A major zoo in Ethiopia is poisoning rare lion cubs

Linda7NJ

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Wildlife experts estimate that only 1,000 Ethiopian lions, which are smaller than other lions, remain in the wild.

The Lion Zoo has poisoned six cubs so far this year, Abdulaziz said. He added that the poisoning has been going on at least since he arrived two years ago; the total number of cubs killed was not clear.

Federal wildlife officials monitor the poisoning, which is painless, according to Abdulaziz. The federal officials did not immediately return calls for comment.

The Lion Zoo is a popular attraction in Ethiopia, although international wildlife organizations have expressed concern about its ramshackle facilities. Built in 1948 by Emperor Haile Selassie, it houses 16 adult lions and five cubs in cages surrounded by barbed wire.

more at link: http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/africa/11/22/ethiopia.lions.ap/index.html
 
Oh for crying out loud. What a lovely story for the holidays. :( Perhaps they should just shut down and send the animals to other facilities.
 
Oh my god...this is an atrocity! :furious: The picture of the lions just kills me....how do they KNOW the poison isn't painful? Did they ask the cub? They look pretty lethargic to me! Their eyes are just screaming misery. Why can't they just release them? Humans are so cruel! What gives anyone the right to do this?! Just release them! :banghead: Damn it, we send our money over there to help out people who are too stubborn to take birth control and we care for their sick and hungry children - that they know are going to be sick and hungry because of the environment they are living in... yet they keep having them - but no one stops them from poisoning rare baby lions who are blameless in their conditions and could be let go to prosper....:banghead: I just can't see a reason....


I hope this stops, I wish it with all my might! I can only pray that some zoo somewhere sees this and can take/buy them....wish Steve-O was still around...bet he'd get involved.
This is just wrong! No respect...none.
 
Um, Ember, the lions in the picture aren't dying of poison, they're sleepy. (Which isn't to say I like the idea of them being kept in cages.)

Looks like the Zoo supplements its income by selling cubs to taxidermists. If six have been killed so far, then that's over a $1,000 dollars/year the Zoo needs to get from other places. Add to that the cost of relocating and supporting the lions that will live.

Somebody is going to have to come up with enough money to solve this problem. I hope they do.
 

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