JEDDAH, 21 December 2003 — Blood still visible on the fur of its throat and seeping body fluids drying on the stained concrete floor, the corpse of a kitten lay crawling with flies. Prowling agitatedly around the tiny cage, a wolf hugged the mesh, occasionally glancing at the camera. If it could not feel guilt, the wolf displayed every characteristic of it.
The mesh of the pen though in rusted and uncared for condition, was at least complete with no gaps visible big enough for a kitten to get through. The pen contained no water, no other signs of food eaten or discarded; just the kitten.
Was this kitten live food for a predator? There were plenty of cats roaming the zoo, all well fed and most living within range of the fetid skips humming with flies and filled with the rotting thighbones of large animals.
The catalogue of execrable conditions that Jeddah Zoo keeps its animals in indicts the ownership and management of the zoo and is reflected in the physical condition of the animals.
Most of the animals in the zoo are described as “gifts” from private owners, a euphemism used by private owners who find them an inconvenience in their domestic arrangements.
Mangy camels, a lone zebra with deformed hooves, two dogs with sores behind their ears, flies feeding and egg laying in profusion on them, and monkeys and baboons in tiny cages, padlocks rusted shut and foul rubbish-filled water trays.
One inhabitant of a row of dingy cages was an emaciated elderly lion white muzzled and mangy. Its face alive with flies, it was too lethargic even to shake them out of its eyes, and it lay immobile.
There are at least nine tigers in the zoo. Tigers love water and in Southeast Asia are semi aquatic, recorded to swim up to 29 kilometers. To keep cool, they follow a pattern of soaking and basking, allowing evaporation to cool them. In Jeddah Zoo they are kept in cages of about 15 square meters, three or four to the cage no shade, no water to drink or drench in.
We were told later that they are farmers and have no specialist knowledge about large felids of any of the other animals in their care. One keeper was seen flicking water through the bars at the tigers. He tossed a liter or so casually across the pen, splattering water onto the concrete floor. It evaporated in minutes. Asked when the animals got water he replied: “In the morning.” There was no evidence of a container or anywhere to put water.
The elephants are marooned on a small sandy plateau surrounded by a moat partially filled with rubbish. They fare equally badly. No shade and no sign of water to drink or the mud bath essential to keep their skins from cracking in the relentless sun.
The stench rising from many of the cages was overpowering — the sharp tang of rotting flesh, a heavy overburden of ordure and the subtle smell of death.
Veterinary surgeon Dr. Ayoub Banderker, writing in “You” magazine, expressed the idea of duty of care from a Muslim perspective:
“In the Holy Qur’an (S4: 36) we are advised to do good to “...what your right hands own...” According to the commentator Imam Fakhruddin Al-Rhazi, this refers to all those who have no CIVIL rights, including animals. Thus the verse lays down the duty of being good towards animals.
All of creation is Muslim, submitting to the will of Allah (swt), only man and jinn are granted a freedom of choice, so even animals are Muslim.
All things “...have been created for you.” for our benefit (S2: 29)” he says. “It thus becomes our duty to protect and promote the well being of any animal in our care. In this way we are expressing our thankfulness to Allah (swt) for His blessings in a practical manner.”
You would be hard pushed to reconcile that enlightened approach with the charnel house that the Jeddah Zoo has become. Apparently January 2004 sees the implementation of a new law that will regulate the treatment of animals and will allow punishments for cruelty to animals. Jeddah Municipality was responsible for the zoo although the Ministry supplies general advice on animal welfare, had vets available for consultation, and sent some to the zoo about a year ago.
An approach to the Municipality proved to be a Kafkaesque journey. Initially we were accused of “stealing photos from the zoo;” it became a major issue with a minor official and set the tone for the day.
Shunted between two office buildings and five officials for over four hours, we met a series of people who amply demonstrated their considerable skills in circumlocution. Initial contact with officialdom resulted with shrugged shoulders and the throw away comment, “Well, at least we feed them.”
A public relations manager, though very polite, avoided direct questions, sidestepped the issue and made an appointment for us. It was at the office we had visited four hours earlier. After some prevarications, the official took us to Dr. Walead Abdulal, deputy mayor for services, who is responsible for the zoo.
There onward, the reaction to our evidence and enquiries met with decisive and positive responses. He acknowledged that the keepers in the zoo “didn’t know what they are doing” when it came to animal care. “To contract a vet is now a necessity; you cannot debate this,” he said, acknowledging the urgency.
The municipality has plans for a nature garden incorporating a pleasure park and a zoo. They are actively seeking investors for the program. The animals already suffering in the zoo have very little time and there is no money.
According to a report from a veterinarian who examined many of the animals several months ago, the lions and tigers have kidney and liver disease, the zebra has broken bones, and a mentally frustrated parrot self-mutilates, to name but a few.
The proposed ‘investment opportunity’ for the future may provide a good long-term solution, but sadly too long term to allow for the continued survival of these animals.
The way some of these animals are being treated, they will not live much longer. According to the veterinary report, one of the lions should have been put out of its misery six months ago. The animals don’t have much time left and immediate action is essential.
It seems to be all about money.
“We don’t have a proper budget for this,” said Dr. Walead. He indicated that he would find money from other sources. “If we can arrange something reasonable, we will go with it. It’s an emergency and we are willing to pay for it. We will arrange for the allocation of this emergency budget.”
One-time injections of cash though welcome will not solve the problem. Best estimates based on US studies at major zoos indicate that an elephant habitat, with trees water and safety measures, for three elephants costs over $1 million, with a further yearly maintenance budget of $10,000 per animal. Added to that would be two or three qualified keepers and a vet.
“The solution is proper preparation and management for the zoo,” he continued. “We as a municipality do not have the expertise.” An investment proposal has been put together and is available to potential investors. “The best solution is to develop the land and zoo and generate income from visitors,” said Dr. Walead.
New zoos have been proposed before.
Until a new zoo is built, the animals have to be properly looked after and paid for.
Arab News proposed that people or companies might adopt animals and suggested that there was enough goodwill in the community to generate revenue to help the animals through this critical period.
Dr. Ingrid Galal, a long-time campaigner for the improvement of animal welfare in the Kingdom, was characteristically forthright. She said a shocking feature is the appalling ignorance of the visitors, who happily picnic and enjoy themselves while watching animals suffer and argues that education is a vital element in the long term solution.
“This zoo more closely resembles a torture chamber than a sanctuary for God’s creatures,” she said. “Anywhere else in the world the owner would be sued for cruelty and probably jailed.”
We can report that the Zahid Tractor and Heavy Machinery company has offered improve the elephant enclosure to create shady area and a mud-bath. All that stands between that and completion is the go-ahead from the Municipality.
Decisive words now have to be transformed into immediate action.
