Activists Want Giraffe to be Moved from Small Mexico Zoo

Benito the giraffe arrived in Mexico's dry northern border city of Ciudad Juarez last month.

Already, the climate appears to be a problem. The creature has to deal with the heat of summer. And the snow and very cold temperatures of winter are still to come.

As a result, some animal activists² are leading a social media campaign to "Save Benito." They seek to have the animal moved somewhere easier to live.

On a recent day, the 3-year-old male giraffe could be seen with only its head under a small, circular area for shade. The structure did little to protect him from a storm that came later in the day.

There is also a small building for the winter. But activists say it is cruel for the city-run Central Park to keep the giraffe in a small area, by himself, in a climate he is not used to.

Ana Félix said, "We have been fighting for a month, a group of animal activists, to demand that he be taken to an animal sanctuary³, a zoo, ..." The Ciudad Juarez animal rights activist¹ said Benito should be housed in the right space with people who know how to care for such animals.

Blue Hills, a sanctuary in Texas that rescues animals and books private tours to help offset⁴ the cost, has offered to buy or adopt Benito.

"We can offer him a ... new heated barn, so in the winter he doesn't stand in the snow and freeze," sanctuary worker Matt Lieberman wrote to The Associated Press. "We have an on-staff vet⁵ that cares for our animals and we have 24-hour staff for him."

He added that the giraffe would have 130 hectares to move around in. Lieberman said, "He needs trees to eat from and keep stimulated⁷."

Benito appears to have just about finished off the only small trees within his reach at Central Park and can do little more than walk in circles.

Officials at the park reject the criticism, though they admit they cannot provide more trees. They say they are working to improve Benito's living area, saying his presence has been important in increasing the park's popularity among visitors, largely children. Monthly visits rose from about 140,000 before Benito arrived to 200,000.

Park visitor Derek Reyes, 11, had mixed feelings about Benito.

"He could be fine here," Reyes said, "but it would also be good if they could take him to a place where they belong, with a herd⁸."

Park director Rogelio Muñoz said officials are planning to build Benito a new, heated winter house by September.

The park is also building a larger sun covering for the giraffe and cleaning water in the pool that takes up much of the enclosure. Benito will have fresh water in a special drinking container known as a trough.

"The conditions, attention and care in the habitat of the park's new resident are optimal⁹ for his stay," the park wrote in a social media message.

A zoo in the much milder climate of Sinaloa, a state on Mexico's northern Pacific coast, gave Benito to Ciudad Juarez's Central Park.

Benito could not stay with two other giraffes at the Sinaloa zoo because they were a couple. The male in the couple could become protective and attack the younger Benito.

The giraffe's arrival was a point of pride for Ciudad Juarez, a city across from El Paso, Texas. El Paso has giraffes at its zoo, the thinking goes, so why can't Ciudad Juarez?

"We want to be like El Paso," Muoz said.

Words in This Story

giraffe – n. a very tall African animal that has a long neck

sanctuary – n. a place where someone or something is protected or given shelter

barn – n. a building on a farm that is used for storing grain and hay and for housing farm animals or equipment

vet – n. short for veterinarian an animal doctor

stimulate⁶ – v. to make a person or thing excited or interested in something

herd -- n. a group of animals that live or are kept together

habitat -- n. the place or type of place where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives or grows

optimal – adj. best or most effective

1 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

2 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 sanctuary   

n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区

参考例句：

• There was a sanctuary of political refugees behind the hospital.医院后面有一个政治难民的避难所。
• Most countries refuse to give sanctuary to people who hijack aeroplanes.大多数国家拒绝对劫机者提供庇护。

4 offset   

n.分支，补偿；v.抵消，补偿

参考例句：

• Their wage increases would be offset by higher prices.他们增加的工资会被物价上涨所抵消。
• He put up his prices to offset the increased cost of materials.他提高了售价以补偿材料成本的增加。

5 vet   

n.兽医，退役军人；vt.检查

参考例句：

• I took my dog to the vet.我把狗带到兽医诊所看病。
• Someone should vet this report before it goes out.这篇报道发表之前应该有人对它进行详查。

6 stimulate   

vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋

参考例句：

• Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
• Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。

7 stimulated   

a.刺激的

参考例句：

• The exhibition has stimulated interest in her work. 展览增进了人们对她作品的兴趣。
• The award has stimulated her into working still harder. 奖金促使她更加努力地工作。

8 herd   

n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• He had no opinions of his own but simply follow the herd.他从无主见，只是人云亦云。

9 optimal   

adj.最适宜的；最理想的；最令人满意的

参考例句：

• What is the optimal mix of private and public property rights in natural resources?私人和国家的自然资源产权的最适宜的组合是什么？
• Optimal path planning is a key link for the sailing contest.帆船最优行驶路径规划是帆船比赛取胜的关键环节。