By Jenne Lajiun
Charity discovers areas of concern at Lok Kawi Wildlife Park
KOTA KINABALU: UK animal welfare charity, Wild Welfare is helping the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park to make improvements for its animals.
The park has accepted help from the UK animal welfare charity following concerns raised over the welfare of its animals on social media around animal care.
It invited Wild Welfare to visit the park and carry out a welfare audit.
Following the invitation, Wild Welfare’s field director Dave Morgan arrived on Oct 8 to carry out the audit where he observed the park’s facilities and all its animals, and held meetings with key people from the park and Sabah Wildlife Department.
The charity has since offered to help work with the park to make improvements for its animals.
“We discovered a number of areas where there are concerns, in particular the current controlling methods used to manage its elephants.
“Changes need to be made to improve conditions for the animals, and the park and its staff are committed to working with us and moving forward in a productive and positive way,” said Dave.
All parties have agreed on the need to make positive changes to improve animal welfare at the park.
Up to 90 per cent of the park’s animals are rescued as a result of injury or are confiscations from the illegal pet and wildlife trades.
Wild Welfare has experience in working on similar wild animal facilities across the world, putting in place a series of practical, long-term changes wherever necessary, that enable staff and management to provide good animal care and welfare.
“We don’t just come in and audit a facility, point out all that is wrong and expect changes to happen overnight. Our charity will work with the park to help solve the problems and issues that are giving cause for concern, ensuring the staff can create a place where all the animals receive a high standard of care,” added Dave.
Wild Welfare is now generating a full report for the park, which will lay out the changes that need to be made, and has made a commitment to return next year with additional expertise.