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Two years of renovations at zoo leaves visitors unimpressed

One social media post on April 15 highlighted having spent a few hours at the Pretoria Zoo and finding it ‘in shambles’. It described the experience as ‘quite disappointing’.

April 24, 2024
Banele Sithole 2 minutes read
The National Zoological Garden in Pretoria. Photo: Supplied

Animal organisation Ban Animal Trading is furious over the state of the National Zoological Garden (NZG) in Pretoria after refurbishments that began in 2022 are continuing two years later.

The zoo is managed by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (Sanbi).

Ban Animal Trading director Smaragada Louw said the zoo infrastructure is affecting the animals since they are in captivity at a facility that claims to be all about education and conservation.

“This is obviously not happening. The animals are exposed to ongoing noise and disruptions, which, had they been in the wild, they would be able to escape from. Their behaviour will reflect their fear and their frustrations,” she said.

According to Louw, the public must understand that the animals in a zoo are simply shadows or ghosts of what they truly are, and are unable to display their natural behaviour.

“Instead of living a meaningful life, they are confined to an enclosure or cage that does not mimic their natural habitat and they simply try to survive.”

Louw stressed that zoos can contribute to education and the understanding of animals and their behaviour by making use of innovative technology such as augmented reality and virtual reality.

“It is never necessary to subject animals to poor welfare standards justified on the grounds of education. In fact, with new technology at our fingertips, zoos should not be keeping animals in captivity at all.”

Sanbi spokesperson Nontsikelelo Mpule said the zoo is undergoing extensive refurbishment to make sure it offers an entertaining and educational experience to its over 200 000 visitors each year.

She said the refurbishment was funded through a grant from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment over two financial years at R105-million.

“Entry fees to the zoo are discounted while renovations take place. Updates on work and its progress are posted regularly to the social media platforms of the zoo and the NZG website,” she said.

The National Zoological Garden in Pretoria.
Picture: Supplied

In 2021, a post was circulating on Facebook where a resident was concerned about the conditions of the animals at the zoo.

See post:
https://www.facebook.com/therese.delange.1/posts/10219995227091099

Many people have highlighted their concerns, including the animals’ dirty drinking water; the filthy Apies River running through the zoo, empty enclosures, as well as infrastructure such as roofs decaying.

 

“Spent a few hours at the Pretoria Zoo yesterday. What shambles. Quite a disappointing experience”

According to Mpule, where there are renovations in enclosures, the animals are moved to alternative accommodation within the zoo to ensure minimal disruption to their daily routine.

“There is no concern about the animals at the zoo as they are looked after by skilled staff and the impact of the refurbishment work is minimal for the reasons stated above,” she said.

“The animals are looked after by the zoo’s experienced wildlife veterinarian and caring curators and staff. They are in very good condition.”

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April 24, 2024
Banele Sithole 2 minutes read
 
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