540 Zoo Animals Die Because Of 'Poor Management'

by Sherry Morse

The deaths of 540 animals at the National Zoo in Malaysia over the last two years have been blamed on 'poor management' and lack of experience in veterinary care.

The number of animals that have died represents about twenty percent of the zoo's population of nearly 3000 animals.

The figures on the total number of deaths were included in the zoo's annual reports for 2001 and 2002.

In 2001, 254 autopsies were performed at the zoo. Of those autopsies, the majority were performed on birds (44%), 18% were performed on reptiles, 15% on hoofed animals, and the rest were divided among other species.

That year, the zoo hospital treated 117 injured wild animals.

In 2002, the zoo performed more autopsies - 286, with 40% being done on birds, and 20% each on hoofed animals and reptiles with the balance performed on primates, felines, rodents and other species. In 2002 the hospital treated 56 injured animals.

A zoologist who works with the zoo blamed the number of deaths on the lack of experienced vets, saying, "Many young veterinarians were employed and they came with their degrees but had limited knowledge in the wildlife field...(The) National Zoo is up-to-date with medicines and facilities, there is no doubt about it. But it is because of the poor management that many animals died at that time."

The zoo trains many undergraduates from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Putra Malaysia, and Tunku Abdul Rahman College as well as assisting veterinary students with their final year projects which are carried out within the zoo.

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM), an animal welfare group, believes that the present situation is just another example of the reason why zoos need to take steps to protect animals from human ignorance and neglect through the enactment of stricter operating regulations.

"Zoos with high mortality rates through neglect or incompetence should be taken to task, and there must be a prohibition on further acquisitions," SAM president S.M. Mohd Idris said.

Corporations sponsor many of the animals at the zoo and most have said that they will continue to do so in spite of the large numbers of deaths.

The majority of the corporations believe that the claims of poor management will be addressed and resolved by zoo officials.

"As part of our corporate social responsibility program, our intention has always been to play a role...in improving standards in the zoo," said Harzilah Muhamad, Boustead Holdings Berhad group administration and communications manager.

"Given the gravity of the situation the matter should be brought to a swift conclusion," he said.

Sources
Bernama.com
www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/
news.php?id=28740

E-Media
www.emedia.com.my/Current_News/MM/
Thursday/National/20031120121920
www.emedia.com.my/Current_News/MM/
Saturday/National/20031115102900

© 2003 Animal News Center, Inc.