NGO outraged by pitiable conditions at Sabah zoo

Friends of the Orangutans Malaysia claims animals at the Lok Kawi Zoo are put in small and dirty cages with the elephants kept chained.

Pygmy elephants in the zoo are chained as their enclosure is under construction.

KOTA KINABALU: An NGO has called on the Sabah government and new State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Christina Liew to address pitiable conditions endured by animals at the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park in Penampang.

Friends of the Orangutans Malaysia (FOTO) director Upreshpal Singh said the organisation had received several photos showing the elephants there being chained and unable to roam freely.

He said the cages for sun bears and pythons were filthy with their waste lying on the hard cement floor.

The zoo’s sole tiger, which was one of the park’s major attractions, was confined to a small and mouldy room, he added.

“The photos we’ve seen are heart-breaking,” he told FMT.

The room where the python is kept is tiny and filthy.

“State government officials have previously stated that the zoo also acts as a rescue centre.

“As such, one would expect the animals to be receiving excellent treatment, which sadly doesn’t appear to be the case.”

He added that the zoo, managed by the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD), should stop breeding animals immediately, especially in light of a state official stating that it did not make profits.

Upreshpal said the zoo should also generally stop animal imports, such as that planned for three Malayan tigers from the Melaka Zoo, and focus on improving conditions for the current animals and those that are rescued in future.

Sun bears are kept in a small room with their faeces littering the floor.

“Most importantly, the state government needs to take responsibility and urgently spend to provide all animals with great care, including daily enrichment, and not leave them suffering in chains or in tiny barren cages,” he said.

On the condition of the elephants, Upreshpal said while the pachyderms were normally allowed to roam in a small enclosure, they were all chained now because a new enclosure was being constructed.

He said he was concerned that the creatures would continue to be chained that way, adding that it was not known when the project would be completed.

The sole tiger in the park is kept in a mouldy cage and its enclosure is also small.

The zoo, built on a 112ha piece of land about 20km from Penampang town, was officially opened on Feb 17, 2007. It also acts as a sanctuary for animals that are captured or rescued by SWD.

There have been attempts to get the zoo to move to a bigger area in Sugut, also in Penampang, where the government has a piece of land that can cater to its increasing animal population, but they were frustrated by bureaucratic obstacles.

Upreshpal said it would be a good to revisit the proposal under the new state government.

“If they turn the zoo into a sanctuary, tourists will come and give their money. Right now, no Western tourists care about Lok Kawi. Barely anyone goes there, only locals do,” he said.

FMT has reached out to SWD and is waiting for its response. -FMT