Oh, the sound of that tiger yowling. I had tears in my eyes. It's a deeper, throatier version of the sound my domestic cat makes if I accidentally shut her out of my bedroom at night. Loneliness and desperation, if those can be attributed to cats.

I've always felt deeply empathetic toward animals, so I wasn't sure if I wanted to listen to this show. I don't believe in using animals for our entertainment and I think the idea of putting other animals on display to fulfill our curiosity and for our amusement is disturbing and barbaric. I decided to tune in anyway and I am glad I did even though I did find myself tearing up more than once. I was especially moved to hear about the gorillas and of course, hearing about the tigers in China and the feeding of live animals was heartbreaking. Its really important to make more people aware of these issues. How we treat animals is an indicator of our own nature. It seems though, as mentioned on the show, that our relationship to animals is still evolving, that our species is developing more respect and appreciation for other creatures. This gives me hope that one day we will be able to eliminate the unnecessary suffering of animals.

Incredible program..please air more like that. The jaguar story brought me to tears..Thank you, Thank you.

Thanks for the show about zoos. I consider myself an animal rights advocate, but I know major change won't happen overnight. The more open information and discussions we have about our relationships with the other animals, the better. The best thing we can do about China is invite them into the discussion. We're no angels here in America either.

Please do more shows about animals!

Have not listened yet but read the comments. In response to those who want to know more about helping wild cats, you could start with www.bigcatrescue.org. They are an exotic cat rescue group in Tampa, Florida. Lots of info on their website. Also check into In Defense of Animals.

I am amazed that you are airing this miserable program about China's horrible live feeding zoos-
the tigers are starving- only fed when people spend money - hence the "intense look in their eyes"-
China is brutal to animals- and no of them care at all - one of my biggest problems with many cultures-
Chinas confinement of tigers alone should make them stop- what horrible people so many are-
as for the miserable zoo woman who thinks we "should have no connection" to watching animals eat each other- perhaps there is a spot on the Koch lab experiment panel she can get

Listening to this enrages me that a quack - in it for the money - like Gould is paid to do these obvious brutal and repetitive experiments on animals- she is a nightmare - she was known in the past for pushing her ego to the forefront with Repressed Memory Therapy- destroying families everywhere and making every angry irresponsible woman out there cling to thinking her father raped her- Gould should have her license lifted and not be allowed to torture creatures better than herself- the RMT turned out later to be complete BS as are her experiments here-
I am surprised that you have stooped to his as a fodder for a program - there are really good scientists out there- and cutting edge people doing research on animals without torturing them for money and promoting themselves

please! it is pronounced ZOE-ology, not zoo-ology. only 2 oo in order, not the 3 you'd need to say zoo-ology! sorry, just a major irritant on mine.

I’m generally ambivalent about zoos. We have a wonderful zoo in Fresno, considered one of the best in California, which I do visit enough. After hearing the yowls of the caged big cats in your program, I find myself, a 51 year old man, weeping in my kitchen.

Dr. Rabinowitz represents well what I would call 'spiritual'. He seems to be aware of it, understand it and express it very well. Not the dogma, chant, ceremony of religion, as we usually think of it (easily specified and performed, but very often leading to all sorts of perversion/perversity--war, intolerance) but another level of our experience, something real and powerful but abstract, a connection with the more subtle aspects of our life and what we find here. Connecting with the life and existance within us and all around us--there is apparently much more here than we usually see. I just hope we can recognize this and learn to appreciate it and take care of it, on a broader scale before we lose it.

He was recently, a year ago and repeated this year, interviewed on 'On Being' with Krista Tippett. (Also available on-line.)

Today's program made me smile and weep. I often enjoy having a range of emotions apart from critical and thorny. Keep up the good work!

Just like all the other RadioLab programmes, the concept is interesting, but is totally ruined by the "dramatic" voices, the fake effects and the dreadful overuse of the SFX and the drenching of the whole thing in the wretched musak. Verges? What are verges? Just how ignorant can you get? - Wil Davis

I really enjoyed the show, thank you. Concerning the caged tigers at the end of the show, I wanted to ask, if the producers or maybe other readers know more about this and if there was any action taken. I understand dealing with china, there is probably nothing one can do, but I just wanted to know, if there is more information about it.

thank you for the great show

I was just wondering if anyone knew what song was used in the musical interlude at 43:50. Thanks

Never have I been so moved by any episode of Radiolab or any NPR show. My heart still hurts when I think of that wild cat meowing behind bars. Thank you so much. RIGHT NOW I am going to research wild cat charities to see how I can help them. Thank you for a brilliant show!!

Chimpanzees and gorillas are not monkeys; they are apes. Monkeys usually have tails, and they are usually not as intelligent as the great apes.

well done, Thank you. The yowling of the tigers trapped and confined has left me sickened, sad and not sure what I can do to help ? Any advice on how to be of assistance from the reporters and authors ?

my goodness, what a goldmine! i have been downloading and listening to your wonderful shows for 2 weeks. Thanks for sharing such remarkable discoveries, matched with unbelievable stories. Inspirational!

The yowling of the tigers in the one portion of this episode brings me nearly to tears, and I'm not sure why. I've listened to this episode twice now, and each time this is the part that gets me. I'm not necessarily inclined to tigers, I find their future grim and that's horribly sad, but I don't stay up at night worrying about it (I probably should). So why it affects me I think is the whole production of the show and the way it's presented- it really makes you feel for the animals- the dichotomy of the circus music going on in the background the laughter and such, clashing with this horrible image of metal bars and the sound of giant cats just agonizing in an everlasting prison of boredom and neglect. It's horrible. Frightening. It makes me want to do more to protect wildlife, makes me wish I was more conscious of my environmental decisions- and that is why Radiolab is so great. It makes you want to act, makes you want to share, and it's not just entertainment- it truly enriches your life. Thank you so much for this!

I spend lots of time outdoors in wild areas, so can appreciate how incredibly rare was Rabinowitz' wild jaguar encounter . Yet, it also has the ring of truth. I've heard versions of stories like that for years about other large predators. They are always told in reverent, hushed tones, accompanied by..."I'll probably never see anything like this again".

Not a big fan of zoos, either , but if they spark such passion in only a few people like him, they are worth it. Only rarely does a piece move me as this one did.

Please pass along my thanks to all involved.

zoölogical: zoh oh logical, please.
similarly oöcyte: oh oh cyte.
The balance of the presentations: KUDOS!