Sitarist Anoushka Shankar asks people to boycott zoos

Shankar made the appeal on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India. She has also done a promotional video "Exotic Animals Belong in the Wild, Not in Zoos" for the animal rights group.

"I choose to entertain people for a living but animals in zoos are locked in barren enclosures and put on display against their will. They can't choose, but we can...please, boycott zoos," she said.

According to PETA, hundreds of thousands of animals languish in zoos around the world.

"Because these animals are denied everything that is natural and important to them, they express their frustration and loneliness through obsessive, repetitive and even self-destructive behaviour, such as pacing, head-bobbing and self-mutilation," a PETA statement said.

PETA has conducted many investigations in zoos across India revealing horrific conditions, including deficiencies in food, drinking water, shelter, veterinary care, environmental enrichment and safety.

Source: IANS

Images: Reuters

Related galleries:

PETA's India campaigns
A zookeeper's life
Hottest celeb vegetarians
Bollywood & the environment