Fw: news release:WSPA team returns from mercy mission for animals of Kabul

[Guest guest]

-

" Jonathan Owen " <jonathanowen

" Jonathan Owen " <jonathanowen

Thursday, 07 February, 2002 19:11

news release:WSPA team returns from mercy mission for animals of

Kabul

 

 

For immediate release: Thursday 7th February 2002

***interviews,pics and footage available***

Press release

 

Marjan's legacy: a lifeline for the animals of Afghanistan

- WSPA opposes plans to replace the lion of Kabul

 

 

 

An animal rescue team from the World Society for the Protection of Animals

(WSPA) has recently returned from Kabul zoo, where it has successfully taken

care of the immediate needs of all the animals there. Although the zoo's

most famous resident, Marjan the lion, is now dead, his legacy has been to

give a lifeline to the animals of Kabul zoo and bring attention to the

plight of animals in times of war. In the weeks before he died, Marjan was

given veterinary treatment and made comfortable with a scratchproof mattress

and heating in his indoor quarters. Two wolves, formerly kept in a tiny

barren cage, now live in Marjan's enclosure

 

WSPA is concerned at recent suggestions that lions may be sent to Kabul zoo

to replace Marjan. Trevor Wheeler, WSPA's operations director, said, " The

idea of sending new animals to Kabul Zoo is absolute lunacy considering the

current situation in Afghanistan. I'm staggered that anyone would think the

zoo could possibly be in a position to take in any more animals when they

have struggled to take care of the few that remain there. "

 

On its arrival at Kabul zoo in early January, WSPA's disaster relief team

found a ramshackle collection of dilapidated cages and crumbling enclosures,

with most of the animals in poor health.

 

Over the last few weeks, WSPA has been able to provide food, water and

medical treatment for all the animals at Kabul zoo. In addition, WSPA has

successfully established an electricity supply to the zoo for the first time

in ten years and left provisions to reconnect mains water. In addition,

various enrichments have been done to the cages of many of the other

animals, such as nesting boxes, perches, trees for climbing and logs in

which to hide and play. WSPA has also arranged for numerous signs to be

displayed throughout the zoo telling visitors not to harm the animals, as

well as additional fencing to prevent visitors from getting too close to the

enclosures.

 

Donatella, the zoo's Asiatic black bear, has also been moved to a much

larger enclosure that has some trees, rocks and a moat. Donatella has a

wound on the end of her nose, where she had rubbed the skin raw in

frustration against the bars of her cage. Now that she is in new

surroundings with more to stimulate her, it is hoped that she will be able

to make a complete recovery.

 

John Walsh, WSPA's international projects director, who also visited the zoo

during the last conflict in Afghanistan, warned, " It will take prolonged

support to ensure that the animals at Kabul zoo don't slip into decline

again. Now that WSPA has sorted out the immediate dangers, I believe the

international zoo community will be ready to do this. "

 

WSPA has recommended that the zoo should not take in any more animals and

that it should only keep species that are indigenous to Afghanistan. There

is also a need for greater education of the visitors who come to the zoo

about the animals that are there, as well as training the staff in basic

animal care.

 

WSPA will continue to pay the running costs of the zoo until March 2002,

when it hopes that the international zoo community will take up the

responsibility for the long term needs of Kabul zoo.

 

In addition to its work at the zoo, WSPA has also been able to help restock

several veterinary clinics in Kabul with thousands of dollars worth of much

needed veterinary supplies and medicines. These clinics are now able to

serve as 'drop-in' centres for people with their animals, with hundreds of

animals already having been treated.

 

WSPA has received offers of assistance and funding for its work in

Afghanistan from its member societies as well as other organisations

throughout the world such as the American Zoological and Aquarium

Association.

 

-ends-

 

Note to editors

 

1. Kabul zoo has the following animals: an Asiatic black bear, two

wolves, one Afghan antelope, two porcupines, two Asian Wildcats, numerous

rabbits, four monkeys, three eagles, two owls and four falcons.

 

2. Some previous reports on WSPA's work in Afghanistan have

inaccurately claimed that WSPA has set up a fund to which more than £160,000

has been given. In fact, WSPA has not set up a fund for its work in

Afghanistan, as disaster relief is a part of its usual work and, as such, is

budgeted for. In the US, the American Zoological and Aquarium Association

has raised several thousand dollars for Kabul zoo.

 

3. WSPA's team in Kabul was made up of John Walsh, international

projects director (Boston, US); Gerardo Huertas, regional director for Latin

America (Costa Rica); Trevor Wheeler, operations director (UK); Jonathan

Pearce, campaigns director (UK) and Juan Carlos Murillo, field officer

(Costa Rica).

 

Broadcast quality footage, photographs and/or interviews with WSPA team

members available on request.

 

Contact: Jonathan Owen, WSPA, 0207 587 5000 (mobile 07801 386670)