After successfully shutting down Kaduna Zoo in 2021 and relocating the animals to appropriate facilities, Wild at Life e.V. (Wild at Life) has another rescue request in Nigeria again - which for the purpose of this article, will be referred to as Zoo A.

As most zoos in Nigeria are state-owned, they are largely dependent on the government for monetary support. Hypothetically, passive income from entrance fees could be a source of funding for zoos. But with the tickets priced as low as a mere few dollars, many zoos struggle to provide adequate veterinary care and food for the animals.

Unfortunately, this is no different for Zoo A. Irregular - and in most cases, insufficient - funding from Nigerian authorities, exacerbated by the current rising global inflation, makes it almost impossible for the employees to keep Zoo A afloat.

Currently, there are three lions in horrible states, five hyenas, three crocodiles, three ostriches, and several primates, all in urgent need of help and an escape out of Zoo A. The animals are starving and with the lack of husbandry cleaning and maintenance, the spread of illnesses and diseases is not uncommon.

Video of an emaciated lioness

Furthermore, footage from concerned citizens sent to Wild at Life shows locals looting animals.

With the lack of international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Nigeria, Wild at Life is looking to take matters into their own hands to nurse them back to health, before they can be handed over to trusted, local teams who will continue to care for them.

Instability, corruption - the zoo animals in Nigeria do not stand a chance for a fair fight. The need to relieve their plight has never been this urgent. And to do so, Wild at Life needs your support to fund this rescue operation.

Asli Han Gedik, Chief of Conservation at Wild at Life added: “ As an international NGO, we are present in Nigeria for some years and we have rescued countless of animals, worked towards ending wet markets, and shut down zoos that are in horrific conditions such as Kaduna Zoo. It saddens us to see no further development taken on by stakeholders and we are shocked that this still happens in various zoos across Nigeria. We do hope we can assist the country's wildlife and work closely with the new government.”

For more information on our organization and works, please visit www.WildatLife.com.

Your donations - regardless of the figure - are the backbone of our work and we graciously thank you for them. As we prioritize animal feed and immediate veterinary care, our goal is to raise 5,000€. Donations can be made here on this Fundrazr page, or if you'd prefer, our account in Germany is as stated below:

Account: Wild@Life e.V.
IBAN: DE12 8306 5408 0004 9477 03
BIC: GENO DEF1 SLR
Bank: Deutsche Skatbank

*Disclaimer: Due to the sensitivity of the issue, the zoo in question cannot be publicly named at this moment. Any resemblance to the actual name of the zoo is purely coincidental.