I’ve never been a fan of captive animals or ‘captive wildlife’. Hard to refer to the animals as wildlife if they are behind a cage, but you get the drift, animals shouldn’t be side shows. So it’s no surprise to hear I’d rather not visit a zoo. Seriously, even with three young children my wife takes the kids to the zoo each summer and if at all possible I’m not in the mix. I’m not going lie, I’ve been to zoo’s, have taken my son to the zoo as a last gasp resort for a 3 year old a couple years ago. But the simple fact these animals are 1) exotic 2) not in their home area 3) captive all bothers me.

So when I heard about the escaped African lion in Colorado Springs my gut wrenched.

Earlier today, Michael Seraphin, spokesman for the Colorado Division of Wildlife, said photos taken by two residents and tracks found by DOW officers confirm the animal is an African lion and not a cougar.

First hoping the animal doesn’t harm anyone, and then hoping society–from this experience– realizes the ills of captive species and exotics. If the escapee goes on a rampage don’t blame the lion. Yes, I said that. Blame the illegal act of obtaining the lion. A lion released (it’s possible the owners did) or escaped will not find the habitat and food source parallel that of Africa or captivity. And when animals are abruptly trans located the reaction is unpredictable at best and in the case of this top end predator–could be life threatening.

I can’t explain society’s fixation with exotic animals, and judging by the extensive rules and regulations we’re resolved to evidently legislate a sense of safety and best interest for people and exotic pets (that’s better terminology than exotic captive wildlife) we’ll never see a day when taking animals from the wild or importing wild animals from other countries is banned. But that doesn’t stop me from relating we should.

As a game warden I did a few inspections for ‘non-traditional’ livestock which included monkeys–accurately they would not be considered traditional livestock by anyone in North America–I hope. While proper paperwork and state oversight is required in the back of my mind whether it’s legal monkeys or illegal lions, “what if?”

What if even with proper caging and security the monkey escapes? Who has the means, expertise and ability to recapture? What if there is an unknown virus or disease carried but not fatal to the host? Sure we have confidence in modern science and research, but the nature of science is that it’s ever changing–who knows is the best answer to most questions about exotics.

At this point officials in Colorado are expounding resources tracking this released or escaped lion. Resources which could be more efficiently utilized and a lion from Africa and should never have been taken from Africa.

The sightings were about five miles from Big Cats of Serenity Springs, a sanctuary in the area, but the operator, Nick Sculack, said none of the sanctuary’s animals is missing.

“We counted four times and none are missing,” said Sculack, adding the lion probably was being kept illegally as a pet.

maybe…just maybe…it’s not a lion?

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