Four lions among starving animals in Khartoum zoo saved by UAE volunteers
Neglected lions left to starve in a zoo in Sudan have been pulled back from the brink of death thanks to voluntary support from a group in Dubai.
The UAE office of the International Fund for Animal Welfare stepped in when the story of six starving lions at Al Qureshi private zoo in Khartoum attracted widespread attention online.
Ifaw representatives travelled to the country to work with Sudan Wildlife Authority to improve conditions at the zoo and treat sick animals.
Volunteer vets from Four Paws, who helped nurse some of the animals back to health, said they faced a desperate scene inside the park.
“When we made our initial assessment, the lions had lost almost two thirds of their body weight,” said Dr Ali Khalil, the team leader in Sudan who co-ordinated the work. “Two lions died before our arrival due to severe dehydration and malnutrition. A male lion, Mansour, and female called Kandaka were particularly in a bad way.
“Both had signs of cataracts, so their sight is not great. If the lion goes blind, they will need special care.”
Another two of the big cats are in slightly better health. They are thought to be about three years old, but should live to be 17 to 22 with the right care.
A Facebook campaign, Sudan Animal Rescue, to move the lions was launched when photos of the animals with bones protruding from their skin were posted online.
A further two severely malnourished hyenas are also being cared for, one of which is pregnant with three cubs.
Other survivors include two pythons, turtles, an African-spurred
tortoise, two birds of prey and a monitor lizard.
“We were lucky to be able to interact with Kandaka as she was so weak we could not give her anaesthetic as she would have died,” said Dr Khalil, whose team has helped several rundown zoos in conflict areas.
“Our team managed to catch her and put the fluids into her. She was eating and drinking that night. Lions are fighters and want to survive.
“She has continued to put on weight and is now able to stand and is much healthier.”
The zoo is operated by the local municipality but relies on funding from private donors.
When Ifaw officers arrive, they found a lack of proper veterinary care and no vaccination programme or feeding schedule for the captive animals.
Many were surviving on carcasses and leftovers, while lions often went unfed for up to four days at a time. The fund has supported the Sudan Wildlife Authority by donating $5,000 (Dh18,000), paid in two instalments to an NGO.
Ifaw has donated two laptops to the zoo and Sudan Wildlife Authority has issued a list of procedures to put in place covering feeding, hygiene and animal handling.
“Countries struggling with unrest lack resources to provide the proper and needed care not only for the animals but also the people,” said Dr Elsayed Mohamed, Ifaw’s regional director who visited Sudan. “When Ifaw stepped in to help these animals, we indirectly helped the staff who are taking care of these animals too.”
Six volunteer vets are supervising feeding and healthcare checks; the charity is also training others in the correct techniques for looking after the surviving animals.
“We want the very sick lions to be taken out of this zoo, and placed into one of our sanctuaries in either Jordan or South Africa,” Dr Khalil said.
“A perfect solution would be to move the lions to the Lionsrock sanctuary in Bethlehem, South Africa.
“There is also a centre in the Netherlands that can offer the specialist treatment that Kandaka may need if her sight deteriorates.
“We have lost two lions – we don’t want to lose any more.”