Feb 8, 2024
About our Guest:
Devan Showe is a wildlife conservation advocate and a committed professional actively contributing to the welfare of wild animals. She currently holds the position of Campaigns Associate at Born Free USA, an organization devoted to preserving wildlife and ending animal exploitation. With academic credentials from Oxford Brookes University in conservation, Devan couples her theoretical knowledge with hands-on experience garnered from her time as a primate caregiver and veterinary assistant at the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary in Texas. Devan's work significantly revolves around campaigns aimed at topics like the fur trade and animal trapping, striving to educate the public and initiate action against the exploitation of wild animals in captivity.
Episode Summary:
In this eye-opening episode of BeProvided Conservation Radio, host Marcia Sivek converses with Devan Showe whose mission is to safeguard wildlife and halt the ill-usage of animals. The session begins by delineating Devan's passionate background, her educational endeavors, and her significant roles in animal welfare movements.
The narrative proceeds with a dive into Devan's enriching experiences at the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary, underlining the transformative journeys of primates from captivity to more natural environments. Devan also deliberates on pressing challenges in the framework of wildlife conservation, particularly addressing the misconceptions perpetuated by zoos and the need for accurate public information. The conversation offers an in-depth view of Born Free USA’s strides and victories in legislation, underpinning the tenet that safeguarding wildlife is intertwined with public health and safety.
Key Takeaways:
- Born Free USA has been instrumental in passing legislations like the Big Cat Public Safety Act, signifying a landmark triumph in the wildlife conservation arena.
- Challenges in wildlife conservation often stem from misconceptions propagated by zoos regarding animal captivity and spurious claims of contribution to species conservation.
- Social media plays a pivotal role in shaping public perceptions about wildlife, and Devan underscores the importance of using social platforms responsibly to protect animal welfare.
- A gradual phasing out of zoos, halting captive breeding, and prioritizing animal welfare over entertainment are some of the goals Devan Showe envisions for the future.
- The episode highlights personal animal rescue stories from the sanctuary, unveiling the profound emotional impact these endeavors have on conservationists.
Notable Quotes:
- “And when they’re prevented from doing these behaviors, they get very frustrated, and so they do other things to pass their time.”
- “Zoos keeping these animals in these environments and saying that it’s good for them, and also having the sort of interactive experiences they offer… those are all very harmful to people’s perceptions of wild animals.”
- “I wish that people could… speak out against [zoos] in the same way so that the demand would decrease for zoos to stay open and keep perpetuating the captive lives that they do in their institutions.”
- “They are not prepared to have this being who is going to require around the clock care, expensive care for the next 20-25 plus years.”
- “They never learned from their mother or other monkeys how to appropriately behave or submit… That results in monkeys having to live by themselves, just close to other monkeys, and not being able to interact with anyone for a while.”
Resources:
- Born Free USA Website: bornfreeusa.org
- Born Free USA Action Center: (Link to be accessed on the Born Free USA website)
- Born Free USA Activist Toolkit: (Link to be accessed on the Born Free USA website)
Dive into this essential conversation with Devan Showe to grasp the complexities of wildlife conservation, the journey towards more ethical treatments of animals, and the optimistic strides towards legislative change. Tune in for this compelling and transformative episode, and stay connected with BeProvided conservation Radio for more enlightening discussions that challenge and inspire our role in the natural world.
*Show notes were outlined with Decipher AI and edits were made by author for more detail.