I Just Wanna Go Home! by Diane Schuster
A displaced giraffe that is expressing his fondest wish! I just wanna go home! I feel for animals that are not in their natural habitat. I understand the need for rescue when necessary and animals that would not survive on their own in the wild. I love seeing any animal but going to the zoo hurts my heart. I know that I wouldn’t want to be in a cage or enclosure, especially if I was all by myself. Also the thought of someone paying to gawk at me does not set well. Some animals are so expressive, I see great sadness in their eyes and also great intelligence. I have great understanding for some animals that act out when gawked at. I remember hearing of a bear in one zoo that threw his own feces at people. I don’t think that I would even need to ask that bear just why he did that, I think that I know. If privacy is so important to humans, why wouldn’t it be important to animals, big or small. The image of this giraffe was taken at Wildlife Safari in Winston Oregon. However the background was kind of sparse and lacked vegetation. I felt that at least I could put this beautiful creature in a more lush environment. So I used the pen tool and detached him from the original photo and placed him at Willow Lake in Southern Oregon. That park is currently closed for the winter so he can roam to his heart’s content and not be gawked at until Spring, perhaps then I will place him somewhere else. I am currently working on giving him some company, for he was with 2 others at the Safari. This image was only large enough for one occupant, so I’ll find a wider landscape. Thanks for listening to my rambling. If you have a thought on the matter, post it below. I would enjoy reading it!
Comments
Beautiful work and really enjoyed the story behind it!
Hi Carol, thanks very much for the great comment and visit, glad that you enjoyed it! Dee
– Diane Schuster
Thanks Val for the great banner and fav! Dee
– Diane Schuster
I agree with everything that you said…This is a fantastic piece of art.
Hi gerrardt, thanks for the great comment and fav! Dee
– Diane Schuster
Great info and fantastic capture………….
Thanks for the great comment and fav, shiraz! Dee
– Diane Schuster
Great shot!
Thanks very much Rick! Dee
– Diane Schuster
Nice work Dee, I also do not believe in spectator sports of animals!
Thanks Pamela for the great comment and fav! Dee
– Diane Schuster
Lovely work and well writted words !
There are pros and cons … I really HATE seeing wild animals in cages and small enclosures. On the other hand there is a big place for establishments where there are wide open spaces of habitat provided for endangered species in successful breeding programs.
I agree with you Trish, thanks for the wonderful comment and visit! Dee
– Diane Schuster
Bless it! Like you, I hate to see animals exploited by humans, and conditions in many zoos leave much to be desired to put it mildly. Any animal that is the only one of its species is bound to be lonely. How would we feel, if we never saw another human being?
It is worse than being stranded somewhere, where you do not speak the local language, because at least then you can start to pick it up, but for this poor creature, there is nobody to share its thoughts or feelings with and no hope of having any offspring either.
I think that keeping animals in zoos is inherently cruel. They are much better off in their natural habitat, though these are becoming increasingly dangerous for them. A protected environment, where they can live and breed in peace and security is surely a much better alternative.The people who exploit them would argue that they are endangered species, but there are thousands of these animals suffering in zoos across the world. Noah managed to save the animals from the Flood with just two pairs of each species, for which there was obviously some justification. I am sure that conditions inside the Ark must have been crowded and uncomfortable, but it was only for a very limited period of time, and as soon as the waters had subsided and the Ark come to rest, they were given their freedom again.
Also, Noah was a kind and righteous man. The same, unfortunately, cannot be said of many of those who keep animals in zoos.
The saddest thing is probably that this beautiful giraffe was probably bred in captivity and has an unconscious yearning for its natural element, yet might be unable to cope in that setting, if it has lived all its life in captivity. It would need to go to an animal sanctuary.
Hi Rose, thanks for the wonderful comment and fav. Dee
– Diane Schuster
I love what you did here and I enjoyed the story. If only it was that easy to change things!
I agree Margaret, thanks so much for the great comment! Dee
– Diane Schuster
Wonderful capture!
Hi Bernhard, thanks for the visit, great comment and fav! Dee
– Diane Schuster