Chinese Zoo to Ship Animals to Kabul Zoo

August 2002

Monkey at Kabul Zoo

Kabul Zoo in Afghanistan has long had a reputation for poor treatment of animals. After the bombing of Kabul, international animal organizations found the zoo in a shambles and provided assistance to the zoo to help with the costs of feeding and housing the animals.

Now the Badaling Safari World, which is near Beijing, China has announced plans to donate animals to Kabul Zoo.

According to the 12 July issue of China World, an agreement was signed on 10 July between the China Wildlife Conservation Association and the Embassy of the Interim Administration of Afghanistan. Under the agreement animals would be shipped to Kabul, including two lions, two bears, a wolf, two deer, and other animals. According to the article.

Provided by Beijing Badaling Safari World, the animals, mostly in couples, are expected to breed babies and take root in the war-ravaged nation. To foster friendship between the Chinese and Afghan people, and in order to bring happiness to Afghan children, Safari World decided to make a free donation of animals.

The American Zoo Association (AZA) which has raised funds for Kabul Zoo, expressed its opposition to the acquisition of new animals by the zoo. Dr. David Jones of the North Carolina Zoo, who has been AZA’s liaison with the World Association of Zoos and Aquarium’s Kabul Zoo Relief Program commented:
For those of us trying to help with the existing situation at the Kabul Zoo, this is not welcome news. We have made some progress in providing properly for the animals that have survived the war, but the Kabul Zoo is in no condition whatever to take on additional animals. We have barely scratched the surface of what needs to be accomplished before animals are added to the collection. It’s still not easy for the staff to provide for the few animals that they have, and to bring in more would simply complicate and delay the rehabilitation efforts.

Dr. Jones and AZA have raised over $530,000 to help Afghan animals. The zoo staff were paid back wages. A stable source of water, food and veterinary care for the animals was established. Jones commented:
It would be absolutely counterproductive to our continued progress rebuilding the zoo to have to spend these donated funds on new mouths to feed. This is not what our donors intended.

Deplorable monkey cage at Kabul Zoo

Graham Garen, who visited Kabul recently, has set up a web site about Kabul Zoo. http://www.cefn-yr-erw.co.uk/kabul_zoo.htm

The site describes "Kabul Zoo as it really is." According to Garen:
The people who have been so kind to donate money should be asking the question of why these animals are being left in Afghanistan and not being removed to safe havens… On a recent trip to Kabul [spring 2002] I saw for myself the way the locals, and of more concern, the keepers that the zoo world left in charge of these animals, are actually abusing them. There was very little evidence of food available, and signs supposedly erected by one of the caring societies telling the locals not to tease animals were not in evidence. The keeper was showing the locals how monkeys reacted when poked with a long branch… then came the other monkey cages and the keeper was amusing the locals by shooting small stones at the monkeys who in turn thought, after it had hit them and fallen to the floor, that it had been food and would chase after it. Seeing this was the final straw and the keeper was left in no doubt as to my views on his actions. The restocking of Kabul Zoo should never take place. Has someone forgotten this is still a war zone?