The Tragedy of Wild Animals in Captivity
Re “Tiger Attacks Las Vegas Magician During Show,” Oct. 4: My hopes and prayers go out to Las Vegas magician Roy Horn, who was seriously mauled by a tiger in his act. Yet I also can’t help feeling that the man brought this on himself, all in the name of profit.
People think that wild animals are better off in humans’ care, but this is simply not the case. If you watch animals in captivity, they show extreme signs of frustration and boredom, all because they are restricted from displaying behaviors that are innate to them, killing and hunting included.
One might liken this to a prisoner’s situation. Would a prisoner prefer the small comforts of jail or freedom? More likely the latter. I would hate to see Horn not make it through this ordeal, but I also hope that the authorities will spare the life of the tiger, whose only crime was being victimized itself.
Pamela Oakley
Studio City
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