Posted by Charlie Moores, Birds Korea UK, 18th December 2013:
On the 25th of November we highlighted the discovery of a pair of maimed Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata on a pool in a hotel lobby * at the Jungmun tourist complex on Jeju’s south coast (see Mandarin Duck: Symbol of Love or of Animal Abuse?). The birds were missing their primary feathers, and as can be seen from the photo to the left (copyright Birds Korea) the female in particular appeared to be in poor shape. Both were wary and clearly distressed.
We are very grateful to the renowned UK-based animal welfare charity Captive Animals’ Protection Society (CAPS) who have now written to the hotel protesting the abuse of these birds. We are posting their letter below with permission from Director Liz Tyson:
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Liz Tyson, Director, Captive Animals’ Protection Society, United Kingdom
“We were deeply troubled to hear that a world-renowned brand such as yours has chosen to display a pair of mandarin ducks in a small pond in the lobby of your hotel in Jeju in Republic of Korea. Concerns have been raised with us by one of our supporters; concerns which we share completely. The birds in question appear to have been disabled in some way; whether by feather clipping or pinioning, we cannot be sure from the photographs we have been provided with. What is clear is that the birds have been prevented from acting on their natural instinct to escape the busy and unnatural surroundings that they have had forced upon them. This is undoubtedly a stressful situation for the birds, which are nervous animals that would naturally make their home in densely wooded areas near to shallow lakes. They nest in cavities, out of sight, where both parents protect their unborn young. This situation could not be further removed from the one in which the ducks are being kept by your company.
“As a leading hotel chain, others look to you to lead by example. We urge you in the strongest possible terms to find a more suitable, permanent home for the ducks you are currently displaying and to refrain from the display of these, or any other, animals on your premises in the future”.
Liz Tyson, Director, Captive Animals’ Protection Society, United Kingdom
*While we are disallowed by Korean law to name the hotel chain on this website, Birds Korea is very grateful to CAPS for demonstrating that exhibiting maimed birds like this is of international concern, and we would urge anyone who would like to halt the (still unusual) use of animals in hotels in the Republic of Korea to also state their opposition. Please leave any comments or email us and we will pass on your protests to the relevant hotel.
THE CAPTIVE ANIMALS’ PROTECTION SOCIETY (CAPS) IS A UK-BASED CHARITY (NUMBER 1124436) LEADING THE CAMPAIGN TO END THE USE OF ANIMALS IN ENTERTAINMENT, PARTICULARLY IN CIRCUSES, ZOOS AND THE EXOTIC PET TRADE.