Dozens of neglected animals rescued from run down Gaza zoo
- The animals, including lions, foxes, monkeys, pelicans, wolves and ostriches, will be resettled in sanctuaries in Jordan and South Africa
Dozens of neglected animals were evacuated from a ramshackle Gaza zoo on Sunday in the fourth and largest such rescue mission in the blockaded Palestinian enclave.
Vets and volunteers from Four Paws International transported some 40 animals into Israel from the neglected zoo in the southern town of Rafah. The animals, including lions, foxes, monkeys, pelicans, wolves and ostriches, will be resettled in sanctuaries in Jordan and South Africa.
“The zoo has been in a bad situation in recent years due to economic and political turmoil,” said Amir Khalil, a veterinary surgeon from the Vienna-based organisation. “Most of the animals had a sort of traumatisation.”
Many of the animals were smuggled into Gaza via tunnels beneath the southern border with Egypt, which along with Israel has blockaded the territory since the Hamas government took over in 2007.
The blockade and three wars between Israel and Hamas have made life miserable for Gaza’s 2 million residents. Animals kept in captivity have suffered from a combination of neglect and lack of resources on the part of zookeepers.
Some died from cold and hunger in makeshift zoos as keepers failed to provide adequate care, while others were killed during the 50-day war in 2014.
In January, four lion cubs died in the Rafah zoo. The owner later released grisly footage of a lioness being declawed, in an apparent effort to push the organisation to speed up the evacuation. The owner was compensated for the animals, but the amount paid has not been revealed.
Four Paws has carried out four rescue operations and sent numerous medical missions to treat animals and birds in Gaza. Two zoos have closed since Four Paws removed their animals, while animals are still being held in poor conditions at three other zoos.
