Tiger shooting sparks protest action

A growing protest against the caging of wild animals at the Natal Zoological Gardens and the Brian Boswell Circus is expected to take place next week Tuesday following the shooting of a tiger that allegedly escaped from Brian Boswell’s premises.

Anti-animal cruelty activists will gather in their numbers next week Tuesday, December 29, in growing protest against the caging of wild animals at the Natal Zoological Gardens (zoo) and the Brian Boswell Circus that uses these and other animals in performances.

The march is expected to take place opposite the Zoo on Lion Park Road. The outrage and renewed focus on the zoo and circus follows the shooting of a tiger that allegedly escaped from Brian Boswell’s premises.

The three year old male Bengal Indian Tiger, weighing about 200kg, did not belong to the zoo or to Boswell’s circus – but to Boswell personally. It is one of several that he owns as his personal animals – some which he sells legally to interested parties.

A furore broke out when the tiger was shot with a shotgun, instead of being darted and re-captured. But Boswell maintains shooting the tiger was done in the “interest of public safety”.

“Many people feel that the tiger should not have been shot but what if it had eaten someone, it was not tame. There was nobody injured and no livestock was damaged. If it got out here there could have been serious consequences and there are children at the zoo, there are people who live all around here,” said Boswell who has nine tigers, two cubs and a liger at the zoo.

Not sure as to how the tiger escaped from his property, Boswell said he had four professional hunters and a veterinarian present when the animal was shot.

“The tiger had been shot twice with a rifle, once in the head and once in the heart – standard procedure to ensure it was dead,” said Boswell.

WATCH:

Boswell said the circus act stopped used tigers and dangerous animals about four years ago. He said animals used in the circus now included horses, ponies, goats, camels and alpacas.

Unfazed by the proposed protest, Boswell said he had no problem with it.

“As long as they behave themselves and have the relevant permissions to protest…it’s their problem and not mine,” said Boswell.

The National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) issued a statement saying while it had pending cases in court against the zoo, the organization reiterated its opposition to the keeping of wild animals in captivity.

“This stance is based on a number of welfare concerns. It is virtually impossible to provide facilities and social infrastructures for these animals to function normally and exhibit natural behavior. They face a lifetime of captivity – boredom fills their days and nutritional and physical demands are often not met,” read the statement.

The NSPCA said it remained concerned as to the lack of information as to how the animal escaped.

“The question still remains as to how this potentially dangerous animal escaped the confines of its enclosures and the boundaries of the zoo – whether there was negligence involved or simply a case of inadequate facilities,” read the statement.

The Maritzburg Sun visited the zoo on the day the tiger was shot and found the place to be in a clean and orderly condition, although the cages did appear small for the caged wild animals.

Leading the protest through social media, animal lover Karen Wadsworth Borain visited the zoo and shared pictures of the caged animals, saying her visit revealed a “nightmare”.

“Tigers, lions, leopards and ligers all being imprisoned in tiny concrete cells. There is so much sadness there. Wild, majestic and proud animals being forced to live their lives out in a small cage.

These cages are smaller than a bachelor flat, yet two tigers have to live in this space for eternity, instead of a lush forest with trees and rivers. That is the epitome of cruelty,” said Borain on her Facebook page.

WATCH: