From Dr. Seuss to Dr. Dolittle, pop culture has made life with wild animals look like a blast. But for those who work there, a day at the zoo is no picnic.
In the forthcoming episode of “Inside Man,” CNN host Morgan Spurlock becomes the latest human to weave his way within the fur and feathers, trying his hand as a zookeeper.
For those looking to follow in Spulock’s dung-encrusted footsteps, here are a few lessons best learned ahead of time:
1. If a gorilla is pursing his (or her) lips, it’s best to direct thine eyes in another direction
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The altered food source, plus confinement and genetics, has yielded ailments not found in freer versions of the species.
It’s an equation that left Spurlock wondering about the existence of zoos.
“It’s pretty disappointing to hear that they are suffering from heart disease, an illness they likely wouldn’t have in the wild,” he said. “It really makes me question why we would want to keep breeding more animals in captivity who may suffer the same fate.”
We love seeing the animals, but do they love seeing us? What can we expect from zoos in the future? And why do the gorillas smell “like a hundred sweaty teenage boys … in a horse stable?” See what Morgan Spurlock discovers, Thursday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CNN.
