. ↑ http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/bowmanville-zoo-owner-charged-1.3534587

External links

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