The Roadside Zoo

I first visited a roadside zoo when I was seven.

I was on holiday in Fuerteventura with my family. We saw a faded sign pointing down a long stretch of dusty road. The afternoon was spent in the baking sun, examining exotic animals behind grubby glass.

I loved every minute. I remember driving back to our hotel full of awe and wonder. I look back on that little girl and wish I could see these places as she did.

Twenty years later, I’ve returned to roadside zoos with a different agenda. I pose as an interested tourist, photographing not only the animals but the conditions they live in. Barren enclosures, stagnant, dirty water and the absence of enrichment make up these animal’s lives.

These roadside zoos are not illegal. They are simply a cheap, easy day out with guaranteed excitement for the kids. I can’t stop you from visiting them, I can only show you what I see, as a quiet activist. My photos don’t show obvious harm or suffering, instead they show loneliness. I invite you to consider when faced with the choice between what is right and what is easy, remember the owl sat alone in the corner of his cage, remember the lion who sleeps on bars and the eagle tethered to a stump and used for selfies.