Opposite Zoo Goes Viral After Showing That They Allow Their Animals To Roam Freely While Humans Who Visit Are Kept Caged For The Zoo Experience
It started with a viral photo and a pretty wild premise: at Lehe Ledu Zoo, the animals roam freely, while the visitors get the “safest” version of being close, caged inside a moving vehicle.
On paper, it sounds like a thrilling, up-close wildlife encounter, the kind that lets big cats approach, climb, and loom right over the cage walls. Tourists can even be allowed to feed the animals at certain times, which is where the controversy really heats up, especially when the zoo insists everyone is warned about risks and safety beforehand.
And because the debut sold out for three months straight, the internet can’t stop arguing about who is actually winning here, the animals or the experience.
There is a huge statement to be made here that goes to show how cruel locking up these animals really is.
This is a photo of the Lehe Ledu Zoo, which offers the experience of being up close and personal with their zoo animals in the safest way possible. The tourists are caged up in a moving vehicle where the animals can come up and approach it, getting very close to them.
The staff also allows tourists to feed the animals at times, which has been quite controversial when it comes to discussions about this zoo experience. However, the staff has explained that everyone is made aware of the possible risks and how to be safe while enjoying their experience.
This zoo opened in 2015, and during its debut, it sold out for three months afterward.
It seemed to be a huge attraction, and it appeared that people enjoyed the thrill of it all. “We wanted to give our visitors the thrill of being stalked and attacked by the big cats but, of course, without any of the risks,” Llang said.
Here's a look at a video showing a little bit of how the experience works and how the view would be as a tourist.
The animals are able to get very close to the tourists, and they can climb on and up the sides and top of the cage. This provides tourists with a close-up interaction with wildlife, giving them an experience they've never had before.
The moment the tourists are locked into that moving vehicle, the whole “up close and personal” pitch turns into a very specific power imbalance.
And if you thought cages were just for visitors, Texas zookeepers trapped inside a gorilla enclosure proves otherwise.
Then comes the part that really sparks debates, staff allowing visitors to feed the animals at times, even with warnings baked in.
The zoo’s pitch gets even bolder when the staff says they wanted the thrill of big cats stalking and attacking, just without the risks.
And when you factor in the fact that the place opened in 2015 and sold out for three months, it becomes harder to ignore how fast people bought into the cage-and-approach setup.
This zoo is really interesting, and it's awesome to see how many people are actually interested in this kind of experience. The thrill is a huge part of it, and we definitely see why people would enjoy it, but the dangers are certainly apparent when you visualize what's going on at this zoo.
Would you take a trip there?
The cage is for the tourists, but the real question is who is being kept contained.
Want another close-call, see how a woman vaulting a zoo fence led to a lion encounter.
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