I'm all for good zoos: there's one or two I've been to and loved for the way the animals are housed and treated. But before we pile on those evil Chinese people: I visited the huge Amsterdam zoo in the seventies, and I sincerely hope it is vastly improved. For such an enlightened country, the zoo at that time was tragic. Tigers paced and growled endlessly, alone in tiny cages; a large bear, also alone in a small cage, stood and held the bars and shook them for as long as I could bear to stay. A large wolf in a dog-size kennel looked up at me with suffering intelligence in its eyes, and I am not exaggerating - it was a startling and disturbing encounter. I couldn't get out of there fast enough, and still feel bad every time I think of it.

And to second John in K.: Many of us can't look. A bitty summary is a welcome courtesy.