Baghdad Zoo sends out International Plea for animals

[okapikpr]

While the Baghdad Zoo in Iraq has 1,150 animals, they are lacking some of the more popular zoo animals, i.e. Elephants, Giraffes, Zebras.

Iraq Asks World To Help Replenish Baghdad Zoo - Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty 2009

 

[Dan]

I don´t know about you, folks, but personally I would prefer that animals would not be sent to Iraq.

 

[taun]

I don´t know about you, folks, but personally I would prefer that animals would not be sent to Iraq.

Why's that Dan?

They are going to hard pushed to find places to send them animals because Baghdad is still far from safe, however watching a documentry on the place they have dedicated keepers like many other zoos. They battled hard themselves to help the animals survive there.

 

[Dan]

One reason would be what you more or less mentioned yourself, Taun: it is basically still a war zone down there.

 

[okapikpr]

It seems that Puerto Rico has responed with some monkeys:

The Associated Press: Puerto Rico decides to ship wild monkeys to Iraq

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

It seems that Puerto Rico has responed with some monkeys:

The Associated Press: Puerto Rico decides to ship wild monkeys to Iraq

What I would like to see first is how Baghdad Zoo has developped in the last few years. To what standards of basic animal husbandry, care, welfare and management has it improved? What is the present animal collection and what is the structure of/potential for captive-breeding programmes of local/native fauna/species?

Once, a masterplan and collection plan + design plan for the zoo is in place and the local captive-breeding and conservation programmes are operational is it time to look to add on to the current animal collection. However, one then needs to consider the applicability of various exotic animal species to local conditions or the ability of local staff and management to absorb new exotic species into their animal collection. Besides we are talking new well designed exhibits here ... otherwise we are talking just animal consumptive needs of a zoo without the intrinsic management and husbandry capabilities to deal with those species.

In one word, I reserve judgement till these baseline requirements are met and all these issues have been adequately addressed.

 

[Sun Wukong]

Well, for some zoos, sending animals to Bagdhad would be like killing two birds with one stone: they could get rid of surplus animals and even do some good PR by that...