Shake hands with an orangutan.
It has been said that the degree of civility a culture possesses can be determined by its action and treatment toward animals. Zoos and live animal markets are the true litmus test. From what I've seen on my journeys around the globe, the Chinese are the worst, followed closely by the Vietnamese and Indonesians. For a thoroughly depressing spectacle, visit any one of their atrocious zoos.
Shake hands with an orangutan.
Expect to see: fetid environments, closet sized cages, and local people taunting the poor animals. This Indonesian zoo in the Dutch built city of Bukittinggi was no exception to the miserable conditions, especially those bestowed upon the primates. You could visibly see the pain and anguish in their eyes, so human-like, yet another excuse for the locals to provoke the animals further. Especially sad was a black monkey all alone in a small cage howling his lungs out for companionship. A couple of schoolboys gave it to him by pelting the poor thing with rocks. That shut him up. The schoolboys couldn't understand why I yelled at them and told them to stop.
"I'd rather be dead."
Rather than the continuous subjugation of horrendous conditions these animals must endure, I really believe they would be better off dead. But more importantly, what does this tell you of the humans who keep these pathetic beings?
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