CINCINNATI, OHIO – The Cincinnati Zoo announced the birth of a female lesser kudu, as if anyone really cares.
The zookeepers were overjoyed at the arrival of the tiny creature, which was born on Monday, but for the life of us, we cannot understand why. We mean, c’mon, it’s just another kudu. Whoop-de-do.
The lesser kudu is a type of antelope found in East Africa, but what makes this one so special? Nothing, really, except the fact that it was born in captivity and will spend the rest of its life locked up in a zoo for the entertainment of humans. Surely there are more important things to worry about in the world.
According to the zoo officials, the baby kudu is doing well and has already started to explore her new surroundings. She has been named Tilly, which is short for Tilly the Kudu. Wow, how creative.
Visitors to the zoo will be able to see Tilly and her mother, Kazi, in the coming weeks once they are allowed to roam free in their enclosure. But honestly, who wants to watch an animal pacing back and forth in a small space, longing for the freedom of the savannah?
We asked some visitors at the zoo about their thoughts on the new arrival, and the response was lukewarm at best.
“I guess it’s cool,” said one visitor. “But to be honest, I came here to see the lions and tigers, not some weird-looking deer thing.”
Another visitor had a different take on the situation. “I love animals of all kinds, so seeing this new baby kudu is really exciting for me,” she said. “But I do wish she could be out in the wild where she belongs, instead of being cooped up in a cage.”
We couldn’t agree more. It’s time for zoos to start focusing on conservation efforts and breeding programs that actually help endangered species thrive in their natural habitat, instead of just using them for entertainment purposes.
In the meantime, we wish Tilly the Kudu a long and healthy life in captivity, and hope that one day she will be able to roam free in the wild where she truly belongs.
