Gaza zoos fighting to survive with shortage of animals
The original animals at NAMA Zoo – lions, crocodiles, hyenas, monkeys, an ibex, and a wolf – were smuggled through tunnels from Egypt over a decade ago
Once home to six zoos, Gaza zookeepers are struggling to keep the remaining four open as the Palestinian enclave suffers an animal shortage under a crippling economy.
At the NAMA Zoo, large paintings of a bear, an elephant, and a giraffe decorate the outer walls, but none of these wild creatures are represented alive inside. Six years ago, their lone tiger died, and despite frequent demands by residents for a replacement, the owners can’t afford to buy or feed a new one.
"Because of the lack of resources and capabilities and the high prices of animals, it is difficult to replace an animal you lose," Mahmoud Al-Sultan, the medical supervisor of the NAMA Zoo, told Reuters.
The original animals at the zoo were smuggled through tunnels from Egypt over a decade ago. As well as four pairs of lions, the zoo has crocodiles, hyenas, foxes, deer, and monkeys, as well as an ibex and a solitary wolf.
Tickets cost less than $1 because people can’t afford more, said Sultan.
"I come here to have some fun, but I see the same animals every time," said nine-year-old Fouad Saleh. "I wish I could see an elephant, a giraffe, or a tiger."
But that appears unlikely, as Gaza lacks medical facilities to treat such animals.
In the past, the Four Paws international animal welfare group has had to rescue animals and find them new homes in Israel, Jordan, or as far away as South Africa.
"We struggle to afford food," said Sultan. "Sometimes we provide frozen food – chicken, turkey – and sometimes if a donkey is injured, we have it slaughtered and shared out between the lions."