Campaigners protesting against what they say is the "abject misery" caused to captive animals demonstrated outside Flamingo Land, near Pickering.

The activists from the North Yorkshire Animal Protection Society (NYAPS) claim they have no problem with the theme park but want to see the closure of its zoo.

As they handed out leaflets to Bank Holiday visitors yesterday, a member of Flamingo Land staff stood nearby handing out rival notices showing press cuttings highlighting the zoo's achievements.

NYAPS spokeswoman Jenny Ward said they were not expecting visitors to turn away immediately on seeing their protest but to think about the animals before considering coming back.

"We don't believe it would hurt Flamingo Land's revenue if they closed the zoo and ended the abject misery of animals kept in enclosures and cages," she said.

"They wake up every single day to the same environment and the same routine and this is totally unnatural."

Jenny said research showed that the average zoo visitor spent just a matter of seconds looking at the animals on display.

"Is it worth putting animals through years of misery and confinement for that? And what kind of educational experience can you get from seeing an animal in a concrete enclosure for a few seconds?"

She added that children would benefit more from seeing animals in wildlife documentaries than at zoos.

Flamingo Land director Gordon Gibb said the popularity of the theme park and zoo was shown by the fact that seven people were protesting outside while there were 22,000 visitors inside.

He agreed that the theme park was the most successful part of the operation they inherited 23 years ago.

"It wasn't a commercial decision to become a zoological operation but it is a responsibility we take extremely seriously," he said.

"The only other option for animals in our care is termination and that is not an acceptable option, so we invest heavily in conservation."

Mr Gibb added that they got positive feedback from visitors and zoo inspectors and had received a glowing report for the welfare of the animals when their licence was recently renewed for another six years by Ryedale District Council.

Updated: 08:38 Tuesday, May 29, 2001