Some Nigerians cannot comprehend why a skinny, hungry lion’s condition in a Nigerian zoo will shock anyone.
Photos and videos of some starving and malnourished lion, hyena, and monkey at the Gamji Gate zoo in Kaduna, surfaced on Twitter recently. The animals are thin and sickly, particularly the lion, with bones virtually protruding from the skin.
A Twitter user- @princeomowa wrote: “Nigerians are dying daily in this country from starvation, hunger & poverty and you’re expecting animals to be well-fed? Millions of teenage girls, ladies, wives, mothers, single mothers voting every 4 years cannot afford common sanitary pads, napkins or tissue for their menstrual flow.”
Meanwhile, a wildlife charity group has begun a rescue mission after the animals were discovered.
The man who discovered the bad condition of the animals recorded his findings and quickly contacted the animal welfare charity WildatLife.e.V to assist in the rescue of the lion.
The charity named the lion, Zaki.
However, WildatLife.e.V is working alongside the Nigerian Association of Zoological parks, which has assisted them in finding a wildlife vet and informing the authorities, who are investigating the matter urgently.
A spokesperson said: ‘The vet was sent and gave medical assistance to the lion but he will require further treatment which NGO WildatLife will pay for.
‘We are awaiting the full vet diagnosis and report into how and why this has been allowed to happen.
‘Zaki is now receiving medical care and it will be an ongoing case.
‘If Zaki survives this ordeal, our NGO has offered to relocate him to a sanctuary that will see him thrive.
‘But in his now critical condition, it is not viable to relocate him, we must work closely with the Nigerian officials to have this matter dealt with internally.
Sadly, a number of other animals in the zoo looked to be in poor health and malnourished too. The NGO said conditions and enclosures were completely unsuitable.
However, the lion is the most urgent and shocking case the NGO has ever seen.
