Egypt's oldest zoo culls scores of big cats to make room for expansion project. Animal rights groups say the killings are a crime

The latest apparent slaughter of several meat-eating animals in Egypt and Africa's oldest zoo, the Giza Zoo, has sparked uproar among animals' rights groups and advocates.

Around 22 carnivores, including 16 lions and six tigers, were purportedly killed by zoo workers in recent days, according to animal rights defenders closely following events in the garden.

Those animals, they said, were culled without any apparent reasons, at a time many animal species are disappearing from Egypt's zoological gardens because of maltreatment and mismanagement.

"Such a mass killing of animals cannot be done without strong justification," renowned animal rights advocate Dina Zulfiqar, who first disclosed news of the aforementioned killings on her Facebook page a few days ago, told The New Arab.

The oldest in Egypt and recognised as the oldest in Africa, the Giza Zoo was established in 1891 by Egyptian ruler Khedive Ismail.

Having functioned as a breathing space for millions of Egyptians near the centre of Cairo, the zoo came at the centre of a renovation project in July 2023.

The renovation should be completed by the end of this year, bringing about the possibility of reopening the zoo for visitors, for the first time in two years.

At the time of its launch, the renovation came under fire for several reasons, the company implementing the project being one of them. The renovation of the zoo is implemented by a company from the United Arab Emirates. It started at a time when the UAE was launching into a massive acquisition of state-owned assets, including some of the most money-making industrial and agricultural facilities.

This acquisition was part of reforms mandated in 2022 by the International Monetary Fund, within an $8-billion loan programme that required the Egyptian state to pull out of most of the sectors of the economy on the road to levelling the playing field for the local and foreign private sector.

Nevertheless, the same acquisitions triggered fears of domination by the Emiratis over the Egyptian economy.

Objection to the project also stemmed from fears from the renovation turning the zoo into a preserve of the rich only.

Despite its historical value, the Giza Zoo used to admit the poor for a fraction of an Egyptian pound each, making it an affordable entertainment site for millions of Egyptians over the decades, making it a preferred entertainment site for Egyptian families.

Aspiring project

The Giza Zoo, one of seven zoological gardens in Egypt, blends history, culture and nature in one place, making it a distinguished site over the years.

It was designed by French architect Gustave Eiffel, the very man who designed the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

It incorporates picturesque landscapes with Victorian-era structures, such as the iconic suspension bridge and charming pavilions.

The garden spans 112 acres, making it one of the largest green spaces in Egypt. It also boasts over 6,000 trees, including 3,000 rare species, creating a serene, park-like environment that feels like an oasis in the bustling city of Giza which is part of the Greater Cairo region.

The zoo also used to be home to over 175 species of animals, including endangered ones, such as the Nubian ibex and the white rhinoceros, offering a vibrant display of biodiversity that captivated visitors over the decades.

The renovation project, which will merge the Giza Zoo with the neighbouring Orman Garden, aims to enhance garden animals' welfare by upgrading animal enclosures to meet modern international standards, providing more spacious and naturalistic habitats that prioritise the well-being of the zoo's over 4,000 animals.

The project also aims to preserve the historical elements of the garden by restoring its historic features, such as the Victorian-era structures, suspension bridge, and iconic pavilions, to retain its cultural and architectural heritage.

The same project also aspires to promote sustainability by incorporating eco-friendly designs and practices, such as improved waste management and energy-efficient systems, to align with global environmental standards.

Mercy killing or mass slaughter? 

Nevertheless, there are questions about where the aforementioned alleged killing of zoo animals falls into this modernisation project.

Zulfiqar suggested the desire of the administration of the zoo to save the money spent on the food of the lions and the tigers killed within the latest killing spree as a possible reason for their slaughter.

"The administration might also have wanted to pave the way for the import of other animals from other countries within the current renovation project," she said.

She and other animal welfare champions have demanded clarification from the Ministry of Agriculture, which operates the zoo and oversees the implementation of the renovation project.

On 24 August, the Information and Decision Support Centre, the media arm of the Egyptian cabinet, published a video where the foreign executive of a company mandated by the Egyptian government to oversee the renovation project says some of the animals of the Giza Zoo were transferred to other gardens in Egypt so that they can be taken care of during the renovation process.

As for the other animals, he added in the video, they are kept here in safe conditions, with proper feeding and veterinary medicine specialists taking care of them.

On the same day, however, a pro-government news site commented on the same video by interviewing animal experts who said the mercy killings of animals do not subscribe to any form of brutality.

Over the years, the Giza Zoo faced significant criticism and was the target of reports that documented a series of animal welfare issues.

Exacerbating these issues was the presence of limited animal welfare legislation in this populous country.

The living conditions of the animals of the zoo were often criticised, with some people describing its cages as both small and dirty with inadequate food, water, and space.

Some reports referred to lions, hyenas, and elephants in cramped enclosures, some lacking proper ventilation or natural elements.

There have also been accounts of zookeepers using sticks or other tools to prod animals, such as elephants and lions, to perform for visitors or for tips.

In 2015, a local newspaper detailed an incident where an elephant was hit with a metal stick to entertain visitors.

Some visitors also reported zookeepers encouraging or ignoring abuse, such as pelting lions with objects.

Animals' rights defenders say the latest alleged killings of zoo animals falls into the same vein, proving that the Giza zoo needs more than just a cosmetic change.

"These killings are a crime punishable by law, if they prove to have happened," animal rights advocate Nesrine Sobhi told TNA. "The same incident shows that the Giza Zoo needs a change of the culture of the people running it, not just a renovation of its infrastructure."