PETA Statement on the Death of Pygmy Hippo Thabo

PETA Statement on the Death of Pygmy Hippo Thabo

When we treat other beings as promotional props and publicity stunts, things never go well. Hippos belong in the wild, where these nocturnal animals spend their days tucked away in rivers and swamps. They thrive in their natural habitats—not in enclosures where they are subjected to constant human attention, harsh daylight, and unnatural temperatures.  No animal should be held captive, confined in conditions completely unnatural to them, just to be gawked at. Thabo was shipped to Taiwan for publicity—not for his welfare.

Anyone who cares about animals, in Taiwan or elsewhere, should avoid any attraction that profits from their confinement.  PETA always stands ready to help any zoo move an animal to a sanctuary.

Please attribute this statement to PETA Senior Vice President Jason Baker.

Thabo的悲劇：「明星動物」不該成為宣傳工具 

Thabo的悲劇再一次驚醒我們，當動物被當作宣傳工具和行銷噱頭時，結果通常是悲劇。侏儒河馬在大自然中本應是夜行動物，白天多隱匿於河流與沼澤中，尋求安全的休息之所，唯有這樣的環境，才能讓他們真正健康成長。

然而，在動物園的圍欄內，他們不僅無法躲避人類的干擾，還被迫在白天暴露於遊客的注視之下，忍受刺眼的陽光和寒冷的氣候，這樣的生活對他們來說，造成了持續不斷的身心壓力。

PETA堅信，沒有任何動物應為了娛樂大眾而被囚禁於與其天性完全不符的環境。Thabo 被運送到台灣的目的並非為了他的福祉，而是出於追求「明星動物」帶來的宣傳效益。

真正關心動物的人，無論您身在台灣或其他地方，都應抵制任何以囚禁動物作為盈利手段的場所。PETA 隨時準備協助任何動物園將動物轉移至庇護所，讓他們擁有更符合其自然習性的生活環境。

（PETA 善待動物組織 高級副總裁 傑森. 貝克執筆）