Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
The Nigerian Association of Zoological Gardens and Wildlife Parks has urged the federal government and other donor agencies as well as philanthropists to extend palliatives to zoos in the country to enable them cater for vulnerable animals.
National President of the union, Francis Abioye who made the appeal in a chat with our correspondent in Owerri yesterday also raised the alarm over possible collapse of Ecotourism industry in Nigeria as a result of the effect of the lockdown. He disclosed that the conservation industry is fast collapsing due to the effect of coronavirus induced lockdown. Abioye said “we need the urgent intervention of Federal Government in this industry because it is fast collapsing.
“We need to feed the animals on a daily basis and we no longer generate income due to the lockdown and if nothing is done urgently, the animals in the national zoos and wildlife parks will begin to die.” He therefore appealed to the Federal Government and the national task force on COVID-19 to emulate other countries in the world, which had given palliatives for the upkeep of zoos and wildlife parks.
He added that most of the developed countries have been able to give palliatives to their zoos and wildlife park with the UK government releasing £100m to all the zoos in England last week.
He said “during this lockdown, other industries can afford to shutdown without incurring further regular expenses, but in the case of the zoos, daily maintenance of the animals is inevitable”, he said.