Letter: Zoo animals would be better off than homeless

Friday, Feb. 13, 2004 | 5:26 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION

Feb. 14 - 15, 2004

This letter is in response to the Feb. 1 story in the Las Vegas Sun by reporter Steve Kanigher on a 100-acre zoo proposed for northwest Las Vegas, at Floyd Lamb State Park. The story made for compelling reading, especially considering the present "zoological park" on Rancho Drive, which tries hard but simply isn't a model place for the residence of animals by any means.

I have seen the "good zoos," including the ones in Miami and San Diego and they are about as natural a habitat as one can artificially build. Yet two factors are still very disturbing about the notion of putting animals, which should be free, into captivity, no matter how comfortable the captivity.

First, if one purpose of a zoo is for children to learn, there are many creative ways to teach about animals -- through school curricula, on the Internet, in virtual reality video games -- without putting them in a zoo.

Second, and more importantly, with approximately 9,000 homeless people in Las Vegas, a "world class" zoo would mean that a collection of wild animals would probably be living more comfortably than some people.

Those who are behind the movement to generate the construction of a zoo here in Las Vegas say the facility would be appropriate for a progressive, real city. Perhaps those same individuals might give some thought to finding ways for our city to be truly imaginative, innovate and progressive by successfully addressing the horrendous social problem of homelessness.

JOHN H. ESPERIAN