How did early zoo practices sometimes harm animals such as Madame Ningo the gorilla?

Early zoo practices often harmed animals due to a lack of understanding regarding their biological needs and natural diets. A notable example is Madame Ningo, a gorilla from the French Congo who arrived at the Bronx Zoo in 1911 as the first gorilla exhibited in the United States.1

The zoo staff fed her hot dinners containing cooked meat, despite the fact that gorillas are herbivores. Because of this inappropriate diet, the gorilla refused to eat and died within two weeks. Following her death, the zoo director displayed a lack of empathy, blaming the animal’s demise on her own "obstinacy".1

This incident highlights the ethical failures of early exhibition practices, where animals were often treated as mere spectacles rather than living beings with specific welfare requirements. It is a fundamental ethical principle that those responsible for the care of animals must prioritize their biological health and well-being over human entertainment or convenience.1