It is heartening to note that the Wildlife Department (Perhilitan) is beginning to show some seriousness in enforcing the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010. The recent closure of several mini-zoos that were reported to have breached the animal exhibition permits is indeed a welcome piece of good news for animal lovers in the country.

The NRE- Perhilitan should be commended for their diplomatic engagement with the said zoo owners which has paved the way for the zoo operators to voluntarily close down their zoos. Perhilitan should continue to work closely with the Malaysian Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria (Mazpa), Persatuan 4P Hidupan Liar Malaysia (P4PHM) and other friendly NGOs which have shown genuine concern for the welfare and safety of wildlife kept in zoos.

Perhilitan should ensure its officers carry out inspections regularly in all zoos and similar premises holding, exhibiting or breeding wildlife in the country. This will ensure the operators of these premises are adhering to the rules and regulations spelled out in the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010.

Perhilitan should also encourage zoo owners to install video surveillance cameras  in their zoos. This video surveillance does not only improve on the security features in the zoo but it can also double up as a cost effective and practical means of monitoring animal health and behaviour.

Apart from the veterinary perspective of monitoring the health and behaviour of the animals, CCTV cameras can also help deter and detect mistreatment of animals. Perhilitan officers can easily hook up to this video surveillance equipment with an appropriate software programme (interface) to view the animals live on their mobile phone or their office PC. The advantages of using a video surveillance system in zoos are numerous.

Having said that I wish to propose to NRE-Perhilitan and others concerned to explore the idea of rebranding large zoos in the country as ‘bioparks’ or ‘wildlife conservation parks’. Nowadays the term ‘zoo’ appears to project one too many negative connotations with regards to animal welfare and safety.

Zoos are a subject of controversy of sorts including the quality of life of the animals they exhibit and the purpose of whether they should be exhibiting live the animals at all. There is a growing number of people out there who are of the view that the animals kept in the zoos are solely for human entertainment and it is immoral.

However, the rebranding of zoos as ‘wildlife conservation parks’ or ‘bioparks’ in many countries in Europe and USA have somewhat changed these negative perceptions. The public view bioparks positively as areas of wildlife conservation and education.