Yesterday I had the most amazing privilege! I went to the Calgary Zoo with my beloved sister for the first time in my young adult-hood. It was amazing, I saw all kinds of amazing creatures that God created. From penguins, to bison, to black bears, to monkeys, and lots of animals in between.
It was crazy busy there since all the school tours were there. But kids and adults alike don’t really know how to handle a zoo. Some adults are really good with the children under their care when at the zoo, but others just let the children run wild…
When my sister and I made our way by the exhibits we came to the elk paddock. There was a total of three in the paddock that we could see. The poor elk were so upset as people were sticking their fingers in the cage and pushing their faces up toward the fence and talking to the elk and almost taunting them. The one elk was so upset, that it started to almost charge at the fence and then stopped as it couldn’t get to them fully since there are safety measures that the zoo has put on the fences.
We then went to the black bear enclosure. There were three bears; what looked to be a mother and two cubs. The one cub didn’t seem to really care about the people and so, it just stayed on the rocks and slept. But the other cub; the poor thing was so upset and stressed. When we walked a bit closer to the enclosure we could see why this little one was so upset. There were little kids banging on the glass to try and have the bear look at them, and the adults that were with them said nothing to stop it.
I couldn’t find a specific verse for it, but throughout the bible, God tells us to take care of the animals He has made. That means treating them with love and respect.
Despite this all, I hope that when you next visit a zoo, or any other place that animals are, that you can enjoy it as I did. That you can be present in the moment, and fully experience the joys of God’s creation.
And don’t bang on the glass. :P
