Thursday, March 28, 2024

Legislators working to allow breeding of large predators in Michigan zoos

A bipartisan group of state legislators are attempting to rework an act that makes Michigan the only state in the nation that prevents zoos from breeding large predators.

Under Michigan’s Large Carnivore Act passed 13 years ago, certified zoos technically don’t have the authorization to breed animals such as tigers, lions and snow leopards, much to the ire of zoo officials and tiger lovers.

Rep. Andy Schor, D-Lansing, and other members of the House Capitol Caucus are spearheading a bill to amend the act and allow certified zoos to breed the animals. Schor said lawmakers “forgot” to add an exemption for zoos when they initially passed the act.

The bill would affect the Potter Park Zoo, the Detroit Zoo, the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids and the Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek.

Potter Park’s inability to participate in species revival programs is beginning to cripple the zoo’s carnivore population as some of the animals approach the cusp of infertility, said Tara Harrison, director of animal health at Potter Park Zoo and an MSU graduate.

“We may not run out of tigers and lions, but you may never see a cub again,” Harrison said.

Many Michigan zoos want to trade big cats with zoos in other states, but to do that, they have to be able to breed them, said Richard Snider, a zoology professor at MSU.

“Left in effect, the zoos of Michigan would soon have no big cats to exhibit to the public,” Snider said. “Now what would that look like? Tell some kid in Detroit that the zoo does not have any big cats to see.”

Schor said he hopes to fix the issue, hailing the Potter Park Zoo as an important part of Lansing’s economy.

Rep. Sam Singh, D-East Lansing, said lawmakers never had the intent to permit zoos from breeding them; it was an overlooked and unintended consequence.

Singh said a number of representatives from the state’s zoos — Potter Park and the Detroit Zoo included — spoke out about the oversight, asking for reform.

“They want to have the ability within their own institution to breed them,” Singh said. “There wasn’t an intent to prohibit that.”

So far, politicians on both sides of the aisle are backing the bill, with Reps. Mike Shirkey, R-Clark Lake, and Tom Leonard, R-Dewitt Township, joining several Democratic representatives.

“Accredited facilities participating in scientifically-based breeding programs stand to lose their large carnivores to zoos in other states if we don’t take action here,” Schor said in a statement. “We don’t want oversight by a previous legislature to threaten the ability of our zoos to host the animals most popular with zoo visitors.”

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