Malaysia: Starved circus animals get help

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05/05/2001 14:45 - (SA)

Starved circus animals get help

 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Without so much as a glance at the inquisitive

crowd below her - much less a warning roar - Jace the tiger was impassive as

her cage was lowered by crane from a truck to her new home in a theme park.

The tiger's skinny frame showed signs of malnutrition and trainer Furkat

Yunusov says she has lost more than 50 kilograms in the past two months,

since the Great Uzbekistan Circus she belongs to ran out of funds on tour

and became stranded in Malaysia.

 

" She use to weigh about 185 kilograms, but we didn't have enough money to

feed her, " Yunusov told The Associated Press on Saturday. " She easily gets

tired. "

 

Jace is one of four tigers, one camel, three ponies, nine dogs, 15 pigeons

and a python from the circus facing starvation after the troupe was forced

to shut down its Malaysian tour on March 26.

 

Yunusov said a local promoter ran off with the troupe's share of 20 000

ringgit ($5 200) in gate collections, leaving them without enough money to

continue the tour, or to return home.

 

On Saturday, owners of a nearby theme park offered the animals, their

trainers and other circus performers a new home and a place to perform until

they have enough money to continue the tour or to go back to Uzbekistan, a

central Asian country that was formerly part of the Soviet Union.

 

Most importantly, Yunusov said, the Sunway Lagoon had offered to provide

food for the animals.

 

Four long trailers, backed by two cranes, were used to transport the animals

from a site in Petaling Jaya suburb to the nearby theme park, a complex of

swimming pools, ice rink and shopping mall on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur.

The park is owned by Sunway Group, a Malaysia construction and property

development company.

 

Promoter left circus broke

 

The 20-member circus troupe arrived in Malaysia last year and performed in

several towns before opening in Petaling Jaya early this year. Ticket sales

were below expectations, however, and the promoter's disappearance left the

circus broke and in limbo.

 

" We were fast running out of money to feed the animals, " Yunusov said. " We

were only feeding them half of what they used to eat. We were lucky because

some people who heard our problems would give us food for the animals. "

Some of the animals fell sick but none died, he said.

 

He said it costs about 400 ringgit ($105) a day to feed the animals.

 

Mary McTaggart, an Australian who is Sunway Lagoon's general manager, said

she was shocked at the condition of the animals when she first saw them two

weeks ago.

 

" They were obviously malnourished and the first thing we did was to provide

them with enough food, " she said.

 

She said the circus animals would be put on show at the park once they are

well enough, hopefully in about two weeks.

 

Circus staff would be paid salaries and her workers would also repair the

circus's big tent, " so they will be truly prepared to move on when they want

to " , McTaggart said.

 

But the problems for the animals and their trainers aren't over - permits

allowing circus staff to work in Malaysia expire next month.

 

" We hope the government can extend the permits, " he said. " We love

performing in Malaysia as your people are very nice. " - Sapa-

 

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