Not To Be A Killjoy (though It Is What I Do Best) But The Unsafe And Rough Handling Of A Baby Pygmy Hippo

Not to be a killjoy (though it is what I do best) but the unsafe and rough handling of a baby Pygmy hippo in a pretty substandard Thai zoo being meme-ed into something funny and cute really shows just how much groupthink plays into public perception of animal welfare.

Moo Deng shows avoidance, threat displays and stress around her keepers that are constantly man-handling her, blasting her with a hose and harassing her. The enclosure is mostly concrete, which is horrible for her soft feet. There looks to be some substrate but there doesn’t seem to be any areas for wallowing or deep water wading.

There’s also very easy access of this hippo to the public with no places to hide. I’d love if someone could shed more light on the enclosures but from what I’ve seen it’s not great.

Also the free contact and forcing into tubs that the keepers do is only going to create an avoidant and potentially aggressive and dangerous Pygmy hippo.

But the public happily overlook that because she’s cute. It’s a similar attitude with seals too.

Stop rewarding bad husbandry with clout. Baby animals deserve agency and respect and to grow up without getting harassed and feeling the need to defend themselves constantly.

darling, will you saturate?

Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

Religion has NO place in a hospital. Yes, catholic hospitals absolutely SHOULD be forced to perform abortions against their will, especially if they're providing emergency healthcare. Shut the fuck up. Healthcare professionals take a vow to care for their fellow man whether they agree with the individual's decision or not, this is taught in medical school. If they're discriminating, by ANY measure, they need to be prosecuted full stop.

"From this Eden, we descend, leaving behind the paradise we once knew. In the shadow of our fall, we carry with us the memory of its grace and the eternal journey to find our way back."

Thought I'd take the man back to eden🦋🌱

"September 21st, 1945. That was the night I died."

GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES (1988)

Dir. Isao Takahata