I read an article one time about a gorilla named Bokito who attacked a woman that was always trying to establish a connection with it.
While she thought that locking eyes and smiling at Bokito was cute, Bokito felt otherwise, as according to his instincts, eye contact meant a form of aggressive behavior towards him; thus, he felt threatened.
For quite a while Bokito stomached it all, but then the last straw that finally broke the camel's back was when some group of children threw rocks at it. Enraged, it escaped and went after the woman who tried to establish a connection with him by making eye contact.
Although she didn't die from the attack, she sustained multiple injuries and it was lesson learned as I also read that she was warned to desist from such acts by the zoo keepers, but she insisted that she was bonding with Bokito as whenever their eyes meet, it smiles back.
Moving on, we've always known animals to have some sense of intelligence, and just because they happen to be a lower life form doesn't mean they should be treated any less.
You know, it is my greatest wish that humans would stop meddling in the affairs of other lower life forms. Sometimes, I cannot help but think that the existence of humanity is a threat to life itself.
As someone who does a lot of reading bordering around life, I have come to realize that humans are manipulators, for they create problems just so they could play God and come up with a solution. An example of this realization is evident in the creation of zoos and other wildlife recreational parks.
Meanwhile, if we all agree that there is no place like home, then why is it ok for animals to be made to live in artificial habitats? most especially when they have their own natural selection.
Personally, I can't even begin to imagine how horrifying it must have been for Bokito having to live in captivity all its life and have people watch and throw rocks at it for entertainment. Like Bokito, it's even worse for other animals in captivity who are not adequately being fed.
In the past, there was a story in my country where a lion ate its zookeeper because it was underfed.
There were other sad stories of wild animals in captivity dying of starvation, which is even worse because you take an animal out of its home only to let it die under a supposed caring facility? That's just wrong and a crime against nature too if you ask me.
Most often time than not, we've been made to believe that zoos and other wildlife recreational parks are a strategy to protect the lives of animals, especially those nearing extinction. But looking at the bigger picture, it's only but a get-rich scheme where animals are being exploited and taken undue advantage of much to the pleasure of humans.
If we are being honest, there is nothing appealing about cages and restrictions. Plus Just as we aim to be free, so do wild animals deserve to be in the wild.
Finally, I believe that if we stop hunting animals for unnecessary pleasures and tone down our industrial activities from affecting the global climate, then we won't need to be setting up protective programs that land these animals in captivity.