A Pakistan zoo is auctioning off a dozen of its 29 lions to personal consumers to unencumber area.
A Pakistan zoo is auctioning off a dozen lions to personal collectors subsequent week to unencumber area for a pleasure that will not cease rising.
Lahore Safari Zoo now has so many massive cats that their lions and tigers must take it in turns to entry the paddocks, mentioned Tanvir Ahmed Janjua, the zoo’s deputy director.
“Not solely will we unencumber more room right here, however our bills for meat to feed them may even lower,” he advised AFP.
The zoo is at present residence to 29 lions, and officers plan an public sale on August 11 to promote 12 of them, aged between two and 5 years previous.
There are additionally six resident tigers and two jaguars.
Conservationists are against the sale, with the environmental group WWF saying the creatures must be moved to different established zoos, or breeding females sterilised or given contraceptives.
“Animal exchanges and donations between zoos are a broadly accepted apply,” the organisation’s Uzma Khan advised AFP.
“Once an establishment comparable to a zoo locations a price ticket on a wildlife species it’s selling commerce—which is counterproductive to conservation,” she added.
Keeping lions, tigers and different unique wildlife as pets just isn’t unusual in Pakistan, and is seen as a standing image.
Lions are seen in a wooded space on the Lahore Safari Zoo.
Wealthy homeowners submit photographs and video clips of their massive cats on social media, and hire them out as props for motion pictures and photoshoots.
Zoo officers have set a reserve of 150,000 Pakistan rupees ($700) per cat, however hope every will fetch round two million rupees.
Not simply anybody can participate within the public sale, nevertheless.
Janjua mentioned consumers must be registered with provincial authorities and present they’ve the means to offer correct care and shelter for the creatures.
Zoo veterinary officer Muhammad Rizwan Khan advised AFP an preliminary try final 12 months to public sale lions fell by as potential consumers lacked the required documentation or licences.
Nouman Hassan, who fell foul of authorities prior to now when he was filmed strolling his pet tiger on a leash in Lahore, plans to participate.
“I’ll attempt to purchase two to a few lions for certain,” he advised AFP, including the public sale was a great way to diversify the gene pool for personal collectors who already owned a giant cat.
Animal collector Nouman Hassan, seen right here together with his pet tiger on August 4, says he’ll ‘attempt to purchase two to a few lions for certain’
Conservationists have raised considerations concerning the sale of the lions.
With little laws to safeguard animal welfare, zoos throughout Pakistan are infamous for his or her poor amenities, however the Lahore Safari Zoo is taken into account among the best, set over 200 acres.
In April 2020 a court docket ordered the one zoo within the nation’s capital to close after poor amenities and mistreatment of the animals there have been revealed.
The facility had drawn worldwide condemnation for its therapy of an Asian elephant named Kaavan, who was later airlifted to retirement in Cambodia in a jumbo undertaking spearheaded by US popstar and actress Cher.
Veterinarian Khan mentioned the animals at Lahore Safari Zoo have been being given the very best care—one thing mirrored of their fecundity.
“They are experiencing an excellent life in captivity with us,” he mentioned.
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© 2022 AFP
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Going as soon as, going twice… Pakistan lions up for public sale (2022, August 6)
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