Born free, live free

It has been illegal to use wild animals in circuses since January.

The change reflected the almost universal view that wild animals cannot be life-long players condemned to endure a game with no higher objectives than our passing amusement. This was a welcome move to replace exploitation and not infrequent cruelty with dignity.

It was reported yesterday that two lions, two tigers and a jaguar that escaped from a German zoo after flooding have been found. The animals were returned to captivity in a zoo in Lueneburg in western Germany. An escaped bear was found but was shot dead.

In a world where habitat destruction and man’s relentless encroachment threatens more and more species it may, at first, seem easy to argue to defend zoos. However, zoos are often no more that internment camps showing wild animals —and us too — at their worst.

It’s time to close these Victorian gawk shows while ensuring that habitat is protected so we can enjoy these animals through a camera lens rather than the bars of a small cage.