Lions, bears, tigers and other animals still live locked in bare concrete cages in Bulgarian zoos built more than 60 years ago. Users on social networks uploaded the disgusting conditions animals live in at the Zoo in Lovech, located in Stratesh Park.
Siberian tigers, lion, one-humped camel, two-humped camel, bison, Przewalski’s horse, alpacas, long-nosed bear, raccoon, Japanese deer, red deer, fallow deer, European mouflon, brown bear, several species of monkeys, parrots and various species of birds can be seen in the zoo. The zoo is the second largest in Bulgaria.
This is one of the zoos in our country that is open to visitors, but it does not meet the minimum legal requirements for keeping wild animals. Its inhabitants live in cramped cells with low ceilings, concrete floors and no environmental enrichment. It is urgently necessary to end the breeding of large predators such as bears and big cats in the zoo, which clearly cannot provide the necessary conditions.
In the Zoo in Lovech, animals are raised in an inappropriate environment, without any humane treatment. Improving the situation there must be a priority, as some of the residents are being looked after in unacceptable conditions.
On social media, people called on the EU Environment Commissioner, the Bulgarian Prime Minister and the Bulgarian Minister of Environment and Water to urgently ensure the enforcement of existing laws and to take care to improve or close facilities that do not comply with the legislation.
In Bulgaria there is a law regulating the exhibition and care of captive wild animals. It requires zoos to treat animals humanely by providing adequate space, a suitable diet and access to veterinary care. These are just the basics. It must be ensured that the most appropriate conditions are provided for an animal. Predators will expect fresh meat, and many other animals will require a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.
People on social networks expressed their strong reaction to the seemingly poor conditions in the zoo, here are some of them:
„It is not humane that. This zoo should be closed. The state should give more money!
You can’t treat animals like this, it’s unacceptable!
Jail for the director of this concentration camp – zoo!!! It’s time to collect petitions to close the zoo!“
Achieving animal welfare in our country’s zoos is one of the main objectives of those responsible for their management. There are several reasons for this, but one of the most important is ethical. After all, captive animals are dependent on human care, which gives rise to the moral obligation to ensure their welfare. In Bulgaria, animals have limited opportunities for movement, not to mention their ability to choose when and what to eat, where to sleep, and so on.
These circumstances compromise animal welfare for a long time and therefore the very role of zoos. For this, the introduction of the much-needed changes and stricter laws for the breeding of captive animals in Bulgaria are needed.
The licenses of the Bulgarian zoos must be given after establishing good living conditions for the animals.
The media team calls on the responsible institutions to take urgent measures and carry out the necessary inspections at the Lovech Zoo.
